Diatoms

KurtG wrote:

Are you using this?

I tried one batch of that and then switched to PhosBan. I switched because the
store that sold my salt doesn't sell RowaPhos. Then it turned out that they quit
selling my salt, so I just ordered the RowaPhos from elsewhere. Should be here
in the next few days.

Are you dosing with kalkwasser?

Nope. I'll have to check into that. Thanks for the tip.

George Patterson
If you torture the data long enough, eventually it will confess
to anything.

George Patterson wrote:
KurtG wrote:

Are you using this?

I tried one batch of that and then switched to PhosBan. I switched
because the store that sold my salt doesn't sell RowaPhos.

Do you think RowaPhos works better? It seems like the same iron
hydroxide compound, but I may be mistaken.

Neither one is cheap, but it's lasts much longer then the ceramic stuff
which also isn't cheap.

--Kurt

KurtG wrote:

I tried one batch of that and then switched to PhosBan. I switched
because the store that sold my salt doesn't sell RowaPhos.

Do you think RowaPhos works better? It seems like the same iron
hydroxide compound, but I may be mistaken.

I don't know. The PhosBan gets the level down to about .2, and there it stays. I
would like to see about .1. We'll have to see what the RowaPhos can do this time.

George Patterson
If you torture the data long enough, eventually it will confess
to anything.

Pull the hair algae out. Hemostats are great for
this. Then the remainder hair algae, use a tooth
brush to keep it down. Use the tooth brush by
quickly moving it in a side to side motion, like
your trying to blow the hair algae off.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


George Patterson wrote on 5/14/2007 8:42 PM:
KurtG wrote:
My diatoms are back. I replaced the material in my phosphate reactor
which knocked them back for a few days, but they rebounded again. My
nitrates and phosphates are both undetectable.

Well, my nitrates test at 0 and my phosphates are at the bottom of the
scale, but I've still got a tank full of hair algae. I'm thinking that
things like diatoms and algae that eat nitrates and phosphates must keep
the levels low (by eating them up). I've been using PhosBan and have
some RowaPhos ordered, but I'm almost ready to give up.

George Patterson
If you torture the data long enough, eventually it will confess
to anything.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
Pull the hair algae out. Hemostats are great for this. Then the
remainder hair algae, use a tooth brush to keep it down. Use the tooth
brush by quickly moving it in a side to side motion, like your trying to
blow the hair algae off.

Every time I try doing something like that, some of my fish get stressed out and
die. If there isn't a better way, the tank will stay a jungle.

George Patterson
If you torture the data long enough, eventually it will confess
to anything.

Do they not have hiding places so that when you put
your hand in there, they have sufficient places to
feel safe?

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets


George Patterson wrote on 5/16/2007 8:50 PM:
Wayne Sallee wrote:
Pull the hair algae out. Hemostats are great for this. Then the
remainder hair algae, use a tooth brush to keep it down. Use the tooth
brush by quickly moving it in a side to side motion, like your trying
to blow the hair algae off.

Every time I try doing something like that, some of my fish get stressed
out and die. If there isn't a better way, the tank will stay a jungle.

George Patterson
If you torture the data long enough, eventually it will confess
to anything.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
Do they not have hiding places so that when you put your hand in there,
they have sufficient places to feel safe?

George Patterson wrote on 5/16/2007 8:50 PM:
Every time I try doing something like that, some of my fish get
stressed out and die. If there isn't a better way, the tank will stay
a jungle.

Hi George,

Can you post a pic and send a link? (Or, just email it to me.) I'm
curious because I've been battling hair algae for quite a while and I
think I'm starting to win (touch wood). I'll do the same.

About once a week, I've been using a soft bottle brush to clean my rocks
of the hair algae. I don't think my fish like it, but they don't seem
to suffer any harm. I have a floss filter in my sump return that
catches it, and I clean/replace it the next day.

It's funny when a stranger walks up to the tank because it goes from a
lively colorful show to an empty tank in a flash. There are lots of
caves and swim throughs in the rock work.

My coraline algae is really starting to grow, and it seems that once
it's established the hair algae doesn't grow back.

But, unless you hit zero phosphates, I think your hair algae will
continue to grow with abandon.

--Kurt

Wayne Sallee wrote:
Do they not have hiding places so that when you put your hand in there,
they have sufficient places to feel safe?

They have tons of hidy-holes, but I have to hang a filter unit on the tank to
clear the trash out that gets stirred up during this. I suspect that some of
them make a break for it during this time. One time it will be a firefish; the
next time a chromis.

I've got about 120 pounds of live rock, plus a rats nest of dead elkhorn coral
for a small forest in a 125 gallon tank. When I put a scraper in to scrape the
glass, everybody disappears.

George Patterson
If you torture the data long enough, eventually it will confess
to anything.

Wayne Sallee wrote:
use a tooth brush to keep it down. Use the tooth
brush by quickly moving it in a side to side motion, like your trying to
blow the hair algae off.

Thanks for the tooth brush idea. I did that last night and it worked
great. I have some really nice coraline algae growing under the dying
hair algae. I still have more to do, but I'll let the tank settle again.

--Kurt

I tried a batch of this, and then switch to PhosBan. I changed stores sell do not sell RowaPhos salt. Then, the original, they quit sell my salt, so I ordered the RowaPhos from other places. Should be here in the next few days.