Never ending diatoms?

[RBarth]

Tank is over 3 yo. Pretty much have always had it. Doesn't change with lighting. Its brown with no bubbles. I used to do weekly water changes until 3 months ago when I started RMM. So I no longer disturb the sandbed. Thought that would help. Have skimmed the surface before to remove top layer and just comes right back. Have tried peroxide and chemi clean. Nothing works. Nitrates 10-15. Phosphates .05-.1

Thoughts....

 

[bluemon]

Did you start with dry rock only?

Honestly, I'd just leave it for the tank to mature more. It doesn't seem to be too serious and a small amount.

All healthy reefs will have their share of "nuisance" algae

 

[Rocks reef]

You did say the tank is over three years old right?
What is your filtration like?
How is your water flow?
Have you considered adding a bunch of pods to help reduce the diatoms?
How much are you feeding your tank?
You could use a silicate removing resin.

 

[Uncle99]

We don’t generally see diatoms at the 3 years mark.
Kinda looks like Cyano to me.

 

[RBarth]

Yep, 3yrs plus. Good flow, all LPS so not crazy but definitely moving. Did the pod thing...like a lot of pods with no dent. Heavy in, heavy out but no amino dosing. Tried the silicate remover. ICP showed 40ug.

 

[RBarth]

We don’t generally see diatoms at the 3 years mark.
Kinda looks like Cyano to me.

Exactly. Thought the same thing but chemiclean did nothing. It's definitely more brown than red.

 

[Uncle99]

Exactly. Thought the same thing but chemiclean did nothing. It's definitely more brown than red.

Does it leave the sand at night, and show right back in the morning….if so….photosynthetic Dino’s.

 

[RBarth]

Nope. Looks the same no matter.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The picture looks red and diatoms are not red. Ongoing diatoms can only come with an ongoing source of silicate.

 

[CHSUB]

I used to do weekly water changes until 3 months ago when I started RMM. So I no longer disturb the sandbed

Not sure, but I believe RMM is Randy’s method for maintaining magnesium? Im not sure why that would stop you from WC and disturbing the sand bed, because simply vacuuming the top layer of sand with a weekly WC would easily solve the problem.

 

[Uncle99]

With nitrates at 10-15ppm which is fine, I’d keep my phosphate at .1ppm as 0.05ppm is good, but with test margins of error, could be 0.01ppm just as well.

I’d dose that up and see if that feeds your micro fauna which may clean that up.

Low phosphate (if that’s the case here) favours the pest type stuff.

What’s stability like in the last two months?

 

[CHSUB]

I’d dose that up and see if that feeds your micro fauna which may clean that up

Could you explain more how that would work? Example of micro fauna and how it would “clean that up”.

 

[RBarth]

The picture looks red and diatoms are not red. Ongoing diatoms can only come with an ongoing source of silicate.

I will take a pic when the lights go out at 8:30 with a flash. The current pic does make it look red for sure.

 

[RBarth]

With nitrates at 10-15ppm which is fine, I’d keep my phosphate at .1ppm as 0.05ppm is good, but with test margins of error, could be 0.01ppm just as well.

I’d dose that up and see if that feeds your micro fauna which may clean that up.

Low phosphate (if that’s the case here) favours the pest type stuff.

What’s stability like in the last two months?

Stability been a lil up n down since starting RM. Have had to start dosing neophos/nitro to keep my levels. Alk swings as well as things started to grow.

 

[RBarth]

Not sure, but I believe RMM is Randy’s method for maintaining magnesium? Im not sure why that would stop you from WC and disturbing the sand bed, because simply vacuuming the top layer of sand with a weekly WC would easily solve the problem.

Reef moonshiners method. I have always been a sandbed psycho lol. After years of weekly water changes and vacuuming I thought I was never allowing it to 'burn out'.

 

[RBarth]

The picture looks red and diatoms are not red. Ongoing diatoms can only come with an ongoing source of silicate.

Wouldn't that dose of CC kill the cyano if it was in fact cyano?

 

[RBarth]

I've got a scope coming Friday....

 

[CHSUB]

Reef moonshiners method. I have always been a sandbed psycho lol. After years of weekly water changes and vacuuming I thought I was never allowing it to 'burn out'.

Ok, confused the RMM. I just remove stuff I don’t like, maybe stir and remove with vacuuming and return old water?

 

[RBarth]

Ok, confused the RMM. I just remove stuff I don’t like, maybe stir and remove with vacuuming and return old water?

Probably gonna try that. Was hoping that no water changes would not introduce any more silicate.

 

[CHSUB]

Have had to start dosing neophos/nitro

I would stop. Only dosing if your corals suffer. No reason to dose nutrients in response to inaccurate, low resolution hobby test kits.