Help ID

[Rjondo13]

I am asking for some help trying to figure out what I am battling.
I can’t seem to get rid of whatever this is. I have tried Cemiclean, I have tried Vibrant. I am currently dosing Microbater clean. I have also blacked out my tank several time for 3 or 4 days and that seems to clear it up, but it just comes right back the day I turn the lights on. It is all over my sand bed and all over my rocks.

 

[jsker]

Sorry, it is hard to see what we are supposed to be looking at. Is there a way that you can turn the blue light down or use a orange filter to get a better shot.

 

[Rjondo13]

Sorry, it is hard to see what we are supposed to be looking at. Is there a way that you can turn the blue light down or use a orange filter to get a better shot.

 

[jsker]

Thank you,

I am going for sponges, filter feeder, good for your system. but can become a nuisance if not watched.

 

[megan.911]

I am brand new so don’t take my word but I have the same type looking Algae and was told it is called diatom just posted a similar picture today. That’s all I can give you without speaking out of my knowledge zone. Hopefully that helps search it up on the search bar and read read read!

 

[vetteguy53081]

If its the bedding youre referring to- Diatoms which 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.

 

[Beau_B]

If its the bedding youre referring to- Diatoms which 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.

Since Vette won’t credit the author —
See the original here:

How To Eliminate and Prevent Diatoms in a Reef Tank

Ok, first of all, what are they? Well, 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...

reefs.com