It's Gone, It's All Gone...

[squidd]

The Ugly Brown Sludge Pit of Diatoms covering my tank and Everything in it is Finally gone!!
I've been fighting a Diatom buildup problem since forever...
At first "They" said "It's just new tank syndrome, it'll go away on it's own when things stabalize"...
So I waited...and waited...and waited...3,4,6 months and it just kept coming...
Then "They" said you need more lights , less lights, different lights...
I got lots of different lights and timers scheduals...no change...
Then they said "You have too many nitrates, Phosphates, you feed too much...
Not that..light bio load tested 0 on phosphates...>5 nitraes...
"You need a sump/fuge/macros to remove unwanted elements...
Got that...and a huge outbreak when I added 35gal of "new" salt water...(Clue )
Then they said it was my sand bed... and I was just about to change it out (again) "Must be the 'silica' sand leaching silicates"
So I tested my Tap water (well)...I thought it was "Good" because I live in the woods ,no farms, no nitrates or trites in the water and NO noticable "Algae" in my tanks Just Brown Crud.
Silicates 20 ppm...
I got a Phosphate/Silacate sponge and switched to Store bought RO for top off water.
Week One...Noticable difference..
Week Two...Almost gone...
Week Three...Clean sand (wow it's white!!)
End of week pull sponge, continue with RO water...
This is the end of week Four...Still clear, Fish look Great...(Could be the extra light reflecting off the sand or the fact I'm Not looking through a Brown Stained glass) But I think they just look and act and feel better...
I'm sold TAP WATER SUCKS FOR SALTWATER TANKS PERIOD.
I've got some of the best, clean, safe, spring fed, Northwoods water and it's night and day difference using RO water for my tank
I'm off to buy an RO/DI for my tanks...(and maybe my coffee )

 

[fshhub]

yeippeeeee!
hooray!!!
fyi, dont assume ti is the sand, silica sand does not leech silicates, they are 2 completely different things, like a camaro and a yacht.

 

[lesa]

You my dear are a prime example that PATIENCE is the key to the hobby. My hat is off to you

 

[sammystingray]

You must not have asked here.....many could have told you that tap water is high in silicates across the country, and silicates are used by diatoms in the building of their cell walls. No silicates equals no diatoms regardless of phosphates and nitrates. The brown you saw were dead diatoms, and the silicates in the dead can be reused by the living. I am glad to hear you have found success. Around here.....tap is good.....silicates are the only trouble.

 

[broomer5]

That's really great Squidd
My tapwater is bad too and the RO/DI unit is a real treat to have now.
Enjoy your tank !

 

[dreeves]

You will think you switched to a higher grade coffee as well...love my RO/DI water...cooking, everything...

 

[sleasia]

I have the same problem, and have come to the same conclusion. I use purigen and phosguard for now and will begin mixing my saltwater with only deionized water until I can get a r/o system. By the way , purigen is great stuff, takes out nitrates and much other stuff, but I dont think it takes out phosphates or silicates so for now I use phosguard. My fish are healthy and thriving...

 

[marinemarty]

Sammy, so do you use tap water? if so how do you remove the silicates? Thank You
Martin

 

[squidd]

I also "tried" the Purigen, back in the "You have too much phosphate/nitrate/feed too much" stage. As well as Large carbon bags and color turning poly filters. None of which seemed to make a difference.
I also bought test kits for my "target" impurities which I found out were 0 phos and >5 nitrate anyway (although they "may" have pulled out other impurities there was NO noticable improvement in tank conditions)
When I started targeting Silicates (and test results showed they were there) I bought the Marc Weiss "Phosphate+Silicate Magnet
and switched to RO and the results were Immediate (well three weeks which is preety darn quick in the fish world)
Three Days into week Five and still looking good!!
I'm sticking with the RO/DI water If you don't put it in you don't have to take it out!!

 

[toungetwster]

Finally, bro.....I told you it wasn't the sand! Glad to hear you've solved your problem. I think...I'l kick back and pop a beer for your success!!

 

[squidd]

Me Too!!! POP...
POP...POP...POP,POP,POP...