Gfo and diatoms?

[QuiGonJay]

Could starting to use gfo cause a diatoms bloom? Tank is two years old and I have a persistent bloom that coincided with me removing my tiny refugium in a back chamber of an all in one and replacing it with a gfo reactor. Nitrates haven't changed and I can't think of any other change. It's kind of odd.

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[scooter31707]

It might be brown cyano. You can run GFO to see how it does. I recommend only starting out with half the dosage that is recommended.

[ssick92]

Could starting to use gfo cause a diatoms bloom? Tank is two years old and I have a persistent bloom that coincided with me removing my tiny refugium in a back chamber of an all in one and replacing it with a gfo reactor. Nitrates haven't changed and I can't think of any other change. It's kind of odd.

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Do you have any pictures? Are you sure it's diatoms and not dinos or cyano?

Just curious, but why'd you get rid of the fuge if everything was working fine for you?

[QuiGonJay]

It actually wasn't working fine. Had been battling bubble algae and bryopsis (I think) for months. Exhausted all other options so figured gfo reactor would help more than a 7 inch square refugium (it's an all in one tank.)

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[QuiGonJay]

Will post photo tonight. Not 100% sure, I guess could be brown cyano, doesn't look like dinos (no strings, etc)

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[QuiGonJay]

Scooter, have been doing the gfo for three weeks along with water changes and it is still growing back in about 2 days.

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[QuiGonJay]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160930/d9e35542f3dc4ef1d99613abffa35de1.jpg Photo of the gunk.

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[nereefpat]

I wouldn't think gfo would be the cause. In general, gfo helps combat diatoms, since it removes silicates. Maybe the disturbing of the fuge would be more of a cause.

[QuiGonJay]

Thanks. I guess like anything in this hobby, I just gotta give it time. . . .

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[nvladik]

I actually had reverse, seeing less diatoms after adding GFO.

[jason2459]

Scooter, have been doing the gfo for three weeks along with water changes and it is still growing back in about 2 days.

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As stated GFO will help remove one of the things that helps diatoms bloom

Your water change and top off water on the other hand could be full of Si increasing their numbers.

[JohnnyP_reef]

This may seem obvious, but make sure your always using DI water..
Had diatoms for years off and on,
till I started making my own DI water at home, diatoms are now completely gone..



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[Jlicht15]

What is the green coral to the right?


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[jason2459]

This may seem obvious, but make sure your always using DI water..
Had diatoms for years off and on,
till I started making my own DI water at home, diatoms are now completely gone..



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Even a DI stage near exhaustion or channeling could provide a significant source of silica.

[nvladik]

What is the green coral to the right?


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Looks like GSP to my eye.

[Jlicht15]

Looks like GSP to my eye.



No the other one on the right


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[nvladik]

No the other one on the right


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Ohh LOL pictures opened up Zoomed in on the phone, didn't even see that.

[QuiGonJay]

It's a Caribbean rose coral. Came in on a piece of live rock and has done well. I always use Rodi water, though I buy it from the LFS, so it's possible their filter is old I guess. Would you agree that is diatoms?

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[jason2459]

Diatoms is a good guess. Getting a sample under a microscope would let you know. Even at 40x you'd see them as they are very distinct.

From my thread
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2567904

Around 40-100x and a good swarm of them
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161002/e4375151b5c2207de658198118ba25b6.jpg

Closer
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161002/9fd826fc14f2623604c4f560f9fd2b22.jpg


Three different kinds
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161002/23b2fa47afba53638a12d673fbecb07b.jpg

Another kind
http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161002/760770e154ae9bdb65630f42e03a1aea.jpg


I believe diatoms to be an important type of phytoplankton.

[QuiGonJay]

Wow. Cool!

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