Diatoms gone wild

[Aqualady40]

Hello all, well cutting to the chase. My 55g is cycled and has been setup since 8/14/12. I use api master test kit and water parameters are as follows: ph 7.4, ammo. 0, trites. 0, and trates 5.0. I do 50% weekly water changes and sometimes will do a bonus wc just because (out of boredom or whatever). I have added 5 plants about 3-4 days ago which are water sprite, amazon sword (2 daughter clippings), and 2 other unknown planted in organic soil capped with pfs. My stock thus far is 3 rosy barbs which one is long finned, 3 long-finned black skirt tetra, 4 ghost shrimps, and 3 julii cory catfish. I have a huge (at-least 2ft) piece of dw that is a DIATOM MAGNET. I say this because it looks like hershey's chocolate and thick and nothing else in the tank is getting covered that bad...its so bad I would need a major cuc (5-10 otos, some olive nerites, etc) or manually clean it as I did today. I know new tanks go through a degree of diatoms blooms but this one...wow...when I took a little aquaclear sponge to it my whole tank was so brown I felt sorry for my fish having to breathe that in I did a large water change to rid the floating diatoms...anywho since I have removed 80% of it do you think purchasing 1 bristlenose or 2 would keep it down where it doesn't get UNSIGHTFUL..ewgghh..lol...

 

[ktomminello]

Too many cleanings can deplete your bb, that usually creates a diatom vs sludge head ache. Try Stability by Seachem or nutrafin cycle. Sounds like a phosphate problem...

 

[Aqualady40]

Too many cleanings can deplete your bb, that usually creates a diatom vs sludge head ache. Try Stability by Seachem or nutrafin cycle. Sounds like a phosphate problem...

Will you please explain what your saying, newbie here

 

[Flaxon-Waxon]

Too many cleanings can deplete your bb, that usually creates a diatom vs sludge head ache. Try Stability by Seachem or nutrafin cycle. Sounds like a phosphate problem...

This isn't in the saltwater section FYI...

 

[ktomminello]

Especially with activated carbon filters running, if your tank is cycled, but not really- and nitrates form phosphates, without a high build up of beneficial bacteria (bb) I believe your cycle "stalls" and your diatoms build up. A lot of times if you're "cleaning" your tank too much you're not giving your beneficial bacteria a chance to build up properly in your filter medium and throughout your tank. This bacteria is what will take care of those diatoms, and as always, I advocate crabs, lol, as part of any clean up crew, they are on my must have list

 

[jlk]

Especially with activated carbon filters running, if your tank is cycled, but not really- and nitrates form phosphates, without a high build up of beneficial bacteria (bb) I believe your cycle "stalls" and your diatoms build up. A lot of times if you're "cleaning" your tank too much you're not giving your beneficial bacteria a chance to build up properly in your filter medium and throughout your tank. This bacteria is what will take care of those diatoms, and as always, I advocate crabs, lol, as part of any clean up crew, they are on my must have list

This tank is obviously cycled. There are no bacteria that take care of diatoms in a fw tank that I am aware of. If you have some scientific evidence of this, please feel free to share it with us.

Geronica, if you have a decent lfs with a sw section, it may be worthwhile to have the phosphate & silicate levels checked in both your tank & tap water. Your nitrates are well under control, so these are not an issue. What type of lighting do you have? I have only ever encountered a diatom issue when I upgraded my lights. Reducing the time your lights are on or adding some floating plants may help as well. As you only set this tank up in August, its only been 3-4 months. Diatoms can sometimes take 6-9 motnhs to burn themselves out, unfortunately.

 

[Aqualady40]

This tank is obviously cycled. There are no bacteria that take care of diatoms in a fw tank that I am aware of. If you have some scientific evidence of this, please feel free to share it with us.

Geronica, if you have a decent lfs with a sw section, it may be worthwhile to have the phosphate & silicate levels checked in both your tank & tap water. Your nitrates are well under control, so these are not an issue. What type of lighting do you have? I have only ever encountered a diatom issue when I upgraded my lights. Reducing the time your lights are on or adding some floating plants may help as well. As you only set this tank up in August, its only been 3-4 months. Diatoms can sometimes take 6-9 motnhs to burn themselves out, unfortunately.

Jlk@ I have been reading just what you said about it can take upto 9 months to subside...ughhh...well on a positive side, I left to go to my lfs and I got 2 bristlenose pleco with the hopes of them keeping up (fingers crossed) even if I have to manuaaly do it too until they are under control....oh Im glad I went also.heheh the bn were on sale for $1...yippeeee

 

[azmodan]

You could also do a few nerite snails as they love diatoms!