Diatoms???? Help please

JTB · 02/07/2016, 08:35 AM

Hello everyone - I am fairly new to the forum and saltwater tanks. I am currently running into some brown algae which I believe may be diatoms, but am not 100% sure (pictures attached). Any help as to what I should do would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Long story short - I have a 55 gallon reef tank, (2) 24 inch Current LED lights, 700 gph powerhead, live rock, live sand, and heater (this was all cycling for about 9-10 months before I added anything).

About a month ago I added two clowns and a CUC (5 red leg hermits, 5 margarita snails, and 2 fighting conches).

My water parameters seem to be pretty good - 0 ammonia, 0 NO2, <10 NO3, 1.025, 8.2 - 8.4 PH, and temp is at 80 F.

What should I do???

DvBrien · 02/12/2016, 06:11 AM

Cut back on your feeding and light cycle... it will clear up also keep your rock clear of debris and male sure you have the right amount of water turnover.

BigCountry74 · 02/12/2016, 09:08 AM

not much you can do other than ride it out. diatoms are part of the cycle, they are the first signs of life in a tank.

they come from your new sand/rock/plastic on your powerheads etc eventually they will run out of food and die off. killing the lights will slow them down, but its better to let them go and eat eat eat, then starve starve until all the food is out then they die off

be sure to use RODI water also. or you will just keep bringing more in.

if it gets real bad you can use an old high powered canister filer (if you have one lying around from any fresh water builds) and run micron thru it only.

scooter31707 · 02/12/2016, 09:34 AM

During them 9-10 months without any livestock, did you ghost feed? Are you running GFO?

JTB · 02/24/2016, 09:33 AM

I didn't do any ghost feeding while there was no livestock in the tank. Should I be adding the Granular Ferric Oxide?

02/12/2016, 09:08 AM	#3
BigCountry74 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 1,761	not much you can do other than ride it out. diatoms are part of the cycle, they are the first signs of life in a tank. they come from your new sand/rock/plastic on your powerheads etc eventually they will run out of food and die off. killing the lights will slow them down, but its better to let them go and eat eat eat, then starve starve until all the food is out then they die off be sure to use RODI water also. or you will just keep bringing more in. if it gets real bad you can use an old high powered canister filer (if you have one lying around from any fresh water builds) and run micron thru it only. __________________ 135g mixed reef (retired) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2132815 Current 40g reef http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2483250 Current Tank Info: 40g bare bottom reef

02/12/2016, 06:11 AM	#2
DvBrien Registered Member. Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Rockford IL Posts: 285	Cut back on your feeding and light cycle... it will clear up also keep your rock clear of debris and male sure you have the right amount of water turnover.

02/12/2016, 09:34 AM	#4
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	During them 9-10 months without any livestock, did you ghost feed? Are you running GFO?

02/24/2016, 09:33 AM	#5
JTB Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 6	I didn't do any ghost feeding while there was no livestock in the tank. Should I be adding the Granular Ferric Oxide?