Diatoms... how do I get rid of them?

[TylerMoralez]

So I've had this tank for a few months now, and I can not seem to get rid of these stupid diatoms. I've cleaned every piece of equipment inside and out, I've scrapped the sides, I've gone without lighting for three days, and it won't go away. What can I do?

 

[twilliard]

Are you sure they are diatoms?

 

[reeferfoxx]

I've been having the same issue. It would help to positively ID if it's diatoms or not.

If it were diatoms though, you need to just let it grow. Cleaning the tank does nothing as diatoms feed off silicates. If you keep cleaning the diatoms out, the silicates will remain as there is nothing to eat them.

 

[mcarroll]

Tank too full, too fast....was still stabilizing, but you already loaded it with nutrients. As long as the diatoms don't get worse, it should work itself out. I'd give it at least a month - just keep an eye on it.

 

[jabell]

What kind of rock did you use? I used real reef rock and I am having the same issue. I have tried everything. It is not in the sand bed at all. Just the rock and glass. I think the real reef rock is leaching silicates.

 

[TylerMoralez]

Are you sure they are diatoms?

I had them ID'd a couple weeks ago on here.

 

[TylerMoralez]

What kind of rock did you use? I used real reef rock and I am having the same issue. I have tried everything. It is not in the sand bed at all. Just the rock and glass. I think the real reef rock is leaching silicates.

I also used real reef rock from the Indian Ocean. I don't even have a sand bed!

 

[TylerMoralez]

Tank too full, too fast....was still stabilizing, but you already loaded it with nutrients. As long as the diatoms don't get worse, it should work itself out. I'd give it at least a month - just keep an eye on it.

What would I do if they get worse? Get rid of the livestock?

 

[beaslbob]

looks like cyano bacter or hair algae.

FWIW when you first start a tank there is lotsa stuff in it with silicates one. But unlike other things there is nothing to add silicates like food, fish and so on. So if you get a diatom bloom IMHO doing nothing will work.

For nutrient based things like cyano and algae it is best to balance out the tank so that ammonia/nitrate/phosphate/co2 sources are being consumed by things you like. I use macro algae which also returns oxygen and fish food. An algae turf scrubber is another option using algae grown on screens.

my .02

 

[reeferfoxx]

Just let the diatoms grow. They will eventually disappear :) Don't scrape the glass either. It's gonna look rough. Just let it do it's thing. You can keep doing weekly water changes or whatever you were doing.

 

[TylerMoralez]

Thank you for the useful information! I will wait it out and keep you all updated. It's a rough life being a newbie

 

[reeferfoxx]

Thank you for the useful information! I will wait it out and keep you all updated. It's a rough life being a newbie

I concur! Your experiences will eventually help other newbies!

 

[twilliard]

The only conclusive way to identify most anything is with a microscope

 

[bubbaque]

Vivid aquariums posted a video on how to get of diatoms, if that's what you have.

 

[pga7602]

Yah just wait it out.

 

[Mark Shelly]

You might want to position the power heads down to provide move vertical water movement to keep both food and the diatoms more suspended where the skimmer can take them and waste out. I also have a hang on skimmer, but positioning the powerheads slightly down helped me the most. Besides, vertical movement helps keep the oxygen level up in the whole tank.

 

[jje2016]

I've been having the same issue. It would help to positively ID if it's diatoms or not.

If it were diatoms though, you need to just let it grow. Cleaning the tank does nothing as diatoms feed off silicates. If you keep cleaning the diatoms out, the silicates will remain as there is nothing to eat them.

What exactly feeds off the diatoms, essentially removing them from the tank? Is it fair to say the more green algae you begin to see on the rocks, the less of diatoms?

 

[TylerMoralez]

Vivid aquariums posted a video on how to get of diatoms, if that's what you have.

Thank you! I'll watch it after I get off work

 

[TylerMoralez]

You might want to position the power heads down to provide move vertical water movement to keep both food and the diatoms more suspended where the skimmer can take them and waste out. I also have a hang on skimmer, but positioning the powerheads slightly down helped me the most. Besides, vertical movement helps keep the oxygen level up in the whole tank.

Awesome! That makes a lot of sense, thank you :)

 

[reeferfoxx]

What exactly feeds off the diatoms, essentially removing them from the tank? Is it fair to say the more green algae you begin to see on the rocks, the less of diatoms?

Snails feed on diatoms. Some dwarf angels, as well. When the diatoms die off, they will release from where they were and then get filtered out via mechanical or skimmer filtration. Also, you'll notice when they start dying and can then begin cleaning glass and turkey basting off rocks.