Diatoms in an established reef?

[b4tn]

In these past 4 years I have learned a lot mostly the hard way. But one of the things that beats me down every time is some sort of algae outbreak! I would be happy to have some ugly algae here and there but when it comes to my tank its go big or go home lol. I have been covered in bryopsis and Hair algae to the point you couldn't see the rocks. Took a year of trying water changes, GFO, scrubber, and manual removal before finally using fluconazole. Once that was beat I had a good run before the bubble algae got out of control. same thing, water changes, GFO, scrubber, skimming, manual removal. I eventually gave up and used vibrant. Now thats all cleared up and I have what appears to be diatoms! Covers the sand, rocks, and glass and gets darker the later in the day it gets. Lights go out and it goes away (or better looses its color). I dont have a silicate testing kit so I have not tested for silicates. However, after finishing my vibrant treatment I did have a spike of high nitrates for about a week which I now have under control. Currently I have a running and growing ATS so I get no readable NO3 or PO4. I have not seen diatoms since I cycled years ago. The only things I can think of that have recently changed

- I recently replaced my sediment filter, carbon block, and DI resin The TDS meter on my RODI unit shows 0. I used this DI resin.
- I use Reef crystals salt but since I dose daily BRS 2 part I use 2ml of Muriatic acid? per 5 gallons to bring the alk down to 8dkh for water changes (It gets aerated over night)
- I have been using Kalk paste to hit Aptasia when I see them.

Since my Nitrates are stable again I have not done a water change in over a week and its not gone, but appears to have gotten better/slowed down but its hard to say.

I am suspecting that maybe the batch of salt I am using may have some silicates in it? Anyone ever have diatom issues with RC?

Or maybe the Muriatic acid contains silicates?

Or maybe it was the Nitrate spike that caused them and now that they are low again its stabilizing?

 

[SPR1968]

We may need some clear pictures to confirm the ID of what you have so we can correctly identify the possible problem as it could be several things in an established system.

Then we can see how we can all help you out

 

[b4tn]

Here are some pics blues off. It’s not terrible right now because I cleaned yesterday. But it gets darker as the day goes on then looks like it’s gone with lights off.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

deff looks like diatom to me. Could be cyano though. I'm not a scientist or biologist by any means.
You using 0tds water for top off really makes me think hmmm.
lol

How often or frequently are u in the tank? arms submerged?
I'm not a fan of the dosing acid or using it to lwr ur alk...
Although ppl are dosing crazy things now days.

Id like to know more about ur filtration and water volume.
If it was me, Id try large monthly wcs. Id try smaller more frequent wcs..... If I saw no difference or very little change....id let it go and let it work itself out naturally.
-d

 

[b4tn]

I really wish I could keep my hands out of the tank but I am in there often scrubbing algae, moving frags, adding frags, changing filter sock, etc. I try to wash my hands with dawn each time they go in the tank. I have 70 gallons of true water volume (75 gallon tank and 40 gallon sump). I have a reef octo 150int classic skimmer, a turbo aquatics algae scrubber, a reactor with carbon in it and a filter sock. I’m running close to 150 lbs of rock

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

well all that sounds about right... Ur rinsing and drying ur hands well prior I take it...prob a lot of silicates in the dawn?!
I would only wash after when I had a tank like that.

What about a UV sterilizer? With all that u mentioned though I would see your scrubber, carbon, filter sock, skimmer combo working fine... How often do u change the carbon?
-d