Can't seem to get rid of Diatoms.

The_Skrimp

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I'm almost four months in and these diatoms just aren't going away. It's so bad that I'll scrape my glass and by the end of the day there's already a light brown mist on them. I don't know what else to do. I'm using RODI water and doing a 10% water change weekly. Is this normal for a tank this age? My Nitrates and Phosphates are low almost undetectable using API tests. Should I be using any special type of filters for my RODI unit or is there anything else you guys might recommend?
Thanks so much for the advice!
 

dwair

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Your nitrates and phosphates being low is a big reason you have diatoms. If you can get those up, that will help alot. Also did you use dry rock, could be leeching silicates still. Eventually they will go away, just time. Normal for a tank that age.
 
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The_Skrimp

The_Skrimp

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I did. I used Caribsea dry rock. Thanks for the response. I didn’t know weather or not skipping a water change would make it better or worse but I think I’ll give that a try to get both of those up. I appreciate it!
 

vetteguy53081

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Reduce white light intensity, Add liquid bacteria at 1ml per 10 gals daily and Add cuc snail such as turbo snails, nassarius snails and astrea snails (4 of each and a half dozen blue leg hermits)
diatoms are some of the most abundant organisms on earth. They usually surface in the aquarium as a brown powdery like substance, within a week or so after a tank finishes its cycle. These Diatoms feed on available silicates in your system and will run their course until silicates are gone
 
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jstncoffman

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Its a time thing, alot of stuff is going on on a microscopic level, bacteria is getting settled in ECT, let the tank do its thing, trust later it will the last thing your worried about due to the fact you will chasing numbers and other stuff, and in the end you will most likely say " were did the diatoms go" lol
 

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Yes, can’t have 0 nitrates and phosphates. Lots of posts on this. Also good mechanical filteration helps, change your filter socks often, or if you happen to have a diatomaceous earth filter use it.
 

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