How can GAC help with diatoms?

[arminkropp]

I was wondering how GAC can help with diatoms. I thought silicates were the main cause of diatoms.

Stupid question i know but curious cause my diatoms acted when I ran out of GAC and figured I didnt need it anymore. And in case your wondering I feed every other day and my bulbs are about 2 months old.

Thanx

 

[Devilishturtles]

GAC soaks up inorganic particles in your water, but funny thing is that it is useless after a few days. By this time, it has absorbed all that it could. Is your tank cycled? You really shouldn't have much of a diatom problem in a cycled tank. How long do you normally leave your AC in?

Are you sure you aren't seeing cyano?

 

[arminkropp]

I'm sure its not cyano, been there done that.
My diatoms are mosly on the sand. My tank has been up for 6 months and this is the first time I've had it this bad

 

[steve-s]

What type/brand of GAC and what's your water source?

Cheers
Steve

 

[arminkropp]

Seachem Matrix is my GAC brand as of next week and water is RO bought from the local water store.

Hagen was the GAC is used before, put it in about 3 or 4 months ago and just pulled it out last week. putting saechem in next week

 

[Devilishturtles]

Was it a substantial amount of AC? When you removed it, did you also clean what it was in very well? What kind of filter are you running the AC in? My guess is that it held a lot of the bacteria for your tank. A thourough cleaning of the filter and thus bacteria could have caused the diatom breakout. That's my only guess, if nothing else has changed.

 

[steve-s]

Seachem Matrix is my GAC brand as of next week and water is RO bought from the local water store.

Have the RO water checked for silicates. That is most likely your cause if not a proper RO/DI, the RO membrane cannot remove silicates and levels are usually higher in the warmer weather. I'm thinking this is moreso coincidence than related to the carbon removal.

Hagen was the GAC is used before, put it in about 3 or 4 months ago and just pulled it out last week. putting saechem in next week

GAC should be changed every week, two at most. After that, it's pretty much done all it's going to so after 3-4 months it wouldn't have been pulling anything out anyway. Pretty sure these are unrealated.

Cheers
Steve