Diatoms on everything!

timsedwards

timsedwards

Active Member
Hi Guys,
Going through an algae bloom of mainly diatoms since installing my new lights, and am going to put some Rowa-Phos in there tomorrow along with some activated carbon, to hopefully get rid of it before i seed some live sand.
Now the Diatoms are everywhere! All over my lovely encrusted corraline live rocks! Will the diatoms go off the live rocks when it dies so the purple is obvious again?
Cheers guys!
Tim.
 
N

newreefers

Guest
I was having a terrible problem with these too, only to find out that the garlic I was using daily caused them. I quit using the garlic, put in a phos sponge, and cut back on the feeding a bit and my bloom is really shrinking, it has only been about a week now and it is about 50% gone, and shrinking daily.
 
barracuda

barracuda

Active Member
newreefers,
nice progress, buddy!
Tim, just put that stuff in as directed and watch daily. During the treatment you can cut on lighting. This will help you to get rid of that alage as it needs lights to survive.
Good luck!
 
timsedwards

timsedwards

Active Member
Hey Buddy!
Right I put this Rowa-Phos in the cannister today along with some activated carbon. Hopefully this will work now? Its getting really bad.
What do you mean about the lights? Cut them down to how much?
What I dont understand is if the Rowa-Phos kills the phosphates and the diatoms go, what is to stop them coming back?
Also how did they get here in the first place?
Thanks for all your help!
Tim.
 
timsedwards

timsedwards

Active Member
Hi,
Thanks for that. No Im not using RO water, just normal tap water which I dechlorinate.
ALl the best,
Tim.
 
barracuda

barracuda

Active Member
Tim, unfortunately you will need RO unit if you wanna have one nice and healthy tank. Let's say this rowa-phos thing will absorb all phosphates and silicates and eventually diatoms will go away. But......with every water change you will bring more and more phosphates, silicates and other pretty nasty stuff to your tank.
Well, i know, you spend a lot of money lately. But this is the hobbby youre in. Very expensive one.:mad:
 
timsedwards

timsedwards

Active Member
I looked at an RO unit before and they are so expensive... about $180 over here, and yes, my bank balance is at its limit!
I could buy RO water from my LFS, its about 17p a litre or so, this is probably the cheapest way. So, let me get this straight: If I buy x amount of gallons of RO water, I just put it in my airiating bucket and add salt (it has powerhead and heater) and it can stay there (covered) for quite a few weeks? This maybe a better option if so.
Cheers for the advice,
Tim.
 
barracuda

barracuda

Active Member
Tim,
yes, you can by RO water, mix with salt, aerate and store covered for a long period of time.
RO unit plumbing. Unit plumbs into water source, other pipe will be used as the drain in any water drain source. I'm sure in your home there are tons of places you need. Check Kent Marine's Bare Bones unit (model BB20). This is what i have. It's the cheapest one from their brand and very reliable.
I'm sure there are different RO units sold for drinking water. All RO pretty much the same. Just check membrane specs. You don't have to by the one from the known aquarium brand like Kent Marine or others. For such a unit you just overpay.
 
timsedwards

timsedwards

Active Member
Hi Barracuda,
But if you plumb one into a sink for example, does that mean the water comes out of the tap and it takes ages to get water out of there?
I will have a look at the barebones system, but can you use a water purifier? I have seen these on UK websites and they are about $80 or so, far more afforable! Here is the link -
http://62.73.162.188/acatalog/aquari...ATION_126.html (Mods - UK Site - wont ship international)
Any thoughts?
Thanks for all your help,
Tim.
 
timsedwards

timsedwards

Active Member
OK ill scrap that idea, worth a try :)
Hmmm how long does Rowa-Phos take to work? Just that I added it yesterday and it still seems to be here today and getting worse. It is really a pain.
Is there anything I can do to help? Cut down the lighting? If so to what?
Im going to research some RO systems on the web!
Cheers,
Tim.
 
col

col

Active Member
Hi Tim, greetings from England again.
I put Rowaphos in an old fluval internal filter (in the supplied sock) and mine dropped day by day, but never got to zero -pretty near it though. I think a slow flow is preferred for the rowaphos to work best
I have read that for reef tanks the level should be less than 0.0something (special P04 test kit needed).
I have started to do this as I don't have RO unit either:
Treat my tapwater in a 5G bucket using Rowaphos in a small Fluval1 plus filter. After a few days I check and if it's low enough mix the salt.
What is P04 level in main tank?
If you buy RO/DI water be sure to check for P04 as it may be worse than tapwater if filters are old (as if!!!) ;)
 
timsedwards

timsedwards

Active Member
Hi there Col!
Reading on Phosphate is 0.5 but I need a more acurate test kit, can you recommend one we can get here in the UK? I bought the Hagen one but it is pants and not nearly accurate enough.
How do i slow down the water on a fluval 303 then?!?!?
Im going to look at a RO unit anyway and see what sort we are talking about, but i think my walet is coming out again and being a student it is hard work!
Oh and thanks for those sites you sent me, they are really good!
Tim.
 
col

col

Active Member
Tim
Can you syphon the diatoms out with a length of hose or similar?
My reading was 2.5 in the tank and the Rowaphos got it to .25 ish in a few days, but that was in an old fluval internal.
New T5 lighting - £100???
 
timsedwards

timsedwards

Active Member
Hey Col,
I wasnt sure whether it was safe to disturb the diatoms on the gravel or not (bad experiences with disturbing the substrate!). The problem is that its all over my rocks and everything as well!
£100? Bare in mind you need starter kits, one for two bulbs (a double) is £70. So if you want 4 bulbs like me, that is £140, then about £25 for each bulb give or take, then £10 or so for reflectors.
Anyone else any thoughts on the diatoms?
All the best,
Tim.
 
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