Help with lowering and removing Diatoms

[Bullnugget]

So both my 55 community and 20 long African clawed frogs have terrible build up of diatoms (brown algae right? easily wipes off) The 55 is about 6 months old and the 20 about 3 or 4. I have been doing some reading and it appears its caused by excess silicates, low lights and/or low oxygen.

The 55 has 2 55w 6700k power compact and 2 3-6-10 55w, the 20 has a marineland led hood, plenty of lighting in my opinion right? The 55 has to bubble stones so I would think there is plenty of oxygen? the frogs cant take vibrations so there's nothing there but the emperor 280 filter.

Which leads me to silicates? how do I remove this? I have read by using RO water, but that gets pretty pricey on water changes doesn't it? I am getting REALLY tired of looking at this crap, I don't know what else to do. The fake plants in my 55 have tiny bubbles all over the ends and stuff as well as covered in brown crap!!! the Frogs I removed the décor and wash them every other water change because the covering is HIDEOUS!!!!

 

[dwayne.aycock]

You can take the plants out and give a 15 minute dip in 3% hydrogen peroxide. 1 part hydrogen peroxide to 3 parts water. You could also try peregen in your filter which will help. Reduce feeding, increase gravel vacs. If you happen to be using sand in your tank, the diatoms will be around for a while. They are micro-organisms that subsist on silicates. Remove the silicates and the diatoms starve. A lot of people use Ottos, but Ottos are out of the question for you, based on the population of your tank. Light won't affect diatoms, but can boost green algae production, which out compete the diatoms for nutrients. Maybe your LFS has some green algae which you could use to get the die off of these dreaded diatoms started. Do you have any fish in the tank? If not, use hydrogen peroxide at a higher concentration to kill them. You will have to do this several times as diatoms are quite stubborn. Do a thorough VAC of your substrate to reduce excess silicates, and finally, if you can get some R/O water, this will help as well.
D

 

[Bullnugget]

I have 3 otos, had 1 more but he died at sometime. Thing is they were very active and always out when I first got them, now I only see them during water changes and sometimes in the middle of the night when I turn the light on they may be out and about. At first they were really cleaning it up but its been about the same for a while. I had almost thought about putting them with the frogs because they are so fast.

The tank has gravel, I will try and find and use the peregen. On my next water change I will use the hydrogen peroxide on the plants and see if it will help. When you say dip, you mean a quick dip, not let them in for lets say 10 secs right? The 55 is also fully stocked by the way.

I had looked into R/O water, but that seems quite expensive for a water change. One time long ago, I had heard distilled water might help? I used it once, about 6 or 7 gallons on a water change, even then I hate spending 20-30 bucks on water to do a weekly water change

 

[dwayne.aycock]

R/O is not an expensive system. It is easy to make yourself. i made mine out of spare parts and a few items off ebay and craigslist.
D

 

[Bullnugget]

Did you set it up as a filtration unit? I will look into this! It will be great when I switch to a 90 planted tank, I plan on building a stand for it so I will be sure to accommodate a ro unit

Of course I will still use a canister filter to as I had planned

 

[Rivercats]

How long are you running your lights daily? How often are you doing WC's and how much are you taking out each time? What is your nitrate reading?

Usually diatoms are found in new setup but are self limiting and go away once excess silicates are used up. Your tanks should be past the diatom stage which makes me wonder if you have a high silicate count in your tap water or some substrates (don't know what you have) leach silicates. If you don't have any live plants you can easily use phosphate remover such as PhosGuard in your filter. Phosphate removers also remove silicates. Also only running your lighting 6 hours daily will slow down how much diatoms grow.

A picture would be good to be sure you really have diatoms and not something else.

 

[dwayne.aycock]

I don't use R/O filters in aquarium filtration, but i use it in my resevoir water. I have a 64 gallon drum outside which i fill with 50% R/O water and 50% filtered tap water. At this ratio, my fish are fine and my plants are happy as well. It was really hard getting to this point, but with a lot of encouragement (Rivrcats) and a refusal to quit, I made a breakthrough. I had a heck of a problem battling diatoms, and my solution was a few heavy tank vacs, reduced feeding, reduces lighting. increasing my R/O water concentration and finally a dozen or so ottos.
D

 

[Bullnugget]

How long are you running your lights daily? 12 or so hours, maybe less don't really keep track, but after some research ill run them only when im home, and about 6 hours or so for a week or 2 and see how that helps

How often are you doing WC's and how much are you taking out each time?
once a week, I usually do 12-14 gallons, also my tap water is very hard, the pH in the tank is 8.2
What is your nitrate reading? nitrates were 5ppm last checked on 10-18, I am do for a water change today and will be checking it all again to see how much everything has went up(I have been bad about keeping up on testing)

Here is some pics....

