Spots of Diatom Algae yet reading 0 PO4

[Fringe09]

11 month old 200 gallon mix reef tank. 10% weekly water change, skimmer, filter socks, and Chaeto.

Previous feeding routine:
Fish once a day with LRS. Spot feed corals twice a week with a mixture of Reef-Roids and Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast. Daily dosing of Red Sea Reef Energy A&B.

Last Sunday I noticed a few spots of diatom algae on the live rock. Darkish brown and fuzz like.

Stopped Red Sea Reef Energy A&B and started GFO reactor with Rowa-Phos.

Throughout the week tested and Hanna read 0.09, 0.06, 0.02, and now 0.00.

Why does Hanna read 0.00 while I still have algae on rocks?

I thought maybe my Hanna checker or reagent was bad. Tested a sample from my buddy and matched what his Hanna read. So that can't be it.

Besides the why, what should I continue doing or stop doing?

 

[pga7602]

11 month old 200 gallon mix reef tank. 10% weekly water change, skimmer, filter socks, and Chaeto.

Previous feeding routine:
Fish once a day with LRS. Spot feed corals twice a week with a mixture of Reef-Roids and Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast. Daily dosing of Red Sea Reef Energy A&B.

Last Sunday I noticed a few spots of diatom algae on the live rock. Darkish brown and fuzz like.

Stopped Red Sea Reef Energy A&B and started GFO reactor with Rowa-Phos.

Throughout the week tested and Hanna read 0.09, 0.06, 0.02, and now 0.00.

Why does Hanna read 0.00 while I still have algae on rocks?

I thought maybe my Hanna checker or reagent was bad. Tested a sample from my buddy and matched what his Hanna read. So that can't be it.

Besides the why, what should I continue doing or stop doing?

Hi which Hanna Tester are you using for phos? There are two of them, so it's easier to id by the model number. H follow by 3 numbers.

 

[Fringe09]

Hi which Hanna Tester are you using for phos? There are two of them, so it's easier to id by the model number. H follow by 3 numbers.

HI713. Low range


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pga7602]

I thought so. The HI713 is good for maintaining tanks with Moderate phos levels, but does not have the ability to detect less than .1 accurately.

Here is a good video to watch if you are interested in the difference. :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFMWRG0fRM


I really wish they would label these things better. This is why you see a lot of HI713s go on sale here and never a HI736. For SPS tanks, it's a must.

 

[Fringe09]

I thought so. The HI713 is good for maintaining tanks with Moderate phos levels, but does not have the ability to detect less than .1 accurately.

Here is a good video to watch if you are interested in the difference. :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFMWRG0fRM


I really wish they would label these things better. This is why you see a lot of HI713s go on sale here and never a HI736. For SPS tanks, it's a must.

Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[pga7602]

By the way, are you worried about diatoms or algae? They are not the same.

 

[Fringe09]

By the way, are you worried about diatoms or algae? They are not the same.

Oh, I've generally seen them used together.

 

[pga7602]

Diatoms are single cell microorganisms . They actually thrive in low nutrient tanks. Maybe you should post a picture of your issue.

 

[Fringe09]

Diatoms are single cell microorganisms . They actually thrive in low nutrient tanks. Maybe you should post a picture of your issue.

The location of it is making it real difficult to take a clear picture. I'll try again later.

 

[Fringe09]

Diatoms are single cell microorganisms . They actually thrive in low nutrient tanks. Maybe you should post a picture of your issue.

Best picture I can take. Right of the milli.

 

[pga7602]

That's doesn't look like diatoms at all. Diatoms are very long and stringy...think brown slime..

Yours do look more like an algae. Do you have grazers like turbo snails, lawnmower blenny or tangs?

 

[Fringe09]

That's doesn't look like diatoms at all. Diatoms are very long and stringy...think brown slime..

Yours do look more like an algae. Do you have grazers like turbo snails, lawnmower blenny or tangs?

Three Tangs who are eating it. Low on turbo snails. Need to buy more.

I'm wondering if I should continue or stop the GFO reactor because of this.

My corals after months have finally started to grow and color up.

 

[laverda]

What are your nitrates at?

 

[Fringe09]

What are your nitrates at?

0. Tested today.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[CRookSkee]

That's doesn't look like diatoms at all. Diatoms are very long and stringy...think brown slime..

Yours do look more like an algae. Do you have grazers like turbo snails, lawnmower blenny or tangs?

Sorry but arent diatoms just something brownish looking like stuff on the rocks or sand, more stringy stuff sounds like dinos. Correct me if im wrong

Manny

 

[waterman78]

That's doesn't look like diatoms at all. Diatoms are very long and stringy...think brown slime..

Yours do look more like an algae. Do you have grazers like turbo snails, lawnmower blenny or tangs?

IMO - Hit it right on the button.:thumbsup: I remember going through something similar, then I install my TURBO SNAIL CREW.....they mowed the algae down and clean off all my rocks. Since then I've made a habit to get all gazers and mowers. (Turbo, trochus, cerith, margarita snails, sea urchin, blenny, hermit crabs, and tangs)

Beefing up your clean up crew (cuc) will increase the beauty of your rocks and keep your surfaces free of algae. Be sure to keep an eye on your nitrate due to your feeding routine - excess nutrient and wreck havoc on your reef. Some of activated carbon and help reduce free floating nutrients in your water column. Decreasing dead spots throughout your system by increasing waterflow circulation will help with the exporting nutrients.

Good luck and thanks for posting a photo of the issue.

- Larry

 

[pga7602]

Sorry but arent diatoms just something brownish looking like stuff on the rocks or sand, more stringy stuff sounds like dinos. Correct me if im wrong

Manny

Dohhhh. You are right Manny. Yah I got confused too. So many D names. Diatoms are brown rocks and sand. Stringy is dinoflagellates.

 

[garrettm]

Thought I would chime in here as I am having a similar problem with the brown stringy stuff (dinoflagellates) in my frag tank only but not my display. This stuff seems to love growing on my egg crate.

I have a convict tang, starry blenny, with torchus and turbo snails. This stuff seems to take over.

Nitrates= 0
Phosphates = 0.05

Running GFO and Cheato reactor.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[minus9]

Silicates fuel diatoms (as do phosphate and nitrate), so check your source water and possibly food?

 

[Germanwerks]

If you have Dino's hold on to your seats. They are a pain to get rid of. My suggestion is to get a cheap microscope and put a sample under it to see what you have. Best 100.00 I ever spent was my microscope


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk