Persistent Diatoms, need help!

[CMO]

Is it that easy to identify strains just based on microscopic characteristics? Or do you need to use any stains or special procedures? I am familiar with looking for motility, so I will mount the slide expecting that.

No stains or special procedures. Just visual identification. While it's very simple to identify dinos vs something else like diatoms with a scope, it can be a bit challenging to identify the exact type of dino. Luckily there are some very lengthy dino threads here on R2R that you can post photos to for help with identification.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Aside from microscope identification which would be ideal, testing for silicate can be done at home:

https://www.marinedepot.com/Salifer...ater_Aquariums-Salifert-SF1137-FITKSK-vi.html

Randy Holmes farely recommends silicate at 2 ppm in reef tanks, lower if diatoms are present. I think it would be safe to say if silicate was at 2 or higher, then there's a good chance it's getting past the RO/DI.

 

[Stingray122]

 

[Stingray122]

1000x with oil. What am I looking at guys? Looks like diatoms to me?

#reefsquad

 

[Stingray122]

Posting from phone sorry. But sample was taken at 9am and looked at at 3pm. Was transported in cold weather. Lot of it detached from the rock sample. Saw some spirulina possibly, a worm/parasite (no photo, was moving), and an amoeba. Cool stuff! Out of my expertise though!

 

[CMO]

Not dinos! Great news.

 

[CMO]

I think BRS has some DI resin that removes silicates.

You can run one can of anion resin followed my mixed bed which will absolutely ensure 0 silicates. I run a single canister with about a quarter anion on the bottom followed by mixed bed DI resin. I just confirmed via ATI ICP test that my RODI water does in fact have 0 silicate with the anion resin now. Prior to using anion it was at 325ug/l silicate per ATI ICP with one can of mixed bed.

 

[rkpetersen]

1000x with oil. What am I looking at guys? Looks like diatoms to me?

#reefsquad

Yes definitely diatoms. Nice job with the pic, too.

You could try the Silicabuster. BRS doesn't carry it but Marine Depot does.

 

[Stingray122]

Thanks everyone! Will grab some silicabuster from spectrapure. Wanted new membranes from them too, planning on starting to degas my RO to use less resin. I appreciate all the responses and help! Ill be sure to update.

 

[kilnakorr]

Ill be sure to update

You forgot to update...

 

[juarec0201]

I have Diatoms as well that have persisted after tearing for Dino’s. Let us know if what you did worked. My po4 is up so thinking of running gfo to remove silicates.