diatoms

[christine2012]

Can you all share your description of the start of a diatom bloom? I suspect I'm getting some on my DW but my camera sucks and can't get a pic. And all of Google's pictures are of matured diatoms that have taken over tanks. What I'm looking for is how they look in the very beginning. Thanks in advance!

 

[Bbarb27]

I've had 3 new tanks cycling in the past few months and all have had diatom blooms. Each has been different though. On one, I noticed a brown film on a lot of the wisteria leaves, but little brown on the glass.

On another tank, I woke up one day and all of the glass had a thin, faint brown film that made the tank look cloudy, but no brown on any of the plants or decor.

On the other tank, I noticed dark brown splotches on a few anubias leaves and on the tank heater.

The color ranged from fairly dark brown to faint, terra cotta color at first.

 

[Majbarsalona]

This is of my tank that just recently got diatoms

 

[christine2012]

So its actually a filmy substance then? What I am starting to see is only individual brown dots.. I will just keep an eye on it. Im pretty sure my DW didn't have anything in it as we salted it for curing. :shrugs: thanks a bunch

 

[Bbarb27]

So its actually a filmy substance then? What I am starting to see is only individual brown dots.. I will just keep an eye on it. Im pretty sure my DW didn't have anything in it as we salted it for curing. :shrugs: thanks a bunch

My bubble wand had individual brown dots on it, so you could be seeing diatoms

 

[christine2012]

My bubble wand had individual brown dots on it, so you could be seeing diatoms

Ohh no bueno! Oh well, I hope I caught it in time before it uglys up my tank. Thanks for your words.

 

[Cichlid Kid]

In time with proper maintenance the diatom bloom will go away. Sometimes it does look overwhelming but not harmful.