Water Parameters
Temp: 79°
pH: 7.8-8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 20ppm
Phosphates: 0-0.25ppm
Silicates: 0-0.03ppm
Heres a little background about my tank(s). I had a 90g setup for almost a year and within the past 6 months I had diatoms on my decor, 2 Koralias, spraybar & intake and on my glass that I could not get rid off! It got to the point where I didnt even clean my decor / equipment anymore just my glass. I do at least a 50% water change every Saturday and by Thursday I would start getting diatoms on my glass. Ive tested everything, Phosphates, Nitrates, Silicates and lighting. My last test was lighting. I had a T8 dual fixture with 1-10K bulb and 1-actinic bulb. From the advice of another forum member I removed the actinic bulb on Saturday, my water change day, and by Thursday there were NO diatoms on the glass. I didnt want to get my hopes up just yet so I let my tank go for another week without a water change to see if any diatoms would show up due to higher nitrates and still NO diatoms. So I though I finally found the cause!
Now comes the swap. It'll be 3 weeks tomorrow since Ive setup the 125g. I swapped everything over from my 90g to the 125g, the only difference is with this tank I splurged a little and bought a Coralife T5HO quad fixture. Im running 2-10K bulbs and 2-Power-glo bulbs. When I first set it up I didnt use the legs on the light fixture and wouldnt you know it, my left glass top cracked. So I ordered a new set of glass and in the mean time I put the light on the center and right side glass for a week. Now heres the weird part because everything Ive always read said diatoms grown in low light areas BUT the diatoms are ONLY growing in the high light area? I noticed the diatoms 2 days ago, or at least I think its diatoms but this type is brown and hairy, the diatoms in my 90g were not hairy. I have 3 rocks in my tank and the really strange part was this time the diatoms were only growing on the 2 rocks directly below my light and not on the other rock or the Koralia, intake & spraybar? Since I saw the diatoms I have the 2-Power-glo bulbs turned off to see if it stops them from growing in more spots but Im really confused about diatoms. It seems everything Ive read that causes it is not the cause of the diatoms in my tank and why would they only grow on the 2 rocks under intense lighting and not everywhere else?? Im hoping like in my 90g thats its being caused from the bulbs, this time the power-glo bulbs.
[YT]UIQnVCfQOUM[/YT]
[YT]CoM3SjbG1Zw[/YT]
Rock not directly under the light
1 of the 2 rocks directly under the light
GOD I hate diatoms!!!!!!!!!
Temp: 79°
pH: 7.8-8.0
Ammonia: 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 20ppm
Phosphates: 0-0.25ppm
Silicates: 0-0.03ppm
Heres a little background about my tank(s). I had a 90g setup for almost a year and within the past 6 months I had diatoms on my decor, 2 Koralias, spraybar & intake and on my glass that I could not get rid off! It got to the point where I didnt even clean my decor / equipment anymore just my glass. I do at least a 50% water change every Saturday and by Thursday I would start getting diatoms on my glass. Ive tested everything, Phosphates, Nitrates, Silicates and lighting. My last test was lighting. I had a T8 dual fixture with 1-10K bulb and 1-actinic bulb. From the advice of another forum member I removed the actinic bulb on Saturday, my water change day, and by Thursday there were NO diatoms on the glass. I didnt want to get my hopes up just yet so I let my tank go for another week without a water change to see if any diatoms would show up due to higher nitrates and still NO diatoms. So I though I finally found the cause!
Now comes the swap. It'll be 3 weeks tomorrow since Ive setup the 125g. I swapped everything over from my 90g to the 125g, the only difference is with this tank I splurged a little and bought a Coralife T5HO quad fixture. Im running 2-10K bulbs and 2-Power-glo bulbs. When I first set it up I didnt use the legs on the light fixture and wouldnt you know it, my left glass top cracked. So I ordered a new set of glass and in the mean time I put the light on the center and right side glass for a week. Now heres the weird part because everything Ive always read said diatoms grown in low light areas BUT the diatoms are ONLY growing in the high light area? I noticed the diatoms 2 days ago, or at least I think its diatoms but this type is brown and hairy, the diatoms in my 90g were not hairy. I have 3 rocks in my tank and the really strange part was this time the diatoms were only growing on the 2 rocks directly below my light and not on the other rock or the Koralia, intake & spraybar? Since I saw the diatoms I have the 2-Power-glo bulbs turned off to see if it stops them from growing in more spots but Im really confused about diatoms. It seems everything Ive read that causes it is not the cause of the diatoms in my tank and why would they only grow on the 2 rocks under intense lighting and not everywhere else?? Im hoping like in my 90g thats its being caused from the bulbs, this time the power-glo bulbs.
[YT]UIQnVCfQOUM[/YT]
[YT]CoM3SjbG1Zw[/YT]
Rock not directly under the light
1 of the 2 rocks directly under the light
GOD I hate diatoms!!!!!!!!!
