Removing Silicates

[viowyn]

Is it possible to remove silicates without a ro unit and sponge?

[Katspaw]

well you can't remove them, but you can change the amount you put into the tank just by watching and reading what you feed your tank or add into it. I found that most foods have silicates. Try using distrilled water with your water changes and make home made foods. Oh just because you made it, doesn't mean that you can over feed. Too much food in the water will cause algae to grow as well. I feed maybe once or twice a week, but then I have natural foods alive in the tank for the fished to pick at and they do as they are fat and sassy.

Tracey

[viowyn]

Thanks,
Hopefully that works.

[cyberdude4747]

Tracy
How is it that you are making your own food I would like to try this????

Lonnie

[Katspaw]

I make my own food by going to the fish market and finding out what is fresh to start with. I buy oysters, shrimps, squid, clams and fish. Then I will get either nori or dryed seaweeds and liquid vitamins for for of course. I perfer selcon. Now pull out your wifes blender and puree the pieces into a mush. Now you can put the mixture into a ziplock bag, or into old cubed containers of frozen fish food. Anywho you will need to freeze the mixture in some type of container and break off small pieces to feed your fish.

Tracey

[DyeLooper]

I use a ro unit, and stiil have had alittle bit of silicates, nothing like I used to have without the unit though. I also decreased the silicates by putting in new bulbs, they were old and some peeps said they put off a bad spectrum of light, it has helped. Question....I heard that if you do a good clean out, gravel, glass, filters; you can then add 200mg Erythromycin per 30 gallons and this will wipe out the silicates, the guy also stated you need to turn off the skimmer for at least a week, it will go crazy with the Erythromycin. Anyone ever hear of this or something close to it. Curious??

DyeLooper

[Katspaw]

Personally, I have not and I would think on it for a very long time before adding any chemicla to my tank. I have thousands of dollars invested in living creatures. Why would I want to take a chance on killing them and destroying my tank with one persons word. I have been in this hobby for many years and I believe the only way to go is as close to natural as possible. I also think that reading and staying up on the hobby is the best choice for me. There have been many things that have come onto the market as a quick fix for this or that, some make the grade, and some don't. It is a matter of time to see which products really work and it is time to find the truth in each product. I for one do not wish to offer my tank up as a test capsule on a he said this would work. I would need serious proof that it did in fact work. One question for you though... When did silicates become a bacteria, as Erythomycin is anti-biotic and sometimes used to fight off blue-green cyano-bacteria?? Does this make since to you??

Tracey