reducing diatoms in a 6000 gallon artificial reef.

[sniceley]

I take care of a 6000 gallon articficial reef which has been having some diatom issues that we cant seem to eliminate. System is a follows

PH 8.24
ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 9
dKH 12
phosphate 2 (treat with chloroquine phosphate as new fish come in. Was 10+ a few weeks ago before biopellet dropped it as well as iron oxide)
Temp 78.6
Lighting transitioning from led modules to plasma lights at this time.

Issue started when incoming water filtration was exhausted and 800 gallons was used for a water change allowing silicates into system. Now substrate and coral structure covered in thin brown layer.

Given the situation how would you remedy?

Fish include everything from clowns and damsels to large tangs angels and triggers. About 600 fish in all.

 

[greendougan]

I would start with a 20% water change... no I am just kidding I have no idea on a system that big. Hopefully someone with some more experience with large systems will chime in.
GLWP

 

[billsreef]

Water changes and lots of GFO to drop that phosphate. I'd also suggest QT'ing new fish in a separate Quarantine Tank and not dosing the display tank with Chloroquine.

 

[klwheat]

As far as the diatoms go...I think you pretty much just have to wait it out. When the silica is gone it will die off too. I would love to have a 6000 gallon system...wow

 

[sniceley]

We started by quarantining in a seperate 200 gallon. However we started to have issues with aggression from the large angels, tangs, and triggers. A lot of things work in 6000 gallons that shouldn't otherwise like 6 clown triggers over 12 inches and 5 large angels. Right now we have a 14 inch gold faced puffer with a scratched eye that I am trying to catch and that is nearly impossible without getting in.

Water changes are done relatively frequent given the size of the tank. Max is 800 gallons at a time though. Any more gets awkward. Using gfo now with biopellets in 4 ft tall reactors which is dropping phosphates and keeping nitrates at or below 10. Impressive since there is about 4lbs of food or more going in daily. Getting 20 large sleeper gobies soon to see how it helps in keeping substrate looking white.

 

[mikeyj28]

any pictures of this tank?

 

[FlyPenFly]

I found more luck catching triggers and puffers during feeding time. They swim to you!

 

[d2mini]

any pictures of this tank?

2nd.
Would love to see a thread on this tank started in the Large Reef Tanks forum.

 

[billsreef]

Right now we have a 14 inch gold faced puffer with a scratched eye that I am trying to catch and that is nearly impossible without getting in.

There is trick a friend of mine (curator of a public aquarium) uses to get fish out of a 20,000 gallon reef tank. Works well in that, even better in a smaller tank. After the lights have been out a couple of hours and the fish are fast asleep, shine a nice bright flashlight on the target fish. The sudden light will stun the fish long enough to just scoop it up

 

[Stomatopod1701]

Other than removing the silicates via an absorbing medium or huge water changes constantly I do not see what you could do. As long as the silicate is there the diatoms will be there. 6000 gallons....wow!