- Joined
- Feb 12, 2018
- Messages
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Hi. I am having a persistent diatom problem. It grows mostly on the rocks, in thick beds that grow back within a few days of removal. My water change schedule is 25% change per week. I use RO/DI water always at 0 TDS, after being ran through two DI canisters. I am on well water that tests around 300ppm, drops to 14 after RO membrane. I have been scrubbing the rocks with a toothbrush every 3-4 days, then changing filter sock immediately after, along with skimming very wet. The organism in question will grow back overnight, and completely cover the rocks within a week, especially where lighting is most intense near surface of water.
I have tried using Dr. Tim's Waste away for about a month, never saw any improvement. Skimmer was always off for 2 days following bacterial dose, along with running no filter socks as the first time I dosed it, all of the bacteria grew in there (white strings galore). I have also tried running GFO, never seem to see any improvement either. I am just dumbfounded at the cause of these diatoms. I cant seem to put my head around if its too nutrient-rich in my tank, or nutrient-lacking. My refugium never grows , I have yet to have to remove any of it for space during the 9-month period this tank has been up. I have been taking it very slow, as I am in school. I plan on adding a royal gamma soon, along with a cleaner shrimp, a few more snails, and a few hermits in the next month. I have 11 frags in my QT tank doing excellent right now, although the ones in my display look like hell in a handbasket. Not too worried about them, as they were my first corals and I expected it, but would like to keep these new ones looking great. The QT tank has been testing around 5 nitrate, 0 phosphate, which is where I'd like to get my current display as well. Looking for some expertise that people on this site always have, looking for cause and treatment.
I have nitrate (Neonitro by brightwell) available to dose, along with phosphate (Seachem Flourish). Just received some Microbacter7 as well. Like I said before, just looking for some guidance! Look forward to hearing from you guys. Ive researched for hours, and everybody seems to say run GFO, or dose bacteria, both of which just didn't seem to work for me. Water changes, no matter how large, don't prevent this from growing back. Thanks again in advance! Information on tank follows:
System info:
40 gallon breeder
Trigger System 30in Sump (17ish gallons)
Maxspec Razor 24in 160W LEDs
Reef Octopus INT-110 Skimmer
Kessil H160 Tuna Flora Refugium Light (Ran from 10pm to 6am, growing chateomorpha)
Mp10 QD at half power running Reef Crest
Maxspec Gyre 1k at 80% power running Pulse
2x 100W Eheim Jager
Tunze Osmolator (not running any kalk or dosing)
Neptune Apex Classic
Red Sea Blue Bucket
Parameters:
Temperature: locked in at 78.1-78.2 degrees via Apex
pH: 7.95 (night) and 8.10ish (Day)
Salinity: 1.025 (Refractometer)
Alkalinity: 8.1 (Red Sea Alk Pro)
Calcium: 420ppm (Red Sea)
Mag: Have not tested, will if needed in assisting me
Phosphate: Undetectable (NYOS kit)
Nitrate: Undetectable (NYOS kit)
I am not dosing, thinking I will start as the pH of my tank goes to about 8.2 after a WC but drops rather quickly.
Bioload:
Two Clownfish
1 Torch Coral
5 SPS (that don't look to well, one bounced back very well)
2 Trochus snails
Photo:
I have tried using Dr. Tim's Waste away for about a month, never saw any improvement. Skimmer was always off for 2 days following bacterial dose, along with running no filter socks as the first time I dosed it, all of the bacteria grew in there (white strings galore). I have also tried running GFO, never seem to see any improvement either. I am just dumbfounded at the cause of these diatoms. I cant seem to put my head around if its too nutrient-rich in my tank, or nutrient-lacking. My refugium never grows , I have yet to have to remove any of it for space during the 9-month period this tank has been up. I have been taking it very slow, as I am in school. I plan on adding a royal gamma soon, along with a cleaner shrimp, a few more snails, and a few hermits in the next month. I have 11 frags in my QT tank doing excellent right now, although the ones in my display look like hell in a handbasket. Not too worried about them, as they were my first corals and I expected it, but would like to keep these new ones looking great. The QT tank has been testing around 5 nitrate, 0 phosphate, which is where I'd like to get my current display as well. Looking for some expertise that people on this site always have, looking for cause and treatment.
I have nitrate (Neonitro by brightwell) available to dose, along with phosphate (Seachem Flourish). Just received some Microbacter7 as well. Like I said before, just looking for some guidance! Look forward to hearing from you guys. Ive researched for hours, and everybody seems to say run GFO, or dose bacteria, both of which just didn't seem to work for me. Water changes, no matter how large, don't prevent this from growing back. Thanks again in advance! Information on tank follows:
System info:
40 gallon breeder
Trigger System 30in Sump (17ish gallons)
Maxspec Razor 24in 160W LEDs
Reef Octopus INT-110 Skimmer
Kessil H160 Tuna Flora Refugium Light (Ran from 10pm to 6am, growing chateomorpha)
Mp10 QD at half power running Reef Crest
Maxspec Gyre 1k at 80% power running Pulse
2x 100W Eheim Jager
Tunze Osmolator (not running any kalk or dosing)
Neptune Apex Classic
Red Sea Blue Bucket
Parameters:
Temperature: locked in at 78.1-78.2 degrees via Apex
pH: 7.95 (night) and 8.10ish (Day)
Salinity: 1.025 (Refractometer)
Alkalinity: 8.1 (Red Sea Alk Pro)
Calcium: 420ppm (Red Sea)
Mag: Have not tested, will if needed in assisting me
Phosphate: Undetectable (NYOS kit)
Nitrate: Undetectable (NYOS kit)
I am not dosing, thinking I will start as the pH of my tank goes to about 8.2 after a WC but drops rather quickly.
Bioload:
Two Clownfish
1 Torch Coral
5 SPS (that don't look to well, one bounced back very well)
2 Trochus snails
Photo: