need help understanding diatoms!!

[Bushman]

I have an 80 gal reef tank that just finished its cycle. YAY!! I have diatoms (brown dusty algae) all over. I remove it from the glass with my magnet but what about the live sand and live rocks. They are quickly being covered. Obviously more light = more diatoms.

Will this algae go away on its own now that the tank has cycled? What to do? Any suggestions?

 

[durcfish]

They will go away, or you can get some snails, they seem to love munching on them. HTH

 

[Hara]

Have you done a water change after the cycle completed? If not, now would be
a'good time to do one. It will help with the diatoms as well as freshen up the water before you add your fish etc.

 

[moejoephd]

from what i have learned to understand is that tap water has phosphates in it, think of it like fertilizer. Fertilizer for you algae, so the best think to do to keep the growth down is to use RO water if your not already. Just to keep things simple when ever you top off your tank or do water changes just use RO water instead of tap, so eventually youll have only RO water in there and no more brown algae. Ive even seen RO water at wallmart outa a machine in there, they do all that RO stuff send it thought activated carbon like 3 times, and through a UV light right before you get it so it doesnt seem bad, all for 33 cents a gallon good luck

 

[Brad]

The diatom bloom will eventually disappear. Meanwhile, you can vacuum it right off the sand bed next time you remove water to do a water change.