HooKooDooKu
Aquarium Advice FINatic
I'm having problems with Diatoms in two fish tanks. Both are relatively new. Here's the details.
The first one was setup in late November. As soon as it finished cycling, I started getting diatoms. When I researched the issue back then, I learned I had diatoms. From what I could find in research, the "fix" was to just give it time and plenty of light and they will "burn out". Well, things have only gotten worst.
That first tank is a 10 gallon tank with a goldfish, a rosie red, pair of ghost shrimp, and recenly added some MTS. The substrait is play sand (well washed such that you can stir it up without creating a cloud in the tank). It has plants (wisteria, anuba, and some villisneria the gold fish keeps eatting). I do partial water changes once a week. Ammonia and Nitrites are zero, Nitrates are about 20ppm. City tap water is the water source. Lighting is a 15watt flourecent bulb that stays on an average of 14 hours a day.
The second tank is at the office. It's a 5 gallon Eclipse corner tank with a Betta and 6 amano shrimp. I'm using CaribSea Aquarium Sand for the substrait (HATE the stuff, it's sooooooo fine that it won't hold anything very well). I do PWC weekly. Ammonia and Nitrites are zero, Nitrates are about 10ppm. It too has plants (wisteria, anuba, water sprite) and a piece of drift wood. City tap water is the water source, however the water source is a different city from that at home. The light source is a 9 watt compact flourecent (can increase to 13watt on a temp basis if needed, but label indicates the wattage shouldn't be over 10 watts for CF) that stays on 12 hours a day (timer).
Suggestions (that don't include spending $$$)?
The first one was setup in late November. As soon as it finished cycling, I started getting diatoms. When I researched the issue back then, I learned I had diatoms. From what I could find in research, the "fix" was to just give it time and plenty of light and they will "burn out". Well, things have only gotten worst.
That first tank is a 10 gallon tank with a goldfish, a rosie red, pair of ghost shrimp, and recenly added some MTS. The substrait is play sand (well washed such that you can stir it up without creating a cloud in the tank). It has plants (wisteria, anuba, and some villisneria the gold fish keeps eatting). I do partial water changes once a week. Ammonia and Nitrites are zero, Nitrates are about 20ppm. City tap water is the water source. Lighting is a 15watt flourecent bulb that stays on an average of 14 hours a day.
The second tank is at the office. It's a 5 gallon Eclipse corner tank with a Betta and 6 amano shrimp. I'm using CaribSea Aquarium Sand for the substrait (HATE the stuff, it's sooooooo fine that it won't hold anything very well). I do PWC weekly. Ammonia and Nitrites are zero, Nitrates are about 10ppm. It too has plants (wisteria, anuba, water sprite) and a piece of drift wood. City tap water is the water source, however the water source is a different city from that at home. The light source is a 9 watt compact flourecent (can increase to 13watt on a temp basis if needed, but label indicates the wattage shouldn't be over 10 watts for CF) that stays on 12 hours a day (timer).
Suggestions (that don't include spending $$$)?