Anyone know what this is?

M

mhayes462

Guest
It's only on the back wall of my Biocube. Diatoms maybe? I don't know why it would only be on that wall though. And then the red stuff? I get build up on my glass every few days, but nothing major. Can anyone help out please?

Mike Hayes
 
M

mhayes462

Guest
Don't know why I would have diatoms though. I am fully stocked and my tank isn't new. Could it be from vodka dosing? It seemed to start when I started the dosing.
Mike Hayes
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by mhayes462 http:///t/390755/anyone-know-what-this-is#post_3462054
Don't know why I would have diatoms though. I am fully stocked and my tank isn't new. Could it be from vodka dosing? It seemed to start when I started the dosing.
Mike Hayes
Just guessing here.....Diatoms bloom from too many nutrients, did you start overfeeding when you dosed vodka thinking you could get away with it now? I wouldn't overfeed to enhance the corals until I got to a maintenance dose (IF that is what you are doing).
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Diatoms are fully able to use Ammonia directly so it's nearly impossible to starve them out. Their only weakness is the need for Silicates so they can be controlled (probably never eliminated) by limiting Silicates.
Test your deionizer to make sure it's still functioning correctly.
 
M

mhayes462

Guest
DI has new silica buster cartridge and it tests zero. I feed every two to three days and I only target feed the corals. I let the fish get what's left floating around. I got the tank from someone else and it had no maintenance done for a couple months prior to me getting it. No livestock, it just had sand, lr, and water. The nitrates were very high though along with phosphates. After a mini cycle and good tank cleaning and water changes they went down. Nitrates are now 5, and phosphates are .5. Thats why I started to vodka dose, plus I read it really does good for the corals. I use an API phosphate test kit which I know isn't very accurate, but it reads on the reading just above zero. Not sure on silicates as I don't have a kit for it.
Mike Hayes
 
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