plz help. diatoms growing

[bigjoncoop]

hey fellaz

my tank is about 2months old. recently i had problems with nitrates. it was my filter media i was using in my wet/dry. i removed the media i was using. i want to use live lock instead. can i? it will not be submerged.

and about a week ago i noticed rust color spots forming on some rocks. now it starting to show up on my sand. im assuming its diatoms. they will go away when my nitrares go away rite?

ii need to put filter media in my wet/dry. everyone says not to use bio-balls. can u use some live rock?

thx

 

[Stlrockguy]

I would be doing large water changes often. That's what I did when I just got a diatom outbreak

 

[Mebbid]

Ignoring it is the best options for diatoms. They are a self regulating algae in the tank; as soon as the excess silicates in the water column get used up they will disappear.

You aren't doing anything wrong to cause the bloom, its just something that happens in pretty much all salt water tanks.

As for using the trickle filter, I would use a filter sock and some live rock rubble. It will still potentially cause issues with nitrates but its far better than the bio balls.

 

[CatoeSc]

Check out marine reef ceramic balls. I've been thinking about adding some of these, but don't need them just yet.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/marinepure-ceramic-biomedia-1-1-2-spheres.html

 

[Ingy]

Ignoring it is the best options for diatoms. They are a self regulating algae in the tank; as soon as the excess silicates in the water column get used up they will disappear.

I agree. The silicates are in the sand and even coral based rocks. Once the diatoms eat it all, they'll go away. A few months is normal.