Diatom Algae

[CLARKY]

My tank is about 2 months old and suffering from diatom algae . I know this is to be expected in a new tank but it's driving me nuts !!

my pride and joy covered in the stuff everyday . 50kgs of live rock , now a drab brown

I have a phosphate remover media and only use RO water

Is there anything else I can do ?

will i need to clean all my live rock or will it go on it's own ?

How long will this torture last ??

any other advice / information of this diatom algae , would be much appreciated

thanks again

 

[CageUK]

What are your tank stats, in particular Phosphates and nitrates? Also have you got clean up crew in the tank?
Have you got a good water flow?
Lastly what type of sand have you got in the tank?

 

[CLARKY]

What are your tank stats, in particular Phosphates and nitrates? Also have you got clean up crew in the tank?
Have you got a good water flow?
Lastly what type of sand have you got in the tank?

amm 0 nitrite 0 Nitrates 25 . do not have test kit for phosphate . am using a remover media though . got about 8 snails and 3 crabs .

Have about 10 000 lph water flow . 440 lt tank

Hardly got any sand at all . Tiny sprinkling across the bottom . 50 kgs of live rock

 

[CageUK]

Well obviously the nitrates are a little high so that is something worth addressing. I know it's a pain, I have high nitrates at the mo and although I haven't got diatoms I'm sure it's effecting my leathers.

Your clean up crew won't make much of a dent in that size tank.

I would suggest more cuc, water change to reduce nitrates and maybe reduce the photocycle.

 

[CLARKY]

Well obviously the nitrates are a little high so that is something worth addressing. I know it's a pain, I have high nitrates at the mo and although I haven't got diatoms I'm sure it's effecting my leathers.

Your clean up crew won't make much of a dent in that size tank.

I would suggest more cuc, water change to reduce nitrates and maybe reduce the photocycle.

thank you . What do you mean by " reduce the photocycle "

 

[CageUK]

Sorry I mean the light cycle. I'm don't know what you are running at the mo but if you reduce to about 5 hrs a day for a week or so then bring it back up over the course of a few days that should help. The combination of all this should help to get it under control. I know a water change will be quite costly but it is an effective way of reducing nitrates and phosphates. You could change as much as you can, ideally 40-50% or so. After that perhaps get some rowaphos and nitrate remover to bring the rest of it down.

If you have a sump then you could put some macroalgae in there to contribute to the clean up of nitrates etc.

Good luck

 

[CLARKY]

Thank you !!

 

[SkiFletch]

Consider doing REALLY LARGE waterchanges as well to bring down nitrates quickly. Like, 70%+. Your livestock will be fine if the new water is the same temp and salinity and your nitrates will be really low .

Also, what watera re you adding to your tank? Tap? RO? Distilled? Other?

 

[Don Trinko]

I have the same problem in a 75g. 2 Mexican Turbo snails took care of most of it in a week. Don T.