Brown Diatom/Water Change Question

T

TPeter

New member
I have a 95 gallon reef with sump, bubble Magnus skimmer 9-NAC, chiller. I run a reactor for carbon and GFO. My lighting is LED, Actinic and 2x250W MH. I run the Actinic from 2-10:30 daily and the MH from 3-10:30 daily. The tank has been established for 3 to 4 years and moved a few months ago so it did go through some minor cycle from stirring up the LR during the move. Temp 78.7Phos 0, Alk 794ppm, Ca 460ppm, Mag 1500ppm, Nitrate 0, Nitrite 0, Ammonia 0I use RO-DI water that comes out at 0 TDS with IO Reef Crystals for my mix.

I get a dusting of Brown Diatom on my glass and coral substrate every day and half or so. My reading says it should go away. I do weekly water changes at 10%? I do siphon the substrate during the changes. Should I be doing the siphoning? I have several crabs, snails, etc. but just can't seem to get this to go away. I have no other algae issues.

Any suggestions or recommendations? Thanks!! I really appreciate the help! TP
 
I'd get rid of the crushed coral as its not good for reef tanks. It leave large areas for ditrtus to be trapped in which will break down to nitrates and feed the algae. You can use a larger grain size sand if whatever you were using before was too fine, but you will always have issues with the crushed coral in there.
 
+1 on getting out the crushed coral. I had regular fine sand but with the mp10 it was a sand storm when i raised it up. I just switched to carribsea special grade from premium aquatics the only problem was I got a huge diatom bloom but it's dying off already. I know it looks nasty but not even water changes will help. U just need to wait it out.
 
Thanks! Should I be siphoning the substrate or leaving it? Top turns brown, I siphon it, looks great and than two weeks later its brown again. Am I making it worse by turning it over every two weeks. Its almost like I'm restarting the process over and over? I will change out my substrate.
 
Also, when i change out he substrate do I do it slow over time? Take some out and replace with new over time with some mixing. Or do I pull out the old and put in the new? Thanks!
 
Pull it all out at once. Because crushed coral is big it'll be easy to get out. Once you put a sand substrate in there you will get an initial diatom bloom but it will die out and not come back once the initial food source is gone. With the crushed coral no matter what you do it'll keep coming back. Maker sure to rinse your new sand in RO/DI water if it's not live to cut down on the "dust"
 
Awesome, my weekend project. Done, Thx!! You think this will help with my brown dusting? That would be awesome!
 
I really appreciate your help. If its established will I have any cycling issues if I pull all the old and put in the sand all at once? I have probably 200# live rock in 95 gallon if not more. I just want to make sure I don't miss anything before I do it. I don't have lots of CC under my live rock, I tried to go pretty bare underneath when I set them. Can I just take out everything around the LR and replace with FS or do I have to pull out everything? Thanks! Todd
 
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