Sea cucumber / diatom algae

[bheaven]

My 125 reef tank (started 8/31/2007) is having another diatom algae outbreak. Water parameters are good & using RO/DI water.

A friend suggested a sea cucumber for the sand. He said that a cucumber (or two) would be a great option for my tank.

I don't know much about the sea cucumber (SC). Is a SC a good option? What should I be concerned about or look out for?

Will they co-exist with sand snails?

Thanks,

 

[Burgman]

Hi,

Cukes are OK with a sand bed. I have had one for a couple of years and it does not bother the snails and the snails don't both the cuke. I have not had a diatom problem in a long while & I don't know if the Cuke is the answer for that. But they will keep your sandbed clean under normal conditions.

Dave

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

I assume you already have Nassarius snails. Cukes might work, but the best method for getting rid of diatoms is to rid your tank of silicates. Are you checking the TDS of your RO/DI? Do you have any silica sand in your tank? If it's not coming from the top-off water or silica sand, then chances are that the silicates are coming from the food you're adding. Have you tried running granular ferric oxide (GFO)?

If you're having extensive diatom blooms, then you have high silicates in your tank. There really isn't any other possibility. However, aside from the ugliness factor, diatoms are a relatively innocuous algae. Compared to things like hair algae, broypsis, or cyano, diatoms are downright welcome.

In the end, I would just give it some time. Your tank is still quite new and I don't think you should worry too much about a diatom outbreak here and there. Patience and good husbandry are usually the best solution.