Elevated Silicon and Dinos

[Siberwulf]

Got my first ATI test back today and as expected, Si was off the charts (like 627 vs 96). What was NOT expected was the RO water. Had zero in it. This was drawn before I added in the Anion stage (I had assumed...)

So where else would I get Si from, if not the RO?

If I didn't have diatoms, I wouldn't care too much....

 

[Acros]

Dinos and diatoms are two different issues. Which one do you have?

 

[Siberwulf]

Dinos and diatoms are two different issues. Which one do you have?

Sigh. I have both, but I actually meant diatoms.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How do you know they are diatoms?

 

[Siberwulf]

It's the best guess I have:

I nuked my cyano with Chemiclean, there's still brown dust on things.

I'm working on the dinos, but these aren't long and stringy like that.

I can see if I can grab some and microscope it though.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Any unusual rock or decoration or sand sources?

 

[Siberwulf]

Any unusual rock or decoration or sand sources?

Live rock from the lfs, Carib live sand. Both over 2 years old though.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Diatoms are usually self limiting by using up orthosilicate, and I'm not convinced that the Si at very high levels that some folks report by ICP is actually usable orthosilicate and not something else that diatoms cannot consume (silicone oil components, , metasilicates cyclosilicates, etc.).

 

[Siberwulf]

Diatoms are usually self limiting by using up orthosilicate, and I'm not convinced that the Si at very high levels that some folks report by ICP is actually usable orthosilicate and not something else that diatoms cannot consume (silicone oil components, , metasilicates cyclosilicates, etc.).

Interesting. I'm still not sure where this silicon is coming from. It was elevated from day 1, it seems. My OG ICP test was high as well.

 

[Lavey29]

Silicates can come from your sand or rocks or salt mix. GFO helps remove them too.

 

[Siberwulf]

Silicates can come from your sand or rocks or salt mix. GFO helps remove them too.

I *was* running GFO for a while, but I couldn't keep my phosphates off zero, which led to other issues....

 

[Lavey29]

I *was* running GFO for a while, but I couldn't keep my phosphates off zero, which led to other issues....

Yes that is a concern. I have like continual diatoms also on my sand which is probably related to silica. Tank is over 2 years old and everything is thriving huge so I don't really do that muck about the discoloration on the sand. Seems to be just part of my biome balance now in my tank. Probably need a few more sand sifting cleaners but my tank is wall to wall corals so hard for them to do their work.