The Diatoms Persist...Please Advise

[Kurt_Nelson]

...The other guy here is trying Phosgaurd P04 Remover....

Ferric Oxide-based PO4 removers will also bind with silicates and remove those, in addition to PO4. Phosguard is an alumina-based PO4 remover, and I'm not familiar with how that stuff works.

 

[Osage_Winter]

Good input from everyone so far; thanks for all the opinions and ongoing discussions, guys and gals...

I understand the diatoms "feed" and "fuel" off elements such as silicates -- I think we have all gotten to the point that we accept and understand this; the thing is, my diatoms return almost immediately after cleaning them off the decor and they have begun growing on the glass, which we remove daily...I am suspecting my tap water supply, as it seems to be the only answer as to why they're always appearing. This said, I don't know what to do to stop feeding these things if my tap water is contaminated with silicates; I mean, I have to change/top my water off, so what do I do?

I am going to order the PhosGuard if I can find a good price on it, and if I figure out what I could buy to put the pellets in once I get it...

 

[Tim Wheatley]

After a day!? Holy cow!

Mine always return, but it's usually 3-4 weeks that I have to clean the glass.

Out of interest, how hard is your tap water, whats the pH?

 

[Osage_Winter]

After a day!? Holy cow!

Mine always return, but it's usually 3-4 weeks that I have to clean the glass.

Out of interest, how hard is your tap water, whats the pH?

LOL -- no, I'm not saying the diatoms returned in one day after washing the decor and plants down, I mean they have been popping up on the glass a couple of days straight and we got them off with a magnet algae remover, but they haven't come back at least on the glass.

It took around a week or so to start seeing the diatoms on the decorations and plants again. I don't know the pH of my tap water, I just know it was real hard where we live, because we needed to install a water softener...

Which type of water is better for controlling diatoms -- hard or soft? I never got a straight answer on this...

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I'm thinking they feed off something in our water. My water is extremely hard, full of nutrients and has a high pH. We may have found something...

 

[hdultra]

I'm thinking they feed off something in our water. My water is extremely hard, full of nutrients and has a high pH. We may have found something...

The main ingredients are silicates and phosphate.
I just picked up a phosphate test kit today, I'm going to test it after dinner.

 

[Osage_Winter]

I'm thinking they feed off something in our water. My water is extremely hard, full of nutrients and has a high pH. We may have found something...

I have, all along, suspected my stupid tap water...I'm sure it's absolutely FULL of crap that's bad for drinking/swimming in/keeping a fish tank -- the thing is, I don't know if I should be filling the tank up with the hardened, un-treated water from one of my faucets, or from the treated, softened water...

 

[Tim Wheatley]

I think it certainly does no harm to the fish. Us? The Diatoms? Maybe that's something else.

 

[Osage_Winter]

I think it certainly does no harm to the fish. Us? The Diatoms? Maybe that's something else.

You mean the hardened water, or softened?

 

[hdultra]

Here's what API says on Phosphate P04.
Phosphate P04 enters the aquarium from fish and invertebrate waste and decaying organic matter, such as dead algae and uneaten fish food. Water treatment facilities may add phosphate P04 to tap water to prevent pipe corrosion and reduce concentrations of heavy metals in drinking water. Some salt mixes also contain phosphates P04. Excess phosphate P04 may lead to algae blooms. In saltwater Aquariums phosphate precipitates dissolved calcium CA2 and magnesium Mg2+ ions. inhibiting the growth of hard corals and other reef building organisms.

 

[hdultra]

I did tap water test today:
Results are:

TAP WATER RESULTS
Ammonia: (NH3/NH4) 0.50 ppm
Nitrite (N02) 0 ppm
Nitrate (No3) 0 ppm
Copper (CU+) 0 ppm
Phosphate (P04) 0 ppm
PH 7
KH 71.6 Carbonate Hardness
GH 0 General Hardness can't get a reading.


TANK WATER RESULTS
Ammonia: (NH3/NH4) 0.00 ppm
Nitrite (N02) 0 ppm
Nitrate (No3) 0 ppm
Copper (CU+) 0 ppm
Phosphate (P04) .50 ppm
PH 8
KH 143.1 Carbonate Hardness
GH 161.1 General Hardness

Looks like my phosphate (P04) is coming from within the tank.

Looks like the only thing out of whack is the ammonia from the tap water.

In the yank the reason for no Nitrates in because of the nitrate resin bag in my Fluval 405.

I think the KH & GH are low.

 

[Osage_Winter]

The diatoms have continued to grow on everything, and my water is looking poor, once again...that crystal clarity I spoke of early in this thread is gone, and it looks like I'm back to where I started...

 

[fort384]

have you made any changes since last time? Are you trying any silicate or PO4 removal methods?

 

[hdultra]

The diatoms have continued to grow on everything, and my water is looking poor, once again...that crystal clarity I spoke of early in this thread is gone, and it looks like I'm back to where I started...

Me to winter. But I just did the DI Water 20% water change. Will see what happens. I will be doing water changes 1 per week. Hopefully they will be gone after a few weeks.

 

[Osage_Winter]

have you made any changes since last time? Are you trying any silicate or PO4 removal methods?

No, haven't had a chance to -- but I noticed that the water looked kinda crummy again after I topped off last night; diatoms are beginning to spread everywhere again, where the ornaments were once clean and new looking after the last wipe down (with hot water), now they're getting brown once more.

I didn't order the PhosGuard yet because I am trying to see if there is a prepackaged version that could just drop in the filter, as Seachem offers with their Purigen product...I'd like to buy something prepackaged ready to go rather than wonder what to do with these PhosGuard pellets that come in the bottle...

 

[severum mama]

Media bag.

 

[fort384]

pantyhose would work too.

 

[Osage_Winter]

Media bag.

Can you suggest one, or provide a link to one that may work for this?

Thanks.

 

[fort384]

filter media bag - Google Search

 

[Osage_Winter]

Thanks Fort.