LOL, this one I couldn't resist, I hadn't gotten a pic of her since she was pretty little and at the time I snapped it she had just took a bite into food(just feed them)

 

[dwayne.aycock]

Are these live plants? If not, just run them through the dishwasher. Dont use heat in the drying cycle or they may melt. A few heavy vacs should eliminate or severely reduce the silicates, thus starving the diatoms. Reduce lighting and feeding which will help even more.
D

 

[Rivercats]

Also try upping your weekly WC to 50%.

You have what appears to be diatoms, green dust algae, and the start of some black beard algae.

 

[Bullnugget]

ok no dishwasher but I'll wash them, lighting down. Will do a big w/c today if you think all that's starting and feeding once a day sound good? The angel knows when it time to eat, he wants feed everytime you go near the tank!

 

[Rivercats]

Angels are just piglets! I have 12 that think they are starving all the time. Feeding once a day is plenty for most all fish.

 

[Bullnugget]

Ok, so I don't have any peroxide around and wont make it to the store today, but I did read a few places a little bit of bleach with water would work but just to make sure I was the stuff of with clean water really well afterwords. I also read apple snails like black beard algae, explains why they are always hanging on those plants. I will remove everything and go a very good gravel vacuum. And to think, all this, and In a couple months I will be switching to a planted 90 and all this fake décor will be useless to me!

 

[Bullnugget]

Crazy how this thread gets buried 10 pages so quick!

Anyway, lights on 6 hours a day or less, feeding a little bit once a day sometimes not even that. Even took all the old décor out and put others that I had. 50% water change on 10/25 and another about 15% a few days ago. and STILL I have brown crap all over the glass. Even the gravel appears to have some algae and stuff on it. Although it looked pretty nice after the 50% cleanup. I am still so **** confused and irritated!

 

[rmiller]

It takes time for diatoms to build up and for them to go away. You're on the right path. Make sire you're doing at least one 50% wc each week, vacuuming thoroughly each time. Do you have a magnetic glass cleaner? That should wipe the diatoms right off

 

[dwayne.aycock]

Stay away from bleach!!!! That is nasty stuff and can be tricky to completely get rid of. You can get big bottles of hydrogen peroxide at your local dollar store.....avoid the drug store or grocery store where the mark up is over 200%. You may also find it reasonable at Wal-Mart. If not, hot water or white vinegar works just as well for plastic plants.
D.

 

[Bullnugget]

Stay away from bleach!!!! That is nasty stuff and can be tricky to completely get rid of. You can get big bottles of hydrogen peroxide at your local dollar store.....avoid the drug store or grocery store where the mark up is over 200%. You may also find it reasonable at Wal-Mart. If not, hot water or white vinegar works just as well for plastic plants.
D.

I tossed the plants, and soaked the other 2 pieces with vinegar in a 90 that was full of algae and used for saltwater (read to use white distilled to help remove the salt content) But the other 2 pieces are still covered lightly but they are not being used anymore. So no bleach, I did try some peroxide but I said screw it after spending 20 minutes with a toothbrush on 1 strand of a plastic plant. I will not spend $30+ on a magnetic glass cleaner im sorry. instead I buy a $2.79 algae scrubber, its like a blue sponge type deal and works great for the diatoms.

 

[rmiller]

$30 bucks for a magnetic cleaner?!! Geez, I wouldn't pay that either. Mine was only like $5, no way I'd pay too much more than that for one.

 

[Bullnugget]

$30 bucks for a magnetic cleaner?!! Geez, I wouldn't pay that either. Mine was only like $5, no way I'd pay too much more than that for one.

I looked again today when I picked up a new sponge. The smallest one was 18$

 

[rmiller]

Holy cow! Just checked petco's site, those things have gone up. I'd have gotten the scrubber pad too.