Brown or golden diatom HELP ????

bigginapk

bigginapk
I am not sure whether this is brown algae or diatom ?? I have done several water changes and used different buckets to replace the water and it keeps comming back !! I tried red slime remover because that is what I was told it was. It is brown or golden brown substance that covers the rocks and is in splotches on the glass and is now growing on the hermit crab. I have took out all the ornaments and bleached them and scrubbed all the glass and cut back on the lighting and feeding and it just keeps comming back after a week. does any one know a way to treat and get rid of this whatever ????
 
First let me ask a few questions...

How old is the tank?
Are you using RO/DI or Tap water?
Do you know the TDS of your water?

:)
 
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The tank is 6 months old and I use tap water and all off the test show 0 except ph is 8.2. I should also say it is only on the tops of everything where the light shines !!
 
I suspect the tap water to be the source of your woes... Diatoms are feed through excess Silica usually brought in from the water source. In your case it's tap water. The only way to really beat this is to use 'pure' water. Most of us choose RO/DI because of this. I would get a TDS meter and test you tap water. Likely you will find the number to be high. My tap reads in the 250 range. A properly functioning RO/DI unit will produce 0 TDS water. I dealt with diatoms for years until I jumped on the RO/DI bandwagon. The Filter Guys have great products for cheap. ;)


http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm
 
No problem. The OCEAN WAVE+ FIVE STAGE 75 GPD RO/DI or OCEAN REEF + 1 FIVE STAGE 75 GPD RO/DI are my favorites. :thumbsup:
 
No need. If you are using RO/DI for these water changes, you don't have to do anything to the water to prep it. Another benefit of using RO/DI. It's good to go straight out of the unit. Just add salt of course. ;)
 
sorry I must not have been clear. the rocks and decor that are covered with the brown film should I take all of the stuff in the tank out and clean it while I am changing the water or just do 20% water change ??
 
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