Diatoms and Water Changes

[puopg]

I have read a lot on getting rid of diatoms, and some people suggest to stop water changes until they go away. They reported they had good results with this method. My question is, if say you have high silicates from the tap, won't the next water change simply induce another diatom bloom?

What i would like to know is since most tanks get the diatom bloom in the beginning, why does it go away and stay that way? Wouldn't subsequent WC simply add in the silicates needed for the diatoms to grow? Or is this a case of the plants can also out compete the diatoms?

 

[dutchy]

I've seen tanks get better or worse with doing frequent waterchanges to get rid of diatoms. Depends of the silicate level in the tapwater.

The silicate levels will drop over time, the diatoms will consume it, that way they outcompete themselves. Silicate is always present in our tanks, as are diatoms, but not at a level where it will cause a bloom.

If silicate level in the tapwater is high, with frequent waterchanges, you'll keep providing "food" for the diatoms, enough to sustain the bloom.

Frequent water changes are still good to remove ammonium and nitrite in an uncycled tank.

 

[puopg]

Thanks dutchy! Yea I think i will call my water company and find out if i can get a report. I had a bloom a few months ago setting up my tank and it went away, but at the time i never did water changes. Now that it is back, it still hasn't bloomed like before, nor has it gone away. I hope no water changes will let them just outcompete themselves.