Long term diatom issues

Lavey29 · Nov 30, 2023

Jaag said:
Can you dose neonitro and neophos if you are growing cheato?

Yes, I had to dose neophos and neonitro for multiple months before I got measurable numbers.

Jaag · Nov 30, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Yes, I had to dose neophos and neonitro for multiple months before I got measurable numbers.

Do you think it’s better to take it out of the tank while doing it?
I just don’t wanna lose the all the pods I have in it.

Lavey29 · Nov 30, 2023

Jaag said:
Do you think it’s better to take it out of the tank while doing it?
I just don’t wanna lose the all the pods I have in it.

I didn't, my chaeto grows like crazy. It feeds on phosphate and nitrates.

Jaag · Dec 1, 2023

Lavey29 said:
I didn't, my chaeto grows like crazy. It feeds on phosphate and nitrates.

So you left yours in and everything turned out okay? Do you think it took longer to get your levels up because if that

Lavey29 · Dec 1, 2023

Jaag said:
So you left yours in and everything turned out okay? Do you think it took longer to get your levels up because if that

Chaeto does minimal to reduce nitrates and phosphate. I just use it as natural filtration and for pods. I like to offset the light so my PH stays consistent overnight.

Jaag · Dec 3, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Chaeto does minimal to reduce nitrates and phosphate. I just use it as natural filtration and for pods. I like to offset the light so my PH stays consistent overnight.

That’s a nice looking set up.

Well sounds like I will leave it in.

Any worries with my corals when dosing all that?

Lavey29 · Dec 3, 2023

Jaag said:
That’s a nice looking set up.

Well sounds like I will leave it in.

Any worries with my corals when dosing all that?

Your tank is obviously out of balance . The bad guys are winning. You need nutrients and other parameters at stable good levels. Then take progressive steps to work on your dinos. Natural remedies can work like pods, dosing good bacteria, maybe conch. etc... combined with good husbandry like water changes, siphon sand, etc... but this will be a long battle. No overnight solution, if you try harsh chemicals you will open the door for more problems.

Jaag · Dec 3, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Your tank is obviously out of balance . The bad guys are winning. You need nutrients and other parameters at stable good levels. Then take progressive steps to work on your dinos. Natural remedies can work like pods, dosing good bacteria, maybe conch. etc... combined with good husbandry like water changes, siphon sand, etc... but this will be a long battle. No overnight solution, if you try harsh chemicals you will open the door for more problems.

I’m thinking neophos, neonitro and micobacter 7 as recommended by BRS.
I’m starting to run out of sand for siphoning it. If I add more will that be an issue

Lavey29 · Dec 3, 2023

Jaag said:
I’m thinking neophos, neonitro and micobacter 7 as recommended by BRS.
I’m starting to run out of sand for siphoning it. If I add more will that be an issue

If you pinch the hose you will siphon out debris but leave your sand in the tank

Jaag · Dec 3, 2023

Lavey29 said:
If you pinch the hose you will siphon out debris but leave your sand in the tank

I did the best I can. Still sucks up sand for sure.

You think adding sand will be an issue while dosing the phosphate and nitrate?

Lavey29 · Dec 4, 2023

Jaag said:
I did the best I can. Still sucks up sand for sure.

You think adding sand will be an issue while dosing the phosphate and nitrate?

No won't affect anything.

Jaag · Dec 4, 2023

Lavey29 said:
No won't affect anything.

I appreciate all the help. I’ll be back with up dates.

Once I start dosing, which should be today, how quick until I should start to notice. BRS said a few weeks probably.

Lavey29 · Dec 4, 2023

Jaag said:
I appreciate all the help. I’ll be back with up dates.

Once I start dosing, which should be today, how quick until I should start to notice. BRS said a few weeks probably.

I had to double dose neophos and neonitro for multiple months before I got measurable stable numbers.

Jaag · Dec 5, 2023

So hoping you guys can help me with my test results.
Nitrates look to be pretty much 0.
Phosphates were anywhere from .08 to .12

I though phosphates needed to be lower for dinos. Could the 0 nitrates be the main cause?

I’m treating, should I only dose the nitrate and bacteria?

Lavey29 · Dec 5, 2023

Jaag said:
So hoping you guys can help me with my test results.
Nitrates look to be pretty much 0.
Phosphates were anywhere from .08 to .12

I though phosphates needed to be lower for dinos. Could the 0 nitrates be the main cause?

I’m treating, should I only dose the nitrate and bacteria?

Your phosphate number is fine. Get nitrates to 15 and just focus on stability and good husbandry. These are not overnight algae battles. Give yourself 2 or 3 months of keeping everything stable and see where your progress is.

Jaag · Dec 5, 2023

Lavey29 said:
Your phosphate number is fine. Get nitrates to 15 and just focus on stability and good husbandry. These are not overnight algae battles. Give yourself 2 or 3 months of keeping everything stable and see where your progress is.

Sounds like a plan. I will only dose nitrates then and hopefully it works for me.

I am sick of the I flu sand bed.

What usually causes these to drop like it did? I had some fish die a few months back and it seemed like it started after that. There was only one fish in my tank for a long time.

Lavey29 · Dec 5, 2023

Jaag said:
Sounds like a plan. I will only dose nitrates then and hopefully it works for me.

I am sick of the I flu sand bed.

What usually causes these to drop like it did? I had some fish die a few months back and it seemed like it started after that. There was only one fish in my tank for a long time.

Parameters are always unstable in new tanks. Rocks absorb phosphates and everything likes nitrates to like corals and chaeto. GHA, etc...you have to remember nothing good in this hobby happens fast. Patience is key. Yes the tank will be in and out of ugly stages the first year but if you focus on stability and good husbandry then your biome will eventually be able to beat the bad guys back. They never completely go away from the tank though always lurking and looking to take advantage if things get unstable. This is why the hobby is so challenging. After a year, tank became very stable and predictable almost on autopilot but I still have little patches here and there of algae which is good because I see it as part of a healthy biome and invert food. I really let the tank work out almost everything on its own and just focus on stable parameters and weekly husbandry.

I wish I had before ugly shots to show you from the first year but this is 2.5 years now.