Newly setup tank but used cycled dry rock. It's been cycled for 3 week now. Starting to see diatoms. I am trying to get through this without any chemicals or additives. So my only way is to starve them of silicate. But I am noticing that my Nitrate is also bottoming out[around 2PPM]. I do not have a phosphate checker yet. I will get it this weekend.
Here is what I tried so far.
Added a refugium with Chaeto. It's growing ok but the chamber walls are filled with diatom. Chaeto is doing ok. Added copepods and I also dose phyto. Pods are thriving. I have 2 Turbo snails Cerith and Nassariud and they do cleanup but not enough. No fish but I am feeding heavy to keep nitrates up. I tried the lights out method for 2 days but it is dropping PH to 7.8 during the day and I also realized that this will just prolong the algae since it is not using up any silicate. Is there any other ideas? Any other methods to lower silicate? I am assuming water change is not an option since the Nitrate is really low. Skimmer is off. Removed socks too. Other concern is Dino if Nitrate goes to 0
Here is what I tried so far.
Added a refugium with Chaeto. It's growing ok but the chamber walls are filled with diatom. Chaeto is doing ok. Added copepods and I also dose phyto. Pods are thriving. I have 2 Turbo snails Cerith and Nassariud and they do cleanup but not enough. No fish but I am feeding heavy to keep nitrates up. I tried the lights out method for 2 days but it is dropping PH to 7.8 during the day and I also realized that this will just prolong the algae since it is not using up any silicate. Is there any other ideas? Any other methods to lower silicate? I am assuming water change is not an option since the Nitrate is really low. Skimmer is off. Removed socks too. Other concern is Dino if Nitrate goes to 0