Diatoms

[devante]

I used tap water you cycle my tank. When It cycled I started using purified and distilled
water. The water in FL smells like bleach. I thought that using different water would be better. Now I have a Diatom every day. The light is on for 8hrs. not near any direct sun light. I bought a Phosphate bag and it didn't help. Is tap water better than the other waters? Am I doing something wrong?
Please help. I'm tired of cleaning diatoms each and every day.

 

[b_ball12_99]

Sounds like your still in cycling. What are your water readings?

 

[devante]

My Ammonia is just under .025
and the Nitrite is just under .1

 

[beth]

What you are experiencing is the normal process of cycling a new tank. Diatoms are single-celled creatures whose cell walls are made of silica. The food source for diatoms is silica, as well as phosphates. In a new tank silica is at its highest due to the new substrate and rocks, which contain silica. As the diatoms eat this source, the population of this nuissance organism should reduce. Also, tap water frequently has phosphates, also a food source for diatoms. Test you water for phosphates. Sea Salt, though commonly advertised to be phosphate-free, usually is not. Find a sea salt that has min. phosphate. The only one that I have found that tests zero for phosphate is Red Sea. Also, many bottled RO waters have phosphates. Test the RO that you are using. I have found that distilled water sold by Winn Dixie and Kmart are phosphate-free.
You will have to deal with the diatom problem, as all hobbyst do in new tanks, by cleaning and cleaning. The diatoms will deplinish their food supply of silica in time, and its up to you to reduce the phosphates by minimizing usage of phosphate substances--water and sea salt.