Yuck...diatoms!

[bizzybeas]

Here is my current lighting schedule for my 65 gallon tank. I have 2 175 halides (10,000 K) supplemented by 2 actinics. I run the halides about 5 to six hours a day, and the blues about 9 hours a day. I run the blues 2 hours before, during and after the halides. Is there something else I should do to cut down on diatoms? My tank has been set up for two months, but I just got the lighting last week. All I have in it is 65 lbs of LR 10 bumble bee snails, and 2 electric blue hermits. I just added the creatures yesterday! There are diatoms all over my rock and sand.

By the way halides look so cool! 8)

 

[Hara]

It is not the lighting...it is simply the age of the tank. It is about the right time to see a diatom bloom. You could do with alot more clean up critters tho, that would help.

 

[steve-s]

Diatoms are usually the result of silicates not much else. As already stated it is in part due to the age of the new system. Once the "fuel" has been used up the diatoms usually subside on their own.

Keep in mind that even if using RO/DI water, warmer summer months usually bring about higher levels of soluable silicates in municipal water. The use of a Hi-S filter usually helps alot but not 100%.

Ride the storm and once tank parameters permit add the neccessary snails and such to control what little may remain.

Cheers
Steve

 

[bizzybeas]

Thank you for the advice, how many more snails/ crabs would you recommend? The electric blue hermits are larger (shell about the size of a hazelnut) the bumblebee snails are small.

 

[steve-s]

Blue hermits are okay but I personally prefer Zebra hermits also refered to as lefthanded hermits. Much less risk of predatation of snails and better at doing the job they were put there for. They also stay quite small.

Bumblebee snails are very attractive and would make a nice decorative addition to the tank but they are better for carion than algae. A better choice would be Cerith and/or Nerite snails for this type of algae.

The general guideline for animal population is usually 1 for every 1½ gallon of tank. More can be added providing the tank can sustain them with enough food supply. Best thing to do is slowly increase the population until the problem is controlled without much effort on your part. Too many will usually just end up with alot of empty shells.

Cheers
Steve

 

[loganj]

I would go with some nassarius snails as well...possibly instead of the hermits. I like the scarlet hermits. If you keep a few empty shells laying in the tank for them to move into, they (at least mine do) should leave the snails alone. JMHO.

 

[bizzybeas]

Thank you, I will order my critters tommorow! I previously ordered from Live Aquaria.com, and was very impressed. The electric blue hermits are cool!