GFO, Phosguard, and Brown Diatom on sandbed

SpikeWire · Apr 10, 2017

I've faced this before and quite honestly didn't exactly pin down the problem. Basically I am getting a brown diatom on my sandbed and it's actually becoming somewhat solid in places. Alk=8.0, Cal=420, and Mag=usually at 1350. I don't overfeed (feed the fish not the tank) but I do feed corals about 1-2 week with Reef Chile. I also add SeaChem Reef Trace and Reef Plus. 30 gallon water changes weekly on a 120. I know that might be a bit much but has been working well for a long time.

So I've been using Phosguard in a media reactor as I was told early on that it would last a good amount of time until my levels started going up. Recently I'm hearing that it is really a short term fix for a few days maybe a week and then get rid of it. My LFS convinced me to go back to GFO. Honestly I always hated the mess of GFO. That's been the only change in routine and now I am getting the brown diatom and solidifying of the sandbed.

Could this really be the issue? I know tons of folks who run GFO very successfully.

I also remember being told that the brown and the solidifying sand could be a chemical and parameters issue. Any thoughts/opinions/advice would be greatly appreciated

Nano sapiens · Apr 10, 2017

This one is common, but also difficult to determine the 'why' for each case. For my particular reef aquarium, I had this issue for around 8-9 months even though I keep a clean tank so it was a bit of a mystery. I manipulated a number of parameters over time, but the issue just wouldn't go away. However, when I gradually reduced the red wavelengths (reduced 'white' and 'red' channels) in my LED array I started to see improvement. Within a few short weeks the sand bed cleared up completely and has stayed that way ever since. Something to consider...

Randy Holmes-Farley · Apr 11, 2017

SpikeWire said:
So I've been using Phosguard in a media reactor as I was told early on that it would last a good amount of time until my levels started going up. Recently I'm hearing that it is really a short term fix for a few days maybe a week and then get rid of it. My LFS convinced me to go back to GFO. Honestly I always hated the mess of GFO. That's been the only change in routine and now I am getting the brown diatom and solidifying of the sandbed.

Any phosphate/silicate binder will last a long time when levels are low, and deplete fast when levels are high.

Are you sure it is diatoms and not cyano or other pest?

Tap water is a prime source of silicate. Do you use tap water?

SpikeWire · Apr 11, 2017

I can't be 100% sure but I am pretty sure it's not cyno. I have a BRS 6 stage RO/DI and the resin (color changing) is less than halfway depleted and I get 0 for TDS. What is the best way to diagnose what it could be. Diatoms, brown algae, cyno,dinos etc?

wyattray · Apr 11, 2017

SpikeWire said:
I can't be 100% sure but I am pretty sure it's not cyno. I have a BRS 6 stage RO/DI and the resin (color changing) is less than halfway depleted and I get 0 for TDS. What is the best way to diagnose what it could be. Diatoms, brown algae, cyno,dinos etc?

Get a microscope.

GoVols · Apr 11, 2017

wyattray said:
Get a microscope.

Lol
+1
and twillard

SpikeWire · Apr 19, 2017

Thanks to the folks with the helpful advice. I appreciate it.

saltyfilmfolks · Apr 19, 2017

SpikeWire said:
I can't be 100% sure but I am pretty sure it's not cyno. I have a BRS 6 stage RO/DI and the resin (color changing) is less than halfway depleted and I get 0 for TDS. What is the best way to diagnose what it could be. Diatoms, brown algae, cyno,dinos etc?

we love pictures.

SpikeWire · Apr 19, 2017

I know and I'm sorry I should have had those in the beginning. The problem is clearing itself up now. I did turn down the red to about 5% peak time and slightly lowered white as well. Also I think the GFO has finally kicked in. I had just switched from Phosgard to GFO not know Phosgard was such a short term solution. I nudged up the flow just a spec. These two things seem to slowly be helping. Mucho thanks to Nano and Randy.

GoVols · Apr 19, 2017

SpikeWire said:
I know and I'm sorry I should have had those in the beginning. The problem is clearing itself up now. I did turn down the red to about 5% peak time and slightly lowered white as well. Also I think the GFO has finally kicked in. I had just switched from Phosgard to GFO not know Phosgard was such a short term solution. I nudged up the flow just a spec. These two things seem to slowly be helping. Mucho thanks to Nano and Randy.

Congrats!

I'm not a fan of Phosgard, but I am a GFO junkie / tumbling in it's own reactor.

SpikeWire · Apr 19, 2017

Thanks bud. I like gfo as well but no matter how neat I try to be it's always a mess [emoji16]

saltyfilmfolks · Apr 19, 2017

GoVols said:
Congrats!

I'm not a fan of Phosgard, but I am a GFO junkie / tumbling in it's own reactor.

SpikeWire said:
Thanks bud. I like gfo as well but no matter how neat I try to be it's always a mess [emoji16]

I like my GFO too. The bottle is now six years old.;Troll

GoVols · Apr 19, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
I like my GFO too. The bottle is now six years old.;Troll

Salty,
Are you running a refugium?

saltyfilmfolks · Apr 19, 2017

GoVols said:
Salty,
Are you running a refugium?

On one tank yes. The other Im just kind of winging it.

GoVols · Apr 19, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
On one tank yes. The other Im just kind of winging it.

If only I had the room for one...

Thankfully I found a method so that I have no need to carbon dose anymore but I'd love to be able to run a natural refugium.

Nano sapiens · Apr 19, 2017

SpikeWire said:
I know and I'm sorry I should have had those in the beginning. The problem is clearing itself up now. I did turn down the red to about 5% peak time and slightly lowered white as well. Also I think the GFO has finally kicked in. I had just switched from Phosgard to GFO not know Phosgard was such a short term solution. I nudged up the flow just a spec. These two things seem to slowly be helping. Mucho thanks to Nano and Randy.

Good to hear!

40B Knasty · Apr 19, 2017

I just ordered Continuum Aquatics Bacter Clean-M. Seems like it is great for any kind of algae. You might want to try it. $13 bucks is a lot cheaper than buying a reactor and gfo or dealing with it which you don't particularly care to do.
Fighting conch was great when I had diatoms.

SpikeWire · Apr 19, 2017

Yes I actually have two conches and they do a nice job. I already have the reactor but was running Phosgard. Worked great but seems a shorter term solution. Switched to gfo so hopefully some slow adjustments will keep it on the right track.