What causes this?

[Xerious]

I do water changes weekly with DI water... and after just 2 or three days, the sand looks like this: What is it and how do I fix it?


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[mosesbrown]

I think it is Diatom Algae.

It is normal as the thank ages and will eventually go away with proper tank care.

Anyone know of any sure way to get rid of it?

 

[FZ1Rider]

Turbo's help a lot, they eat the stuff at a very good pace. Water changes will help a bit. Mine only lasted a week. Then I moved on to green hair algae. I'm still fighting that.

Peter

 

[WaterKeeper]

Everytime you do a water change?

It looks like diatoms and usually indicates silicates in the water. What type of TDS value are you getting on your RO/DI water?

 

[Xerious]

Rider, I have about 100 reef janitors...they don't seem to help.

WaterKeeper..sorry, i don't understand what you mean. I only have a DI water system, no RO yet.

 

[WaterKeeper]

You need to monitor total dissolve solids on the output water of a DI setup. It should be near zero. Without an RO unit ahead of it, a DI cartridge, can be depleted in no time. If you supply water is treated with silicates the exhausted DI would let them pass into your change water.

See [rodifaq] for details.

 

[andrewsmart]

what is your water flow like i had this and upped my water flow with power heads no more problems.