Leaving it bare bottom would definitely make cleaning easier but if its not
as pleasing to you keep the substrate thin and siphon it more often, maybe
even replace as much of it as you can. If you can order the oolitic types go
for it.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sjögren Fredrik" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, January 25, 2001 4:28 AM
Subject: Problems with diatomes
> Update on my problems with diatomes,
>
> I've cut down on additives as suggested, the following has been the
schedule
> for the last month:
>
> Kept Ca and Alk at around 450 ppm and 3 (10dKH) respectively.
> 1 ml of Iodide and 1 tsp Vital Gold in 7g of topoff water, lasting for
about
> one week.
>
> I also cut down on feeding to about 1/2 the normal rations.
>
> At first the diatome growth seemed to slow down a little, but after about
2
> weeks grape caulerpa started
> to show up everywhere, I now think of myself as a gardener trying to get
rid
> of an unusually stubborn weed.
> Diatomes has gotten worse too.
>
> I called the water company and got a report on the tap water, it's so good
I
> could probably throw my
> RO in the thrash. At least no more worries about the water.
>
> During the last week a patch of blue-green algae has been developing in a
> back corner,
> 2 days ago it covered an area as big as my hand, yesterday it had almost
> doubled!
> I siphoned it all out, together with the chrushed coral it was growing on.
> I've got about 1/2 - 3/4 inch of cc, it was hard to believe how much gunk
> came out with the water,
> I think that the cc is probably contributing to the problems, the grain
size
> is about 1/8 to 1/4 inch,
> this acts like "sweeping the dust under the carpet" (Old swedish saying,
> don't know if you have the same one).
>
> During the first couple of months I worked through the cc with a siphon
> every once in a while,
> but until yesterday I haven't done this for several months, I thougt that
> it was probably better not to disturb things.
>
> The question now is, should I leave the cc in there and work it through
with
> a siphon regularly, or should I
> slowly get rid of it?
> If I get rid of it should I leave the tank with a bare bottom and wait for
> corralines to cover it, or should I get a
> substrate with a finer grain size?
> I know that most of you would recommend aragonite and/or oolithic sand and
> probably build a bed several inches
> deep, the problem is that the only thing I can get here is coral sand.
> I could order one bag of aragonite from the US but not much more, paying
the
> freight would really be a pain.
>
> Btw. All animals are still doing fine.
>
> /Fredrik
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________________
>
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