Diatoms in my established reef ....

btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I can't believe I'm posting this, but I know I'm overlooking something and CAN NOT for the life of me figure out what's going on.
We recently ADDED more flow, with the second MP40w ES. So I'm thinking that this really can't be a flow issue. We didn't replace a different powerhead with the MP, the MP was added to give more movement.
For the past few days, I have diatoms all over my sand again.
We really haven't added anything new. MH's are about 6-7 months old.
Ok, so now make me feel dumb and tell me what I'm overlooking....
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
LOL! Ok, I guess it's only far that I play by the rules:
155G reef
35G sump
20 Refugium with DSB, Caulerpa and Chaeto
Weekly water changes of 30-40G with Aqua Vitro Salinity Salt
PhosBan Reactor
Fluval FX5 (for extra flow and to hold some media - doesn't have all the sponges in it anymore and it gets cleaned bi-weekly)
ASM G3 skimmer
1350gph return pump
2 MP40w's running at 80% Reef Crest random mode
2-3" deep sand bed - live sand and is reseeded from established reefs from time to time due to the sand sifting goby
100+lbs of live rock, mainly Tonga
1.025 (refractometer)
79F
0 nitrites, ammonia and phosphate
10ppm nitrates
415ppm Ca
9.5 alk
8.2pH
Inhabitants:
1 Blond Naso juvenile (5")
1 Purple Tang juveile (4")
2 Ocellaris Clownfish
3 PJ Cardinals
1 Yellow Watchmen Goby
1 Sleeper Banded bullet Goby
1 Black Combtooth Blenny
1 Tail Spot Blenny
1 Fridmani Dottyback
1 Mystery wrasse
1 Cleaner wrasse
1 Matted Filefish
1 Coral beauty
1 flame angel
1 Copperband Butterfly
3 maldives Lyretail Anthias
about 20 Nassarius snails
assorted Astrea and trochus snails (who knows how many anymore since the few remaining hermits are still killing for sport)
1 Harlequin Shrimp (to combat my numerous asterinas)
1 Emerald crab (haven't seen him in awhile)
1 Porcelain Anemone crab
SPS is doing great
LPS is doing great, but we are loosing a head on our torch coral at the moment, I think something may have fallen on it though.
Anemones are fine
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I HAVE IT......you need a couple of conch....either the florida fighting ones...or get a few of the tiger sand conch.....I love those guys
and more sifters/shifters....like 2-3 fancy nassarius
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
LOL, all of my nassarius are the fancy ones....
I can never find conches around here, might have to actually order online, shocking for me.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Diatoms are usually from silica in the water column yes? Silica comes from sand yes? You recently do the sand exchange?
 
1guydude

1guydude

Well-Known Member
Quote:
I can never find conches around here, might have to actually order online, shocking for me.
lol i couldnt either so i "special ordered" one at one of my LFS. Today i went to a new LFS and BAM they had one....i did not purchase it though cuz i already requested one as i already stated lol. It hasnt arrived because of the japan stuff going on :*(
Very kool animal meowzer i cant wait to get it! this one was a queen conch or so they said. I ordered a little bear conch for my little tank!
im just sayin
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Monsinour http:///forum/thread/384944/diatoms-in-my-established-reef#post_3373981
Diatoms are usually from silica in the water column yes? Silica comes from sand yes? You recently do the sand exchange?
I haven't swapped sand in quite some time in this tank. When I do swap sand, it's from an established reef, so the silicates shouldn't be an issue. What's odd is there are no diatoms in the refugium that is attached to this tank, they're only appearing in the sand and on my frag rack in the main tank.
 
E

eric b 125

Guest
i think you need a few flame scallops from a 24 gallon biocube.
 
chevyblue96

chevyblue96

Member
I don't know near enough to give any advice, and I don't want to take away from your thread either... But what difference does the "fancy" nassarius make vs. the reg. ones??
I thought it was just a pretty shell vs. plain
 
slice

slice

Active Member
This is a bit of a stretch, but....
Very soon after putting in my MP10, the wet side was well covered in diatoms, like within 2 weeks. I had fairly recently also added a new piece of rock, so I attributed the diatoms
to the rock, but it was curious that the wet side of the MP10 was acting like a diatom magnet.
Could there be something in the plastic they use that would fuel diatoms? If I read correctly, the addition of another PH is the only thing recently changed...
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by chevyblue96 http:///forum/thread/384944/diatoms-in-my-established-reef#post_3374224
I don't know near enough to give any advice, and I don't want to take away from your thread either... But what difference does the "fancy" nassarius make vs. the reg. ones??
I thought it was just a pretty shell vs. plain

It is, LOL. We're teasing each other. For what it's worth, fancy nassarius are usually slightly bigger than the generic ones.
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slice http:///forum/thread/384944/diatoms-in-my-established-reef#post_3374252
This is a bit of a stretch, but....
Very soon after putting in my MP10, the wet side was well covered in diatoms, like within 2 weeks. I had fairly recently also added a new piece of rock, so I attributed the diatoms
to the rock, but it was curious that the wet side of the MP10 was acting like a diatom magnet.
Could there be something in the plastic they use that would fuel diatoms? If I read correctly, the addition of another PH is the only thing recently changed...
There could be some truth to this. Both MP40 definitely collected diatoms around the wet side when added come to think of it. I actually have replaced a wet side as well and with the new wet side, it collected diatoms again. But I have them all over my sand as well now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top