Will boiling live rock cause it to start releasing silicates and cause a diatom outbreak?

Just John

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In my 3 week old aquarium I found some B. plumosa growing on my live rock and decided to boil it (none of the corals were attached yet). I had a small diatom outbreak a week before that was gone by then. The day after boiling it a diatom outbreak is growing fast. Could it be that boiling the rock caused it to start releasing silicates to feed them? (Phosphates and nitrates are zero or close to it. I have no fish and only some softies right now.)
 

Rmckoy

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In my 3 week old aquarium I found some B. plumosa growing on my live rock and decided to boil it (none of the corals were attached yet). I had a small diatom outbreak a week before that was gone by then. After boiling it a diatom outbreak is growing fast. Could it be that boiling the rock caused it to start releasing silicates to feed them?
When you say boiling.
You’re not referring to placing in pot of water and heating to boiling ?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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I cannot see a reason to think that boiled rock would cause it to later release silicate, unless it was already coated with diatoms (in which case the boiling is not the cause anyway).
 
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Just John

Just John

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When you say boiling.
You’re not referring to placing in pot of water and heating to boiling ?
I read in more than place that for that type of persistent algae it should be boiled, so yes. I have seen the same advice for some other tough algae.
 

Rmckoy

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I read in more than place that for that type of persistent algae it should be boiled, so yes. I have seen the same advice for some other tough algae.
When I hear boiling . I think of paly toxin and death .
out weighs the benefits of “ boiling to clean algae “
 

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I read in more than place that for that type of persistent algae it should be boiled, so yes. I have seen the same advice for some other tough algae.
I wouldn’t recommend ever boiling rock..

you’ve no idea what sort of toxins could be released.. I hope you did it in a well vented room! Jeez.. if my wife walked in and found me using the stove to boil some rock, I’d be sleeping outside!
 

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I wouldn't boil rocks outside. All you need is one drift of fume air to make it to your nose or someone else. You could cause death.
 

ReefdudeAdam

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Clearly, that was a noob mistake then. Now that it's done, could it be causing a new diatom outbreak?
I highly doubt it. I can’t see how boiling anything could create something that wasn’t there. The issue was obviously there before, boiling did nothing to help.
 

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Clearly, that was a noob mistake then. Now that it's done, could it be causing a new diatom outbreak?
Diatoms are a normal phase of a new tank. They go away on their own, various snails and crabs can help it along.
You said you have near 0 nitrates and phosphates so I’m guessing you might be seeing a Dino outbreak.
 

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I read in more than place that for that type of persistent algae it should be boiled, so yes. I have seen the same advice for some other tough algae.
Never ever boil rock. There is a high chance of explosion. If you’re really trying to clean that exact rock, and your tank is already cycled soak the rock in bleach water for a week, then soak it in RODI for a few days and allow it to dry. That’s how I cured all of the rock in my tank
 

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Diatoms are a normal phase of a new tank. They go away on their own, various snails and crabs can help it along.
You said you have near 0 nitrates and phosphates so I’m guessing you might be seeing a Dino outbreak.
Being only 3 weeks old .
is Dinos possible ?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Clearly, that was a noob mistake then. Now that it's done, could it be causing a new diatom outbreak?

As I already mentioned, boiling not cause release of silicate, but the boiled rock will have plenty of dead stuff that will boost nutrients and can boost any of various types of algae.
 

brandon429

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what you read about boiling to cure algae doesn't come from a work thread, it comes from a one off testimony or maybe three one offs

a work thread for example is fifty pages or so of straight cures over and over, only get algae info from one of those, not a personal testimony.

boiling the rock was never the right mode to do here, now the algae is primed much better for takeover as soon as balances come back. it has tons of extra nutrients now dead and decaying inside the rock.
 

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