Diatoms Again?

[RJYJ]

Well I am having a large diatom boom again and I dont understand why? It is a 75gal with 2 96watt 10k and 1 96watt actinic. I have about 30lbs of base rock and about 15 lbs of live rock, i have about 50lbs of playsand and 20lbs of livesand. I have one 3striped damsel, a orangespotted goby, a Condi anemoe and various snails and hermits (that are mysteriously dieing). It has been up an running for about a 6weeks and already cycled 3 weeks ago. I already had one diatom bloom but only lasted a few days. I just checked my levels ph 8.4 amm 0 nitrate 0 nitrite 0 temp at 80. I am going to try running just actinics for 3 days to see what happens. Any other idea whay might be going on? How long does it take to usually clear up? Here are a few pics, sorry for the crappy pics but the best I could do.

Also anyone know what kind of mushrooms these are? I was told the one on the bottom right might be a plate coral but I am not sure.

 

[Lotus99]

From what I understand, diatom blooms and other algae blooms will come and go over the first year or so. If you're using RO/DI and have enough flow, I wouldn't worry too much.

I have no idea on the shroom.

 

[Avi]

As to the diatoms, they thrive on silicates, which are generally in a newly set-up reef. So, like Lotus said, some outbreaks are to be expected from time to time in the first year or so...maybe a little less, so long as you don't introduce silicate with the water source that you use for water changes, which would extend the period during which you would expect to see diatoms. In your case, though, RJ, I suspect that you're having such a strong outbreak already...again...because the sand that you refer to as "play sand" is loaded with silicates. You ought to get a silicate test kit so you know just what's going on. To eliminate the silicates, you could use a good quality phosphate removal medium, like Rowaphos for example. Products like that remove silicated from the water as well as the phosphates.

 

[JustADude]

Your numbers all look great, have you any changes with your lighting ? new lights can cause this to happen as well

 

[saltpeter]

Shrooms look like Ricordia.

 

[RJYJ]

Well I do use RO water in all my changes. No new changes in lighting and I will start to test for silicates. Thanks for all the help, just havin the lights off all day today I can see a decrease in the diatoms. Hopefully they will be gone soon.