Cant beat this brown diatoms covering the sand and glass

Mollydog · 11/26/2015, 10:15 AM

Wanting to add more life to the tank.
battling diatoms for 10 months in my new setup. Need advice to get back on track

Bogue Chitto · 11/26/2015, 10:46 AM

You probably need to run GFO to bring down phosphates. Check your parameters and see what all is out of wack.

cloak · 11/26/2015, 11:20 AM

Are you using RO/DI water or tap? You might have an abundance of Silicates in the water as well as Phosphates.

http://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

Mollydog · 11/26/2015, 11:48 AM

thanks for the reply's I am running GFO and ro/di.
every thing seam be good. not sure if lighting could be a problem lights are on from 4:40 pm to 11

m every day should I get a test kit for silicates

heathlindner25 · 11/26/2015, 12:04 PM

Which salt are you using? I had the same problem with reef crystals a few months ago

Mollydog · 11/26/2015, 02:42 PM

I use instant ocean sea salt

Bogue Chitto · 11/26/2015, 05:53 PM

Do you have sand on the bottom? It usually has silicates that prolong the diatoms. I had that trouble too.

Quiet_Ivy · 11/26/2015, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollydog

thanks for the reply's I am running GFO and ro/di.
every thing seam be good. not sure if lighting could be a problem lights are on from 4:40 pm to 11

m every day should I get a test kit for silicates

You've had diatoms for 10 months? Yikes, that's got to be annoying. Have you replaced your rodi carbon/di resins? Testing for silicates is a good idea, and the TDS of the source water. Not to panic you, but are you sure this is diatoms? Sometimes cyano or worse, dino looks a lot like diatoms. Lighting isn't an issue unless you're using T5 or metal halides and the bulbs are old.

hth
Ivy

Mollydog · 11/27/2015, 10:23 AM

My tank is 90 gallon with a 40 gallon breeder tank for a sump.
I do have t- 5 lights.
I did start the tank with tap water,live rock from a neglected tank and about 50% of the water ( I KNOW THAT WAS BAD NOW ) I have a new ro/di system now i been using it for 6 months. I believe it to be diatoms , I can clean the glass and sand and in a few hours it starts to come back. I do have sugar fine sand on the bottom (what a pain) I stir the sand and clean the glass every other day.Should i just leave it alone and wait it out ( Frustrated in (California).

UNCsalt · 11/27/2015, 11:12 AM

I may have missed it, could be a flow issue also? Anyway you can post a pic of the setup? Also what is your feeding schedule consist of?? Do you currently have a clean up crew?

cloak · 11/27/2015, 11:16 AM

Here's a good article regarding Silicates.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature1

HTH.

Mollydog · 11/27/2015, 12:49 PM

six snales feed every other day scared to add more life to the tank until
i get thing under http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/at...8650028control. Here are some pic ov my setuhttp://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=334650&stchttp://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=334651&stc=1&d=1448650http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=334652&stc=1&d=1448650028028=1&d=1448650028p.

Mollydog · 11/27/2015, 12:52 PM

more pichttp://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=334653&stc=1&d=http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmhttp://www.reefcentral.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=334655&stc=1&d=1448650363entid=334654&stc=1&d=14486503631448650363

CStrickland · 11/27/2015, 02:15 PM

Might help to bring a powerhead as low as you can without stirring the sand up, so crud won't settle there
Are you doing anything to remove them from the system like run a filter sock after you stir the sand to capture them, or vacuuming them out of the sand?
What is your water change schedule?

I wouldn't feel like you cant proceed with stocking the tank over this. It's not very bad at all. Nobody's sand stays nice and white.

skp · 11/27/2015, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollydog

My tank is 90 gallon with a 40 gallon breeder tank for a sump.
I do have t- 5 lights.
I did start the tank with tap water,live rock from a neglected tank and about 50% of the water ( I KNOW THAT WAS BAD NOW ) I have a new ro/di system now i been using it for 6 months. I believe it to be diatoms , I can clean the glass and sand and in a few hours it starts to come back. I do have sugar fine sand on the bottom (what a pain) I stir the sand and clean the glass every other day.Should i just leave it alone and wait it out ( Frustrated in (California).

