# Will I ever be rid of diatoms?



## GrumpyGills (Jun 20, 2014)

All of my plants, rocks and driftwood continue to be coated with diatoms a month and a half after I finished cycling. I do my best to wipe off the plant leaves by hand every few days, but it is a losing battle. I was told that diatoms are common in a new tank from the silicates but will eventually go away.

How long until my plants are green instead of layered with brown?

40gb, Current sattelite, fert with root tabs, excel and flourish.


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## BDoss1985 (Sep 15, 2011)

Mine lasted a month or so, I added a top layer of sand cause the eco complete wouldnt hold down my stem plants and a week later diatoms all over.
But a month later all gone only BBA now... i'd rather diatoms lol


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## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

GrumpyGills said:


> All of my plants, rocks and driftwood continue to be coated with diatoms a month and a half after I finished cycling. I do my best to wipe off the plant leaves by hand every few days, but it is a losing battle. I was told that diatoms are common in a new tank from the silicates but will eventually go away.
> 
> How long until my plants are green instead of layered with brown?
> 
> 40gb, Current sattelite, fert with root tabs, excel and flourish.


Persistent diatoms *could* indicate high silicates in the tap water.

Are you still rooting around in the substrate from time to time? 

My tank is 4 months cycled and I still have minor diatoms, but I keep rooting around in my substrate planting, rearranging.....


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## PortalMasteryRy (Oct 16, 2012)

FatherLandDescendant said:


> Persistent diatoms *could* indicate high silicates in the tap water.
> 
> Are you still rooting around in the substrate from time to time?
> 
> My tank is 4 months cycled and I still have minor diatoms, but I keep rooting around in my substrate planting, rearranging.....


This is true. Unless you remove the source then you will never be rid of it. If you cant get rid of the source, let us say it is from the tap you use then you can get an algae team to keep the diatoms in check. Amano, Oto and plecos are my #1 choice for keeping my tank clean.


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## desertfish24 (Jun 23, 2014)

I managed to get some ramshorn snails with some live plants for one of my tanks. Before... Brown algae everywhere, was planning on tossing half the plants once i could propagate the new growth, it looked terrible. Then one day I noticed a snail crawling around... then a few days later a few more etc. 2 months later, Tank looks great, hardly any visible algae around, and maybe about 10-15 snails i can see if i spend a few minutes looking around. Its kinda trippy/cool watching them crawl all over everything, all while leaving a nice clean trail where they've been. 

Just watch overfeeding and supposedly the population will stay in check, or so I've at least read...


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## domino (Jun 23, 2014)

I am going on 5 months and still have the brown algae in my 55. I know it's not my water, as my other tanks, that have been set up less time, don't have it. It's slowly getting better though. Guess I don't have to worry about my ottos going hungry anytime soon.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Add phosphates. That should get rid of it. See the diatom thread.


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## FatherLandDescendant (Jul 24, 2014)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> Add phosphates. That should get rid of it. See the diatom thread.


I assume your referring to this one.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=723809


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