Diatoms...HELP!

[Breakthecycle2]

Over the past month or so I am constantly getting diatoms on my sand bed. It is not cyano, it's golden brown powder and blows off easily. About 9 weeks ago I took all the fish out because of velvet. I did stir up all the sand (sandbed is only an inch or less). It is not going away. I don't know where the silicates are coming from or if I can even test for it? My filters in my RO/DI were changed a month ago. The unit is about a year and half old. The membrane has not been changed yet. That being said, I don't think its from that because my two QT tanks do not have it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Lower nutrients and starve than out.
Scrub and manual removal. Add a more varied CUC and competing organisms

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Lower nutrients and starve than out.
Scrub and manual removal. Add a more varied CUC and competing organisms

Diatoms feed off silicates. I don't think nutrients have anything to do with it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Diatoms feed off silicates. I don't think nutrients have anything to do with it.

You can use gfo and carbon to reduce the concentration as well. It s odd they there that high a source thoug

 

[Breakthecycle2]

You can use gfo and carbon to reduce the concentration as well. It s odd they there that high a source thoug

I should have mentioned. I already run Rowaphos and biopellets.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Have you tested for silicate concentrations?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Have you tested for silicate concentrations?

No, I asked that in the first post. I don't even know what test kit to use or where I can get one.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

http://m.drsfostersmith.com/product...mpid=03cseYY&gclid=CJ3N5cKC9c8CFRBxfgodYIwLgA