help please

rcranf

rcranf

Member
Originally Posted by SaltFan
http:///forum/post/2953215
Weird.... Welp, I'm out of ideas then. Its looks as if you have everything in line. Over feeding? How are your lights? How many are in that fixture?
no im not overfeeding I run my lights on a 12 hour overall schedule, 14 bulbs
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
It's pretty simple... if you have diatoms in your system, then you have silicates in your system. It's probably coming from your source water.
If you are using RO, are you buying it from a fish store or are you running your own RO system?
Fish stores sell water, but often don't change their cartridges when they should.
Alternatively, if you are running your own, are you using a RO or RODI? The DI stage is important because it is the most effective at removing silicates.
I suggest you get yourself a silicate test kit and test both your aquarium and your source water.
IMO the bottom line is that something has to be continuously introducing silicates into the system. Diatoms usually exist only until they consume all silicates, then die off on their own.
 
rcranf

rcranf

Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2953223
It's pretty simple... if you have diatoms in your system, then you have silicates in your system. It's probably coming from your source water.
If you are using RO, are you buying it from a fish store or are you running your own RO system?
Fish stores sell water, but often don't change their cartridges when they should.
Alternatively, if you are running your own, are you using a RO or RODI? The DI stage is important because it is the most effective at removing silicates.
I suggest you get yourself a silicate test kit and test both your aquarium and your source water.
IMO the bottom line is that something has to be continuously introducing silicates into the system. Diatoms usually exist only until they consume all silicates, then die off on their own.

I have my own ro system that I run I do not have a DI for it
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
That may well be part of the problem.
That said, it's only a suspicion at this point. You can add a DI stage if you want - they make add ons of course - but I'd invest in a test kit and check for the presence of silicates first.
The RO process does not remove enough silicates - especially if your membrane is not rated for high silicate rejection which most aren't.
You can also get special DI media that is designed for high silicate rejection which is what I'd recommend.
It fits though... if you have silicates in your source water you are continuously replenishing silicates in your water, so the diatoms will never go away. They grow so dang fast, unless you cut off their nutrient supply, no amount of predatory control (crabs, snails, etc) will be able to keep up.
 
rcranf

rcranf

Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2953238
That may well be part of the problem.
That said, it's only a suspicion at this point. You can add a DI stage if you want - they make add ons of course - but I'd invest in a test kit and check for the presence of silicates first.
The RO process does not remove enough silicates - especially if your membrane is not rated for high silicate rejection which most aren't.
You can also get special DI media that is designed for high silicate rejection which is what I'd recommend.
It fits though... if you have silicates in your source water you are continuously replenishing silicates in your water, so the diatoms will never go away. They grow so dang fast, unless you cut off their nutrient supply, no amount of predatory control (crabs, snails, etc) will be able to keep up.

wow never knew that. Guess I will get that test kit and if need be ill get that di system as well. But the thing I dont understand is I never had this problem until a couple days ago is when it started I did not change anything in my normal routine
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Hmmm okay I didn't realize they just popped up... that is strange.
Still though, I'd test. That way your investment is minimal, so if I'm wrong, you can look elsewhere.
 
rcranf

rcranf

Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2953271
Hmmm okay I didn't realize they just popped up... that is strange.
Still though, I'd test. That way your investment is minimal, so if I'm wrong, you can look elsewhere.
going to buy the test kit online now
 
saltfan

saltfan

Active Member
Originally Posted by SCSInet
http:///forum/post/2953271
Hmmm okay I didn't realize they just popped up... that is strange.
Still though, I'd test. That way your investment is minimal, so if I'm wrong, you can look elsewhere.
Yea, that is the weird part man. He said it jsut started popping up. Got a stumper here.
 
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