# Brown Algae - Diatoms - what to do?



## JusticeBeaver (Oct 28, 2017)

There are two options, first get something that eats diatoms (shrimp, otos, SAEs maybe, snails, etc). Or do nothing as it will go away on its own. If it's appearing on the plants then you can try to increase the flow rate in your tank which should push it into the water column and into your filter.


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## PlantsForHire (Sep 28, 2017)

I read new tanks are prone to brown algae. Mine are several months cycled, but I'm dealing with it as well. I'm following this thread..


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## FishFan13 (Jan 15, 2015)

If you are not against chemicals, I dosed algeafix to kill scuds and it took care of my brown algae.


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## Aqua07 (Jul 9, 2012)

Going to chemical treatment way I assume would have an affect on existing plants and livestock no?

Bump: I'm hearing that too that it will go away on it's own.....I've never had that happen to me before though - call me impatient. So what does this mean when that happens.....all the algae just fades away without having the need to do any cleaning whatsoever (ie. on the glass/rocks/etc)?



JusticeBeaver said:


> There are two options, first get something that eats diatoms (shrimp, otos, SAEs maybe, snails, etc). Or do nothing as it will go away on its own. If it's appearing on the plants then you can try to increase the flow rate in your tank which should push it into the water column and into your filter.


Bump: I put in an API Phos Zorb filter pack - I should have rinsed it out for minutes as the instructions said, but didn't so now the water is a bit cloudy. On a different note, Phosphate levels have dropped 0.5ppm overnight - that's in less than 12 hours. According to the package, it should drop .5ppm in 24 hours. 

I'm hoping this will choke any near future outbreak for now.


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## ipkiss (Aug 9, 2011)

I hope your brown algae fades away and you have no further algae troubles, but if you do ever encounter something called Green Spot Algae, the solution is to add phosphates!


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## FreshwaterInvertNoob (Jan 2, 2018)

I am a new hobbyist and also recently experienced a diatom bloom with a newly cycled tank. I'm by no means an expert, but just wanted to share my experience.

1. I read on several forums that you should just dust the diatoms off the plants etc. After doing this one day, the next day the problem appeared to be considerably worse. I then read that diatoms are in some kind of contained shell and that by dusting them off the tank walls, plants etc. I was breaking the shell and introducing it all into the water column, therefore exacerbating the issue.

2. I then read about some people doing large water changes and then taking a paper towel to wipe the diatoms off the glass and anything not under the water line. If you were to wipe off things under the water line, they suggested wiping up (away from the water). 

3. When I went to an LFS nearby, one guy told me that I was making the problem worse by doing frequent water changes because where I live (N. Suburbs of Chicago) the City of Chicago and several suburbs dramatically increase the levels of silicates in the water during the cold months and reduce after spring. I have requested a water report from my city to confirm. So, he said, each time I did a water change or topped off water from the tap (which I then dechlorinated) I was multiplying the silicates in the tank and feeding the algae. He suggested doing water changes with RO water and topping off with RO water. Interestingly, in the same visit in talking with another employee, he basically said he'd lived in the area his whole life, kept several planted aquariums and NEVER once used RO water, basically poo posing his colleague's advice. He said what many people in LFS and online have said, which has also been pointed out here, that diatom blooms are a normal part of a tank maturing and that I should just leave it as it will likely go away on it's own. Likely being the keyword, as several Google searches I found had people battling it for months. I bought Seachem Phosguard and left confused.

4. I did about a 50% water change, and cleaned everything as well as I could, using a paper towel to wipe up away from the water, and then cleaning everything else in the tank within reason as well as a thorough gravel vacuuming. To clean the plant leaves and some other surfaces I used a turkey baster which worked extremely well to suck up the diatoms from leaves and even rocks. I just removed the intake tube from my HOB filter and ran it under hot water and wiped clean with a paper towel. I removed the filter media and tried to remove as much of the diatom buildup in a tub of used tank water. I cleaned out the inside of the filter reservoir which was heavily coated in diatoms. Then I rinsed the Phosguard in a nylon bag and replaced my carbon insert with the Phosguard. After 4 days the diatom issue isn't completely eradicated, but it's considerably better. When I see some diatom dust, because it's so small, I just use my turkey baster and suck it up. 

5. As JusticeBeaver pointed out my RCS love it and have been getting after what is on the plant leaves, but they couldn't keep up with the initial bloom. My nerite snail also loves it, but he's so slow. The LFS I bought my RCS said they wouldn't do much against algae vs. the nerite, but thus far, 3 RCS in a 10 gallon lightly planted tank have done a better job eating algae than the snail.

Just to be clear, I'm not suggesting that any of this is scientific or that it's the proven method to combat it, just what I've done thus far and the results it's yielded.


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## JusticeBeaver (Oct 28, 2017)

FreshwaterInvertNoob said:


> I am a new hobbyist and also recently experienced a diatom bloom with a newly cycled tank. I'm by no means an expert, but just wanted to share my experience.
> 
> 1. I read on several forums that you should just dust the diatoms off the plants etc. After doing this one day, the next day the problem appeared to be considerably worse. I then read that diatoms are in some kind of contained shell and that by dusting them off the tank walls, plants etc. I was breaking the shell and introducing it all into the water column, therefore exacerbating the issue.
> 
> ...


For point 3, once your tank is established then your diatom blooms aren't as bad. I recently had to do many water changes on my tank and got another diatom bloom (basically replaced about 80% of my water over a week). However this time, between my shrimp and my plants, the bloom subsided much sooner than my initial setup bloom. He is correct that adding new silicates from top-offs and water changes will induce a bloom, however unless you're doing 20% or greater water changes very frequently then your tank shouldn't have any issues absorbing the excess silicates. Using RO helps though, especially for top-offs so you're not concentrating unwanted chemicals in your tank.


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## James101 (Nov 9, 2017)

I have the same problem. Been trying all the tips here and no luck.


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