Silicate sources?

[Drakon]

So like my last post I've been battling, what looks like, diatoms for the past 4-5 months. I Understand an initial bloom is normal but from everything I've read the length of this outbreak leads me to believe that its beyond clearing out trace silicates. I used "CaribSea Aragonite Aquarium Reef Sand" shouldn't have a large source there. I've not been able to find anything so far about the rock (BRS reef saver) being a possible source. So I'm down to two maybe three possibilities, my ro/di water that's reading 0 tds and/or my Read Sea salt. The third is that someone mentioned dying diatoms leach the silicates back to be used again. Unsure if this is true. Has anyone experienced silicates coming from these sources or know if its possible?

I have a microscope on the way to check for sure that its diatoms. I've also ordered new test kits along with a silicate test kit. Test all the things.

I know this will take some time, I'm just trying to make sure I'm not missing any pieces. Weekly 5 gallon water changes (20% of water volume and a recent 100%), food has been reduced for some time, lighting has been reduced to 4 hours with multi day lights out when it gets bad, sand bed has been siphoned 4 times with a 5 gal new water each time, Chemipure Elite added to filter, sand sifting and detritus eating crews have been added and shored up, and turbos are also the case.

I'm wondering if it may be time to look into GFO, A few places mention it takes care of both phosphates and silicates. If ether or both are my issue then it may be worth it.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, GFO will bind both silicate and phosphate.

Not sure why you have had diatoms for so long.

Good luck with them!

[johnc99]

I have been battling the same problem for the last two or three months. It started after I switched to a new 10G tank as an ATO reservoir but has went on longer than I would have expected for it to be the ATO tank. I don't believe it's the salt (I use Aquavitro) unless it is a trace amount. I believe it's my RO/DI even though the meter reads 0 tds - the filters and resin (not membrane) were changed about 8 weeks ago. Call it a gut feeling but I think I need a new membrane.

Oh and I also run GFO -- which I change every 4 weeks when I start to get consistent 0.04 average on my Hanna Checker.

I'm just going to persevere, changing one thing at a time, until I beat it.