PDA

View Full Version : diatom outbreak #2?? Qestions.

bassdrummer1
11/29/2010, 10:05 PM
So my tank is about2 months old and I had a diatom outbreak about 3 weeks ago and it lasted about 2 weeks. All the diatoms pretty much went away for a week and now they are back!


Is this common?? 2 outbreaks??
kookie_guy
11/29/2010, 10:25 PM
So my tank is about2 months old and I had a diatom outbreak about 3 weeks ago and it lasted about 2 weeks. All the diatoms pretty much went away for a week and now they are back!


Is this common?? 2 outbreaks??

You sure it's diatoms? When my sand gets dirty and starts to form the purple slime, it initially appears brown before you can obviously tell it's purple. I just suck it out, and it's gone for a while.
joeychitwood
11/30/2010, 12:12 AM
It is certainly possible to have multiple diatom outbreaks in a new tank. Keep an eye on the tank parameters. You should be fine.
ducatimikep
11/30/2010, 07:20 AM
Are you using tap water?
bazineta
11/30/2010, 07:52 AM
If it happens after a water change, check your DI filter performance; it might be exhausted and letting silicates through.
bassdrummer1
11/30/2010, 10:45 PM
no rodi water.

and i have not even done a water change yet...
mikk1301
12/01/2010, 01:40 AM
no rodi water.

and i have not even done a water change yet...
have you added any extra rock/sand between the diatom blooms?.the lack of water change until now would point to a build up of nutrients feeding a cyanobacterial algae,do you have your no3,po4,kh test results?
Mr. Right
12/01/2010, 10:23 AM
Are you feeding? Have you added livestock? Diatoms can come in even after an initial cycle. It is possible that the beneficial bacteria isn’t built up enough to outcompete it. In a established system diatoms can sometimes comeback when nutrients are high.
rivoth
12/01/2010, 12:25 PM
no rodi water.

and i have not even done a water change yet...

I would hope you've been toping off your water evaporation loses. A TDS meter is pretty cheap and a good way to verify when you need to change your RO/DI filter media. Odds are that everything is fine though.
heckhole
12/02/2010, 09:59 AM
Your tank is 2 months old and you've yet to do a water change? Dude, do some water changes with proven RO.