I don't think you should stir the sand. Usually, I see a pod population explode during a diatom bloom. Do you see hundreds of pods on the glass if you don't clean the glass?

UNCsalt · 11/27/2015, 02:20 PM

agree, not too bad. Do you know have some sort of macro algae in the center fuge in your sump? yeah, bring down your power heads a touch and see if that helps. Do you have any snails in your DT?

cloak · 11/27/2015, 04:37 PM

After seeing those pictures I'm not exactly sure what the problem is. Like mentioned above, you can't really expect for there to be no algae whatsoever in your tank... Also, where's all the life at? At 10 months your tank should be flourishing right now. I hope your not OVERthinking things.

GL.

Mollydog · 11/27/2015, 06:39 PM

I change the water ever two weeks 20% I dont see any pods I vac into a filter sock and then change the water. the pic look grate the diatoms are on the sand and glass not on the rock

Quiet_Ivy · 11/27/2015, 07:39 PM

After seeing the pics I'm with Cloak. Your tank looks fine! Stirring up the sand may be contributing to the longer than usual diatom outbreak. I'd also feed daily and consider adding some soft coral frags to seed micro-critters.

hope that helps a bit,
Ivy

Mollydog · 11/27/2015, 08:16 PM

So should i let the diatoms build on the sand and clean the glass till it burns out
i did have an out break of white sponges just before the diatoms

e048 · 11/27/2015, 08:45 PM

I'm fighting the same battle

CStrickland · 11/27/2015, 09:15 PM

You used reef tank sand right? As in not something from the beach or a hardware store

Mollydog · 11/27/2015, 09:40 PM

I used live sand from my LFS it is the real fine sand

CStrickland · 11/27/2015, 09:54 PM

cool just checking. Also, you're testing the rodi water for TDS, and changing the GFO regularly? Both help remove silica

Mollydog · 11/28/2015, 07:59 AM

my ro/di water is 0 tds. how long dose the GFO last and how often should it be changed. I use Seachem Renew in a two little fishy reactor 150
Thank you all for all the help i feel you guys are directing me in the right direction.
The pictures don't show all the brown diatoms on the sand and glass i wipe the glass last night and vac the sand it is ugly this morning

11/26/2015, 10:15 AM	#1
Mollydog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: california Posts: 71	Cant beat this brown diatoms covering the sand and glass Wanting to add more life to the tank. battling diatoms for 10 months in my new setup. Need advice to get back on track

11/26/2015, 11:48 AM	#4
Mollydog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: california Posts: 71	thanks for the reply's I am running GFO and ro/di. every thing seam be good. not sure if lighting could be a problem lights are on from 4:40 pm to 11m every day should I get a test kit for silicates

11/27/2015, 11:12 AM	#10
UNCsalt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: eastern NC Posts: 196	I may have missed it, could be a flow issue also? Anyway you can post a pic of the setup? Also what is your feeding schedule consist of?? Do you currently have a clean up crew? __________________ Fowlr, I barely know her...... Current Tank Info: 180 Gallon fowlr, 34 ruby trigger sump, SRO 3000 int 20 gallon nano reef

11/27/2015, 02:15 PM	#14
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	Might help to bring a powerhead as low as you can without stirring the sand up, so crud won't settle there Are you doing anything to remove them from the system like run a filter sock after you stir the sand to capture them, or vacuuming them out of the sand? What is your water change schedule? I wouldn't feel like you cant proceed with stocking the tank over this. It's not very bad at all. Nobody's sand stays nice and white. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

11/27/2015, 02:20 PM	#16
UNCsalt Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: eastern NC Posts: 196	agree, not too bad. Do you know have some sort of macro algae in the center fuge in your sump? yeah, bring down your power heads a touch and see if that helps. Do you have any snails in your DT? __________________ Fowlr, I barely know her...... Current Tank Info: 180 Gallon fowlr, 34 ruby trigger sump, SRO 3000 int 20 gallon nano reef

11/26/2015, 10:46 AM	#2
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	You probably need to run GFO to bring down phosphates. Check your parameters and see what all is out of wack.

