Diatoms are being stubborn!

[exnisstech]

For me diatoms are inevitable anytime I use sand. I recently added sand to an established barebottom tank so I could add a haddoni and sure enough I now have diatoms
I. Just roll with it

 

[Miami Reef]

For me diatoms are inevitable anytime I use sand. I recently added sand to an established barebottom tank so I could add a haddoni and sure enough I now have diatoms
I. Just roll with it

Same experience here.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Same experience here.

I'm assuming in an established or well-established system the diatoms come and go just as quick since you already have all that biodiversity going on?

 

[Miami Reef]

I'm assuming in an established or well-established system the diatoms come and go just as quick since you already have all that biodiversity going on?

Keep in mind I’m always dosing silica once a week.

If I scrape my wall from all coralline and diatoms, the first thing to grow back is diatoms. They last about 2 weeks before there is significant coralline taking over.

Even when I bleach my powerheads, the first thing to grow back will be diatoms, but then coralline algae will take over.

But the front glass will always have diatoms growing. If I don’t scrape it for a long time, then I’m positive it would be filled with coralline, too.

So yes, biodiversity does help. If I dose a lot of silica, I’ll see diatoms on the sandbed, but they don’t bother me at all.

Sometimes I’ll get diatoms growing on top of very old coralline patches that I can‘t reach behind the rockwork. It’s always a balancing act, but I really like diatoms. I love the golden brown shade they provide (in moderation). They aren’t nearly as visible compared to green algae, and they replace GHA when silica dosing.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Very interesting, never thought of it that way. Online shop I deal with scraped a bunch of Corline out of his frag tank and crushed it up and put it in a tiny bag with water and slipped it into my order. We shut all circulation off and sprinkled it over the rockscape and let it sit for 30 minutes and once powered the pumps back up we didn't see anything blowing around so hopefully we'll get some of the good stuff growing.

Is it true if you naturally have higher amounts of silicates that sponges will start to grow in the dimmer areas of the tank or sump?

 

[Miami Reef]

Is it true if you naturally have higher amounts of silicates that sponges will start to grow in the dimmer areas of the tank or sump?

Yes. Most sponges require silica (just like diatoms). Sponges are also filter feeders, so lots of particulate food, silica, and lack of predation is the recipe (IMO) for sponge growth.

I personally dose vinegar to my reef tank. Sponges are known to consume acetate, and they can also consume the bacteria that also grows from the organic carbon source.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

Thank you this is been quite the learning thread for me today. I appreciate everybody's input!

 

[saltyhog]

For the record, the Seachem silicate test kit (and all of the ones available in the US) are not very good. If you want to be sure about your silicate levels, an ICP test would be the best way.

If it persists, consider getting it under a microscope to make sure it's not something else.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

For the record, the Seachem silicate test kit (and all of the ones available in the US) are not very good. If you want to be sure about your silicate levels, an ICP test would be the best way.

If it persists, consider getting it under a microscope to make sure it's not something else.

Turned out as diatoms at first then I guess cyano took over. I've just been hammering the probio to it and it's dieing off pretty fast.

 

[Salty_Northerner]

What microscope would be recommended so I can use my phone? Also what would be the ideal magnification to see anything that may show up to identify?

 

[saltyhog]

What microscope would be recommended so I can use my phone? Also what would be the ideal magnification to see anything that may show up to identify?

Any student type scope with at least 400x magnification will get the job done. This is the one I have and am quite pleased with it.

I would try to take some pictures at about 200x and 400x. Video is great too.

To take pictures with your phone, start with the phone about a foot away from the eyepiece. Center the orb of light in the center of the picture frame and slowly advance the camera (keeping the light in the center of the field of view). You can reach out with the ring or middle finger of your off hand and rest it against the side of the eyepiece to stabilize the picture. Try to get the microscope to take almost the entire field of view.

Most scope manufacturers also make phone holders for their scopes. Unfortunately they remove the magnification from the eyepiece so that has to be taken into account. I don’t have any trouble getting good pictures without it.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Established tanks get them too. I think I have been contaminating my rodi. I have sponges growing in noticeable amounts and have been been having diatoms come and go for a month or so… no3 8.1 po4 .06. I’ve noticed 10-20 on my tds meter when I check the ro in my reservoir, zero out of my rodi. I get 1-2 in my brute. I’m in the middle of getting AWCs with RO delivery, so I will hopefully take my sloppiness out of the equation. My wife says I would have one up’s Dr. Death by now with all the cross contamination I have caused from time to time, lol.