I'm interested in the idea of this. I know Randy doses silica, but he does so for sponge health/growth, and the articles he's written isn't geared towards using it as nutrient control/export method.
The "Nualagi" product brought this to my attention, and this is a topic that is not discussed a whole lot, nor is it easy to search for. Include the word diatom in your search and it's all posts regarding how to remove them. I've heard mixed opinions on the product, but every system is different. I'm not as much interested in this product specifically, but adding silicate and the effect diatoms have on nutrients and general health of the tank.
This article suggests that diatoms are extremely beneficial. They can be easily skimmed out, as well as consumed by snails and corals. The article makes a good point that tap water typically contains rather high levels of silicate, which obviously will make diatoms a big problem, but a lower concentration of silica would fix that problem.
The article also goes on to say that by having low levels of silica (and in Randy's article he says that reef tanks tend to have much lower silica levels than natural seawater) we're giving other algae a competitive advantage, as diatoms cannot exist without silica in the water. It does seem that diatoms are a better alternative than other algae, especially if they can be so readily consumed in our tank.
Also, can the words silica and silicate be used interchangeably? What is the difference if not.
The "Nualagi" product brought this to my attention, and this is a topic that is not discussed a whole lot, nor is it easy to search for. Include the word diatom in your search and it's all posts regarding how to remove them. I've heard mixed opinions on the product, but every system is different. I'm not as much interested in this product specifically, but adding silicate and the effect diatoms have on nutrients and general health of the tank.
This article suggests that diatoms are extremely beneficial. They can be easily skimmed out, as well as consumed by snails and corals. The article makes a good point that tap water typically contains rather high levels of silicate, which obviously will make diatoms a big problem, but a lower concentration of silica would fix that problem.
The article also goes on to say that by having low levels of silica (and in Randy's article he says that reef tanks tend to have much lower silica levels than natural seawater) we're giving other algae a competitive advantage, as diatoms cannot exist without silica in the water. It does seem that diatoms are a better alternative than other algae, especially if they can be so readily consumed in our tank.
Also, can the words silica and silicate be used interchangeably? What is the difference if not.
