Zoas not opening due to diatoms
- Thread starter seastar
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OP
OP
seastar
Well-Known Member
By dip, will CoralRx work?
Yes that will work fine. Unless this is a new tank or you recently added a sump, skimmer or other equipment than the diatom bloom should have come and gone by now? Do you know specifically the common name of the palys? It looks like the coral is reaching for more light?
OP
OP
seastar
Well-Known Member
all very helpful! I'll try raising it a bit in the tank too. I have had a diatom outbreak since about mid December (nitrates 0-3ppm, phosphates 0-0.02ppm so I was suspecting the lights. I shortened the light cycle to this (the suggestion for the Marine Orbit Pro) http://grab.by/NHZC
It's better.. but not great.
OP
OP
seastar
Well-Known Member
Im going to have to have to look this up! I assume we're talking common household hydrogen peroxide?
drstratton
Valuable Member
Yes, I've heard of others using it, I'm just not sure how!
Diatoms bloom when silicate levels in the system are high. Silicates are present in new tanks secondary to glass and other types of equipment. Once the silicate level drops as it usually does the diatoms die off from lack of silicates. If these are truly diatoms no intervention is warranted as the bloom will subside on it's own.
I suspect something else is going on in your system, like lack of flow and or light.
I suspect something else is going on in your system, like lack of flow and or light.
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seastar what is your water source and substrait ? But I think its cyano. lower light is just a bandaid for both.
Ive been clearing a high PO problem(bound to rock n sand) w cyano by increasing my light and adding photosynthetic plants and animals while lowering my feeding and choosing different foods.
Ive been clearing a high PO problem(bound to rock n sand) w cyano by increasing my light and adding photosynthetic plants and animals while lowering my feeding and choosing different foods.
Look at twillard posts and brandon429 and algae challenge thread . yes common hydrogen peroxide. Ive been using it as a pest dip as well in a stronger solution.
OP
OP
seastar
Well-Known Member
Water source is city on RO/DI. Tds meter reads. 003 which isn't perfect, but not terrible either is it? Substrate is caribsea fiji pink.
Let me go grab a better shot of the subtrait.
Let me go grab a better shot of the subtrait.
That is Cyanobacteria, flow could be the issue. How large is the tank and what are you using for flow? Do you have a nitrate level? Are you using a skimmer?
OP
OP
seastar
Well-Known Member
Ugh I feel like such a noob sometimes. I can't even diagnose algae correctly. I have a 75gal with a 30gal sump. Flow is two jebao rw-8s. I have them either alternating for 5min or both on at the lowest speed setting. My return is a jebao dc-6000 on the second speed, or about 528gph.
Oh don't feel that way. 
HUGE learning curve in this hobby.
The tank is really only a month or so old, newer systems go through these ups and downs unless you get really lucky.
I have never used the type of light fixture that you have so take my opinion for what it's worth. For the price of this fixture it's not be a product I would invest in. This is not the 1st thread I have seen regarding tanks with issues using the fixture. It's always coral related, the fixture is probably great in fish only tanks or macro algae tanks, in a 75 gallon with corals I just do not think it cuts it. JM2C
HUGE learning curve in this hobby.The tank is really only a month or so old, newer systems go through these ups and downs unless you get really lucky.
I have never used the type of light fixture that you have so take my opinion for what it's worth. For the price of this fixture it's not be a product I would invest in. This is not the 1st thread I have seen regarding tanks with issues using the fixture. It's always coral related, the fixture is probably great in fish only tanks or macro algae tanks, in a 75 gallon with corals I just do not think it cuts it. JM2C
Throttle
Community Member
You can turkey baste the corals with algae to allow them to open. Hydrogen peroxide is a good method too but do your research on dipping coral in it. Maybe test the phosphate of the water you are using and check your local city water if they use chloramines.
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Sir Pat
Community Member
I agree 100%, lack of light and flow seem to go hand in hand with these blooms.
I usually run -
http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/PhosGuard.html
Softens the bloom and helps shorten the cycle considerably.
I have lost a few zoas due to diatom blooms. Ive found these to be good preventitive measures.
