Diatoms

ryecoon · Mar 12, 2014

What is your technique to ridding Diatoms? aggressive Skimmer (Check), Good flow (Check), RO/DI water (Check), Perfect Parameters (Check)..What else can it be??

mike007 · Mar 12, 2014

How long has this tank been set up?

Sicklid · Mar 12, 2014

Did you check phosphate levels with a reliable test kit?

ryecoon · Mar 12, 2014

mike007 said:
How long has this tank been set up?

9 Months

ryecoon · Mar 12, 2014

Sicklid said:
Did you check phosphate levels with a reliable test kit?

API Reef Master

ryecoon · Mar 12, 2014

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1394667926.237791.jpg

There was more on the window and sand i just wiped it.

colinsta · Mar 12, 2014

I have always dealt with it on my sand and fighting conchs or tiger conchs love diatoms but they only stay on the sand. I have 4 in my 135, great part of the cleanup crew.

mike007 · Mar 12, 2014

If you are still having these issues you nutrient level is high. Need to know your nitrate levels and phosphate. Most of these problems are from overfeeding or poor husbandry ( water changes) etc.

ryecoon · Mar 12, 2014

colinsta said:
I have always dealt with it on my sand and fighting conchs or tiger conchs love diatoms but they only stay on the sand. I have 4 in my 135, great part of the cleanup crew.

Nice! +1 will get some. By the looks of my pic. Does that look like cyano? or Diatoms? its growing in Hair form on the window looking like long grass blowing in the wind lol

ryecoon · Mar 12, 2014

mike007 said:
If you are still having these issues you nutrient level is high. Need to know your nitrate levels and phosphate. Most of these problems are from overfeeding or poor husbandry ( water changes) etc.

0 phosphates 0 Nitrates 0 Nitrites. I only have 1 small wrasse in a 55 gal reef. Only feed him once a week very small portions thru a turkey baster. i do water changes every other day of 3 gallons. The algae started growing after i added 20 lbs of live rock, a 10 gallon sump, upgraded to a better skimmer and started small dosing Kalk.

Whys Alives · Mar 12, 2014

Buy some snails.

"Acro Sheen" · Mar 12, 2014

Did you add any sand recently could be silicates?

ryecoon · Mar 12, 2014

"Acro Sheen" said:
Did you add any sand recently could be silicates?

Actually Yes. i added a 10 gallon sump with a refugium. Another sand bed. had to replace the old Hob refugium.

NanaReefer · Mar 12, 2014

Your Diatoms are NOT from a nutrient issue. They come from silicates. New sand, any new plastics, new rock and even a new 10 gallon glass sump

Good rule of thumb is to soak all new glass & plastic additions in white distiller vinegar before using. The use of GFO like ChemiPure Elite will help remove excess silicates.

ryecoon · Mar 13, 2014

NanaReefer said:
Your Diatoms are NOT from a nutrient issue. They come from silicates. New sand, any new plastics, new rock and even a new 10 gallon glass sump Good rule of thumb is to soak all new glass & plastic additions in white distiller vinegar before using. The use of GFO like ChemiPure Elite will help remove excess silicates.

Thanks alot. I actually added a new bag of chemi pure elite. The bag got is all redish brown from the algae also.

NanaReefer · Mar 13, 2014

Although ugly Diatoms are pretty harmless and will eventually disappear

ryecoon · Mar 13, 2014

Do Diatoms usually get into the skimmer and in the refugium? it turned my Chaeto into a brownish color also.

jesterisdead · Mar 13, 2014

My tank is covered I. It was well. I clean my glass and an hour later you can't tell. I'm currently working on a new sump with filter sox and hope that helps to thin it out. I've also started skimming wetter.

ryecoon · Mar 13, 2014

jesterisdead said:
My tank is covered I. It was well. I clean my glass and an hour later you can't tell. I'm currently working on a new sump with filter sox and hope that helps to thin it out. I've also started skimming wetter.

Im skimming wet also. How long does it take until the diatoms go away and rocks start filling in with coraline?

NanaReefer · Mar 13, 2014

A filter sock will help. Just make sure to clean it regularly. Feel free to rinse your cheato out in old tank water or quickly under tap water.
Diatoms can and will show up anywhere there are silicates. You could look online for a silica buster or absorbent. Diatoms can last anywhere from a couple days to several weeks. Once the silica is used up and the diatoms have no more to feed on (so to speak) they will die out. Patients is a true virtue here.

As for Coralline growth. Totally dependent upon type of lighting and Calcium. It is possible to seed your rock using a piece of Coralline covered rock, or what I do is scrape it off my tank walls and give it to my LFS so that they can seed their new LR

Some reefers swear by Purple UP. I personally used it for a week when starting my new tank and I was pleased with the results. Within a year all my rock was completely covered with beautiful purple Coralline.