11/26/2015, 11:20 AM	#3
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Are you using RO/DI water or tap? You might have an abundance of Silicates in the water as well as Phosphates. http://www.reefcleaners.org/nuisance-algae-id-guide

11/26/2015, 12:04 PM	#5
heathlindner25 Moved On Join Date: May 2012 Location: flowery branch georgia Posts: 3,644	Which salt are you using? I had the same problem with reef crystals a few months ago

11/26/2015, 02:42 PM	#6
Mollydog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: california Posts: 71	I use instant ocean sea salt

11/26/2015, 05:53 PM	#7
Bogue Chitto Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 960	Do you have sand on the bottom? It usually has silicates that prolong the diatoms. I had that trouble too.

11/27/2015, 10:23 AM	#9
Mollydog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: california Posts: 71	My tank is 90 gallon with a 40 gallon breeder tank for a sump. I do have t- 5 lights. I did start the tank with tap water,live rock from a neglected tank and about 50% of the water ( I KNOW THAT WAS BAD NOW ) I have a new ro/di system now i been using it for 6 months. I believe it to be diatoms , I can clean the glass and sand and in a few hours it starts to come back. I do have sugar fine sand on the bottom (what a pain) I stir the sand and clean the glass every other day.Should i just leave it alone and wait it out ( Frustrated in (California).

11/27/2015, 11:16 AM	#11
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	Here's a good article regarding Silicates. http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2003/1/aafeature1 HTH.

11/27/2015, 04:37 PM	#17
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	After seeing those pictures I'm not exactly sure what the problem is. Like mentioned above, you can't really expect for there to be no algae whatsoever in your tank... Also, where's all the life at? At 10 months your tank should be flourishing right now. I hope your not OVERthinking things. GL. Last edited by cloak; 11/27/2015 at 04:44 PM.

11/27/2015, 06:39 PM	#18
Mollydog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: california Posts: 71	I change the water ever two weeks 20% I dont see any pods I vac into a filter sock and then change the water. the pic look grate the diatoms are on the sand and glass not on the rock

11/27/2015, 07:39 PM	#19
Quiet_Ivy Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Canada Posts: 390	After seeing the pics I'm with Cloak. Your tank looks fine! Stirring up the sand may be contributing to the longer than usual diatom outbreak. I'd also feed daily and consider adding some soft coral frags to seed micro-critters. hope that helps a bit, Ivy __________________ 28g cube, CF 105watts! Tunze 9001. Tiny frags: Euphyllia, blasto, ricordea and a rock flower anemone. Lost fish and inverts due to ongoing outbreak of dinoflagellates. Current Tank Info: 28g aio, 105 watt CF lights, no sump or skimmer. 2 sexy shrimp, tiny frogspawn, tiny toadstool, tiny lps. Started Feb '15

11/27/2015, 08:16 PM	#20
Mollydog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: california Posts: 71	So should i let the diatoms build on the sand and clean the glass till it burns out i did have an out break of white sponges just before the diatoms

11/27/2015, 08:45 PM	#21
e048 Registered Member. Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 598	I'm fighting the same battle

11/27/2015, 09:15 PM	#22
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	You used reef tank sand right? As in not something from the beach or a hardware store __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

11/27/2015, 09:40 PM	#23
Mollydog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: california Posts: 71	I used live sand from my LFS it is the real fine sand

11/27/2015, 09:54 PM	#24
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	cool just checking. Also, you're testing the rodi water for TDS, and changing the GFO regularly? Both help remove silica __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

11/28/2015, 07:59 AM	#25
Mollydog Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: california Posts: 71	my ro/di water is 0 tds. how long dose the GFO last and how often should it be changed. I use Seachem Renew in a two little fishy reactor 150 Thank you all for all the help i feel you guys are directing me in the right direction. The pictures don't show all the brown diatoms on the sand and glass i wipe the glass last night and vac the sand it is ugly this morning