diatoms!@#$%
- Thread starter iannozzi
- Start date
mr pink floyd
New member
my new sand is covered in it the orangy brown stuff?
i think addign sand started a new cycle thing!
my rocks have some on it too!
i haev 34 snails now in my 29, 12 cerinth, 12 nassarious, 10 astrea
i think addign sand started a new cycle thing!
my rocks have some on it too!
i haev 34 snails now in my 29, 12 cerinth, 12 nassarious, 10 astrea
graveyardworm
Premium Member
Could be dinoflagellates rather than diatoms.
skylsdale
Reefer
In all candor--you need to know exactly what it is in order to be told how to get rid of it.
However, it sounds to me like diatoms...and they generally love things like phosphates and other things often found in our tap water, well water, etc. You can do an infinite number of water changes with these water sources, but you're only fueling the diatoms' growth.
If you are in fact using RO/DI, then you can keep doing some water changes or allow things to die off a bit. You can have a clean tank in the morning and completly brown by the end of the day...then clean again in the morning as snails have trimmed it down and it's died off a bit...then brown again the next light cycle as it feeds again...etc.
However, it sounds to me like diatoms...and they generally love things like phosphates and other things often found in our tap water, well water, etc. You can do an infinite number of water changes with these water sources, but you're only fueling the diatoms' growth.
If you are in fact using RO/DI, then you can keep doing some water changes or allow things to die off a bit. You can have a clean tank in the morning and completly brown by the end of the day...then clean again in the morning as snails have trimmed it down and it's died off a bit...then brown again the next light cycle as it feeds again...etc.
jdieck
New member
Diatoms are mostly fueled by high silicates, snails are one of the best options as they need to consume them by the bunch as they need the silicate for their shells.
Some salts particularly Oceanic have had history of some high Silicate batches, Try using a different salt, My preferred will be Tropic Marin Pro (expensive), IO, Kent.
Also you can try some chemical media, Phosban and Alumina based media remove Silicated although the Alumina base can release some Aluminum if not rinsed well and using more than recomended by the manufacturer.
Make a water change after swiping the aquarium panels to remove some of them suspended in the water column, you may also try a UV sterilizer.
Of course none of this will help if what you have is Dinoflagelates. For that water changes Nitrate and Phosphate reduction may help.
If what you have is Cyanobacteria then you basically need to ram up all your husbandry.
a) improve skiming
b) run a refugium with macroalgae
c) reduce feeding
d) run Activated Carbon and/or Purigen and Phosban
e) increase the amount and frequency of water changes
f) vaccum out as much of the Cyano as you can
g) increase water flow
h) use sand stirring critters
i) bet some blue legged hermits
j) if your light bulbs are older than 1 year you need to replace them
k) if everything else fail use chemi-clean if it fails treat with Red Slime Remover
Again all this is if you have Cyanobacteria.
Some salts particularly Oceanic have had history of some high Silicate batches, Try using a different salt, My preferred will be Tropic Marin Pro (expensive), IO, Kent.
Also you can try some chemical media, Phosban and Alumina based media remove Silicated although the Alumina base can release some Aluminum if not rinsed well and using more than recomended by the manufacturer.
Make a water change after swiping the aquarium panels to remove some of them suspended in the water column, you may also try a UV sterilizer.
Of course none of this will help if what you have is Dinoflagelates. For that water changes Nitrate and Phosphate reduction may help.
If what you have is Cyanobacteria then you basically need to ram up all your husbandry.
a) improve skiming
b) run a refugium with macroalgae
c) reduce feeding
d) run Activated Carbon and/or Purigen and Phosban
e) increase the amount and frequency of water changes
f) vaccum out as much of the Cyano as you can
g) increase water flow
h) use sand stirring critters
i) bet some blue legged hermits
j) if your light bulbs are older than 1 year you need to replace them
k) if everything else fail use chemi-clean if it fails treat with Red Slime Remover
Again all this is if you have Cyanobacteria.
Tanks--I suspect perhaps my phospahtes are out of whack--will test in the am tom. However, I have recently switched to Sera sea salt. I am so frustrated with this-- I have been hypervigilant with this tank--changing 4 cups of water every day--it's a 29 gallon; watching feedings etc.. I am wondering if my sand bed has finally gone--its two years old--we'll see
thanks again
thanks again
graveyardworm
Premium Member
A 4 cup a day water change probably isnt going to do much to kick your algae in the butt. Are you siphoning the algae out prior to or during the water change? I would test my RO water and make sure it has no impurities. If you're only running RO then you may have high silicates as well which in conjunction with NO3, and PO4 will fuel the diatoms. Once you know the water your putting in isnt the culprit then I would suggest doing some larger water changes.
Can you lists some specs on your setup? Like water parameters, stocking, skimmer, lighting, feeding, how long has it been set up, etc...?
rustybucket145
New member
Cerinth Snails love the stuff. How old is the setup? It is probably just a cycle but that doesn't mean you can't control it. Ceriths and Blue Leggs!!!
