Diatoms

[Steven27]

Hello everyone! My fish tank is roughly 7 months old and I’m still experiencing diatoms. I have been conducting 20 percent water changes weekly for the last 3 weeks. There was a period where I was not able to go duct water changes due to work so I’m trying to catch up. I have noticed some coralline growing so I would imagine that means the transition from the ugly phase? I have started siphoning the sand bed to remove some of the detritus along with using a fish net.

 

[Steven27]

Also currently mixing saltwater using instant ocean with distilled water. The lights are only on for 6 hours.

 

[Idech]

Are you sure its diatoms ? It could also be dinos.

 

[Steven27]

Are you sure its diatoms ? It could also be dinos.

If it is Dino’s what the best way to tackle this issue? I have increased the flow in the tank by re adjusting one of my circulation pumps.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Switch to ro water from the drinking water dispensers.
Ur wcs are just feeding the diatom with silicate. Dinoflagellates are long and dark brown and stringy bubbly. Usually has c02 gas off bubbles.
Tired of this forum and dinos. Lol
D

 

[Steven27]

Switch to ro water from the drinking water dispensers.
Ur wcs are just feeding the diatom with silicate. Dinoflagellates are long and dark brown and stringy bubbly. Usually has c02 gas off bubbles.
Tired of this forum and dinos. Lol
D

Your saying the distilled water has silicates? So either get RODI water from lfs or water dispenser? Sorry lost with that one

 

[vetteguy53081]

Expanding pics, looks like diatoms. Diatoms are a brown algae that typically appear in a reef tank that has just completed its cycle but they can also appear in an established reef tank. They can cover sand, rock, pumps, glass, you name it. Diatoms look ugly but in most cases they are harmless so the key is to not panic when they appear.
Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires.
Diatoms are typically harmless to a captive reef and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the kibosh on the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass.
For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have exponential growth rates.

To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

 

[Lavey29]

Your saying the distilled water has silicates? So either get RODI water from lfs or water dispenser? Sorry lost with that one

Yes it probably has silicate in it so everytime you water change you see diatoms. I have a similar experience.

 

[Steven27]

Expanding pics, looks like diatoms. Diatoms are a brown algae that typically appear in a reef tank that has just completed its cycle but they can also appear in an established reef tank. They can cover sand, rock, pumps, glass, you name it. Diatoms look ugly but in most cases they are harmless so the key is to not panic when they appear.
Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires.
Diatoms are typically harmless to a captive reef and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the kibosh on the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass.
For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have exponential growth rates.

To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

I have roughly 4 snails and 5 hermit crabs definitely need more of a clean up crew. I use distilled water but I’ll switch to RODI to see if it makes a difference.

 

[Steven27]

Yes it probably has silicate in it so everytime you water change you see diatoms. I have a similar experience.

Yea most likely

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have roughly 4 snails and 5 hermit crabs definitely need more of a clean up crew. I use distilled water but I’ll switch to RODI to see if it makes a difference.

RODI makes a difference and distilled often off/low on PH as it is steam and not purified filtered water

 

[Lavey29]

Yea most likely

Even my RODI has silicate left over. But you also have to see some of Randy's posts about the essentials need of silicate also in our tanks.

 

[Uncle99]

Diatoms normal, just keep taking them out, it will pass. You can check to see if nutrients to high.
If Dinos (does not appear though) nutrients have zeroed out and allowing the increase in “pest” type algae. Many Dinos will leave the sand at night, then reappear when lights on.
Test N and P and dose upwards, slowly, but directly while adding some bottle bacteria of your choice at night, UV is a big help and change socks daily before lights on.
As water chemistry becomes more stable, Dino’s will go on their own. They lose out to the good guy bacteria when water chemistry rock solid with little flux.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

How are you confused by it when you literally just stated what to do to fix your problem?
D

 

[sdreefer619]

Either lfs water or make your own. I’ve been making my own for the last 4 months now maybe and it’s a game changer cause you still don’t know what your getting from your lfs. It took me about 3 months to rid my algae issue. But I would change my filter sock every 3 to 4 days. Water changes 1 a week. Test my water. Feed the tank accordingly. Changed the food to flake food only and raw as a treat. It could be anything really in your tank.

 

[Steven27]

Either lfs water or make your own. I’ve been making my own for the last 4 months now maybe and it’s a game changer cause you still don’t know what your getting from your lfs. It took me about 3 months to rid my algae issue. But I would change my filter sock every 3 to 4 days. Water changes 1 a week. Test my water. Feed the tank accordingly. Changed the food to flake food only and raw as a treat. It could be anything really in your tank.

I currently feed imagitarium pellets as the primary food source. I agree mixing is also much cheaper.

 

[Steven27]

How are you confused by it when you literally just stated what to do to fix your problem?
D

About the water dispenser part.

 

[Steven27]

Diatoms normal, just keep taking them out, it will pass. You can check to see if nutrients to high.
If Dinos (does not appear though) nutrients have zeroed out and allowing the increase in “pest” type algae. Many Dinos will leave the sand at night, then reappear when lights on.
Test N and P and dose upwards, slowly, but directly while adding some bottle bacteria of your choice at night, UV is a big help and change socks daily before lights on.
As water chemistry becomes more stable, Dino’s will go on their own. They lose out to the good guy bacteria when water chemistry rock solid with little flux.

I’ll have to go get a phosphate test kit but yea I figured the water chemistry once stable will make a big difference.

 

[Steven27]

RODI makes a difference and distilled often off/low on PH as it is steam and not purified filtered water

Okay I’ll start using some RODI when mixing my saltwater to see if it makes a difference.