diatom filter good for reef tanks?

[nm]

Experiencing diatom bloom . I've learned from this site that silicates and nutrients are the cause, and I should work on reducing the nutrients .Will a diatom filter help? I have a vortex filter,diatom powder and a brand new filter bag. Should it be used and how often ? 90 gallon using the plenum system (not a new set up)

 

[DarwinTheDog]

NM,

A diatom filter will not help to reduce silicates or nutrients in your tank (at least to any significant degree).

A diatom filter uses diatomaceous earth, which is basically the test (or skeletons) of diatoms. The test of the diatom is very porous and incidentally composed of silica. The primary purpose of a diatom filter is water polishing. Because of the porous nature of the diatom test they are very good at filtering very small particles (several microns) out of the water (or polishing the water). While this may help to clear the water in a tank that is cloudy (due to suspended particulate matter), it is not an effective nutrient export.

I have used diatom filters over the years for a number of reasons. Sometimes after a water change in a tank, you have a lot of suspended sediments in the water (that cause cloudiness); the diatom filter is a great way to clear the water. That said I have never advocated using a diatom filter on a reef tank. Why? IMO a diatom filter can remove too much good stuff from the reef tank, such as plankton. Howvever, I recommend diatom filters for almost any tank but a reef. Of course that is not to say that a diatom filter can never be used in a reef (I would do so sparingly).

Back to your main problem. Have you tested for silicates? What kind of export mechanism are you using? Do you have a refugium? Do you harvest macro algae from your tank? What about snail? If you are having a diatom problem (beyond the initial diatom bloom you get when cycling a tank) you need to consider your nutrient sources and sinks as well as how to export nutrients out of your system. Additionally there are resins (chemical filter media) that remove silicates from the water. However your best bet is a biological nutrient export system of some kind (such as a refugium - where macro algae is periodically harvested). Of course water changes are another great export mechanism.

HTH

 

[MIKE NY1]

I use to use it for that reason when I had a FOWLR tank, but not on my reef because it will filter out alot of the micro organisms in the water that the corals and filter feeders eat. You have the answer cut down the nutriants and or bioload.

Good Luck
Mike

 

[gazpep]

Before I converted my tank from FO to reef I would use a Diatom filter ( same brand as yours) straight after monthly water change and clean up. They work brilliantly in removing very fine particulate matter from the water column, leaving the water crystal clear after a day, I mean it looked like there was no water in the tank it was so clear. However, after converting to a reef set up I stopped using it as I felt it would take out the good stuff (plankton etc) that I wanted to encourage. At the same time, and for the same reason, I stopped using the UV Sterilizer that was part of my FO set up.

 

[nm]

Transport of nutrients--a berlin style protein skimmer.
No macro algae, I spent month trying to get rid of it, I was constantly harvesting. Every now and then I would see small pieces starting to grow but the tang and hermits make short work of that.
No refugium--- although it staring to seem like a excellent idea.
Just a few snails, (approx 5 or more)