I set up a brand new experimenting 40b over a month ago..i used a canister filter that was used on my main tank tank for a while so it was well established..the substrate i used was safe-t-sorb from tractor supply...ive had major diatoms about the whole period it has been set up and still goin strong... i set up another 40b using a well established canister filter from my main tank...i decided to use black blasting sand on this one.. it has been set up for almost 3 weeks..i moved plants that had diatoms on it to this tank with the blasting sand....the diatoms hasnt hardly grew any..
looked up the msds on safe-t-sorb it has almost 10% silica
black diamond blasting sand less than 1%
i understand that diatoms feed off of silica to replenish the silica that they are made of and that they also feed off of phosphates and nitrates..
ive been dosing ei in the tank with the blasting sand..still no signs of it growing.. also both tanks have the same lighting which is fairly high which is probably driving the diatoms even more in the tank with the safe-t-sorb
How long can i expect to have diatoms in a tank with a substrate thats high in silica...will the diatoms use up all the silica or would it be constantly feeding the diatoms?
looked up the msds on safe-t-sorb it has almost 10% silica
black diamond blasting sand less than 1%
i understand that diatoms feed off of silica to replenish the silica that they are made of and that they also feed off of phosphates and nitrates..
ive been dosing ei in the tank with the blasting sand..still no signs of it growing.. also both tanks have the same lighting which is fairly high which is probably driving the diatoms even more in the tank with the safe-t-sorb
How long can i expect to have diatoms in a tank with a substrate thats high in silica...will the diatoms use up all the silica or would it be constantly feeding the diatoms?