High Phosphate and Silicon and diatoms, thoughts?

[One Reefing Boi]

I have a 50gal AIO with high phosphate (0.4 — yes 0.4 not 0.04) and according to my ICP test, Silicon (not silicate) is 402.00 µg/l. (Range is 0-200). Nitrate is less than 2ppm and I dose every other day.

I had some blue clove polyps growing like a weed so I redid my scape and got a new piece of rock from LFS (Carribsea “Live” dry rock). This new rock (and only this rock) is covered in what I assume is diatoms. Brown dusty material, and with the new rock and elevated phosphate, I assume it will go away soon. But, I have lost about 4-7 snails the past 2 weeks or so, which makes me think Dinos possibly? It looks like rust and gives off little bubbles when my flow is off.

Coral is mixed reef and thriving. Only 2 clowns as I lost everything in January and had to go fallow for a bit.

Any thoughts or help? Let it run its course or should I use PhosGuard or something similar?

 

[Troylee]

I’d say diatoms… if it were Dino’s it’s not picky about where it goes and smothers everything lol.. that rock is most likely leaching and causing a harmless diatom bloom that will fade away in time.

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

In a new tank, phos of 0.4 is nothing to worry about. In fact, most corals will starve at 0.04, IME. And neither level will kill your snails...

 

[One Reefing Boi]

In a new tank, phos of 0.4 is nothing to worry about. In fact, most corals will starve at 0.04, IME. And neither level will kill your snails...

Tanks 2.5 years old

 

[One Reefing Boi]

I’d say diatoms… if it were Dino’s it’s not picky about where it goes and smothers everything lol.. that rock is most likely leaching and causing a harmless diatom bloom that will fade away in time.

That’s what I assumed, but wanted to get a second opinion because my snails dying off have me wondering what’s going on