Attack of the Diatoms...!!

[powerbuddy]

Ok, to be honest i haven't been using Ro/Di Water. Well done with that, i am really bugged with the algae bloom. My LFS told me to use red slime, but i don't want to add any chemicals now. I have limited the lighting. The nitrates are 5 ppm. Did water changes. Nothing seems to work against this buggers. What type of snails do you think can get rid of these life sucking bacterias.

My tank before-:

My tank now-: :eek2:

 

[Blown 346]

Well using RO water will help over time after it replaces your other source of water.
The other thing is over feeding, and even old lighting, or a upgrade. Lighting with old bulbs will cause algae out breaks as well as upgraded lighting.
PC's should be replaced every 6 months since there intensity goes downhill.

Astrea, cerith,nassarius,nerite snails will help alot.

I would also check phosphate levels, your test might not show any, this is because the algae is using it all to feed off of.

 

[powerbuddy]

I upgraded my lighting from poverty struck 22 Watts to the PC's i have now. Generally these Diatoms come when the tank cycled right? But mine did weeks ago, and they poped up when i recently upgraded my lighting.

 

[Blown 346]

Diatoms will appear while cycling and a short time after along with other algae's. Diatoms will come back to a lighting upgrade.
I upgraded from PC's to halides and got them in my 4 year old reef, they were present for about 2 months and with my cleanup crew of snails, crabs and wiping the glass down, they slowly receeded.