# Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak...



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak...*

Hello Everyone.

The diatoms which were taking over my tank I thought I had under control when me and my wife yanked all the plants and ornaments out and scrubbed them off every piece with hot water...returning them to the tank, the water quality immediately improved and everything looked better, except for certain areas we could not get to (diatoms on the bubble wands and gravel). 

Nearly a week later, the diatoms returned and worse than ever -- growing on everything plus the glass. I am NOT going through the procedure of removing everything again because that was BACK BREAKING, so I needed a solution after I suspected my tap water may be introducing silicates, which in turn are causing the diatoms...which means they will NEVER go away as long as I do top offs and changes. 

I was advised to look into something Seachem makes called "PhosGuard" seen here:

Seachem. PhosGuard

which is supposed to remove phosphates and silicates from water supplies...I am tempted to try it, but wanted to know your thoughts on this and if anyone here has tried this. Is this something I should try for a diatom outbreak? If so, do I just put these granules in some kind of media bag and just drop it into my AquaClear 110 filter? Is it as simple as that? I was thinking of putting it where the carbon pack currently is, because I believe the carbon is exhausted...

Any thoughts?


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Can be caused by low light also. Why not a 50/50 RO/Tap water mixture for your water changes and topoffs. Since doing that my diatom issues have nearly disappeared. Just a thought, RO (reverse osmosis) water is easy with smaller tanks and especially easy if it is only 50%. 

Another thought is to get rid of some of the fake stuff in your tank. Mutiple pieces of real driftwood maybe and some goldfish safe plants (there are a few). If diatoms are on your driftwood, you'll never know.

Never even heard of the product you mention.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

JR,

I don't know the first thing about doing the Reverse Osmosis water mix; as for the lighting issue, this has been suggested several times, but I just don't get it -- I am running a fluorescent light strip above the tank, over dual glass tops, so are we talking about leaving THOSE lights on, or letting more sunlight in?

As for the PhosGuard from Seachem, I already ordered it with a filter media bag, so I'll see how that goes; supposedly, it just drops into the filter and sucks out phosphates and silicates from the water, as I believe my tap water must be FILLED with silicates because the diatoms return no matter what I do to eliminate them...feed less, etc.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Anyone else with any other suggestions, or input about PhosGuard?


----------



## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

If its phosphates and silicates in your water that is the problem, try a new water source. You could get the RO water at 100% as i do but you can put some mineral supplements in it. The good part about that is you know almost exactly what goes into it. RO water here is only 20c a gallon so for my weekly water changes, it really only 2 bucks. The mineral supplements are about 8 bucks depending on what you get and can last for several hundred gallons. It may be a good way to keep things from coming back if that chemical you've purchased does not work or doesnt work for very long.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*



phys said:


> If its phosphates and silicates in your water that is the problem, try a new water source.


But how? *c/p*


----------



## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

check with your local fish store.. some have RO water for sale there.. thats where i get mine. maybe look for those 5 gallon jug refills.. they're expensive until you get a jug to reuse.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Thanks! 

I have a guy at a local private mostly marine shop that I believe mentioned he offers something like this...or "stable water" of some kind...

I'll look into it.

In the meantime, anyone else with experience with this Seachem product? Based on the info from their site that I provided the link to, does it seem like it would work on diatoms?


----------



## NeonShark666 (Dec 13, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

I recomend you replace 10% of your water with sea water made from disstilled water and salt mix every few days. Diatoms need both silica and phosphate to live. Eventually you will reach a point where there is not enough of either for you diatoms to survive. It would also help if you cut back on lighting. Be careful though, too much die off of you diatoms can easily pollute your tank.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

The product seems like it would be worth a try. The product + RO water may do the trick, but either may not work so good by themselves. Seachem usually makes pretty good products.

Crack me up with your avatars.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*



NeonShark666 said:


> I recomend you replace 10% of your water with sea water made from disstilled water and salt mix every few days. Diatoms need both silica and phosphate to live. Eventually you will reach a point where there is not enough of either for you diatoms to survive.


Thanks for the advice, Neon; but with regard to the silica and phosphate and the fact that they should die off as you state, what if my tap water is the culprit? If I keep pouring more tap water in there with each top off and such, isn't the same problem going to recur? 



> It would also help if you cut back on lighting. Be careful though, too much die off of you diatoms can easily pollute your tank.


Cut _back_ on lighting? Everyone I'm talking to says to increase lighting for this problem...


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Not what I meant when I said it may be one cause to your problem. Higher light does not mean to leave it on longer. It means a better, brighter, higher wattage light. It doesn't matter how long you leave it on for, it's still low light.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Well, I didn't mean only you, JR...this has been suggested since the beginning (the light factor); so, you're saying to adjust the luminance of the bulb I'm using?


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Low light can be a cause. What light are you using, wattage/size?


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*



jrman83 said:


> Low light can be a cause. What light are you using, wattage/size?


Don't know for sure; it's an Aqueon fluorescent light strip that sits above dual glass tops...

I will try and find the spec sheet on Aqueon's website when I have a moment...


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Measure the length and spin the bulb around and look at the writing on it. It should be directly on the bulb.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*



jrman83 said:


> Measure the length and spin the bulb around and look at the writing on it. It should be directly on the bulb.


The length is around 48 inches, to cover the length of my 60 gallon, a single bulb, not double-rowed...


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

You know there is a diatom filter out there? You may benefit from it and I don't think it is too expensive and available at Petsmart. Read a few good things about it.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*



jrman83 said:


> You know there is a diatom filter out there? You may benefit from it and I don't think it is too expensive and available at Petsmart. Read a few good things about it.


I have heard about it -- but I heard it IS expensive. I'll do more looking into it...

Why didn't you suggest this early on?


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*



ClinicaTerra said:


> I have heard about it -- but I heard it IS expensive. I'll do more looking into it...
> 
> Why didn't you suggest this early on?


I just read about it the first time a little over a week ago. It is an option for you. Here it is at one place:
Vortex Freedom Diatom Filter | Diatom Aquarium Filters | Filters | Aquarium - ThatPetPlace.com


----------



## saltydad (Jun 27, 2008)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Here- same company- a tad cheaper. I've used this; works beautifully.
Amazon.com: Vortex D-1 Diatom Filter - 8 in. x 15 in.: Kitchen & Dining


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Thanks Salty and JR,

Wow -- a bit on the expensive side, but I suppose I suspected that, and Salty's amazon find is a bit easier to swallow...

The question I have about these filters, as I await delivery of the Seachem PhosGuard, is how do they integrate with the two HOBs I already have in place? Do they run in conjunction with them, or does it replace one of them?

And I've read something about these diatom filters "burning out" if run too long -- that they're not supposed to be run 24/7 like ordinary filters...is this true?


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

I believe it says no more than 8hrs a week. Not sure how they would integrate with what you have because I don't how they install, but sounds like minimal setup and shouldn't take up too much space. It may be a little on the exp. side and replacement filters may be a tad costly as well, but if you get what you want from it, it sounds worth it. I nearly got one myself when I first read about them.


----------



## ClinicaTerra (Nov 12, 2010)

*Re: Questions Regarding Seachem's "PhosGuard" to Control Horrendous Diatom Outbreak..*

Thanks JR...

Does anyone else know anything about these diatom filters? Do they actually suck out the silicates etc. from the water? How do they run in conjunction with the other filters already running on the tank?

Does anyone know? What I want to know, essentially, is if this will be a third filter on my tank, running with the Aqueon and AquaClear...


----------

