# is there any way to rid my tank of diatoms?



## genocdex (Jul 16, 2012)

my 55g has been set up for well over a year now, i moved it once and kept the same substrate. i think i have silica in the water. is there any plants i can use to help out compete the diatoms for silica? i currently have just started injected co2 in my tank with a dual t5ho nova extreme 6500K bulbs. glass lids... will i ever be able to get rid of the diatoms? i used to have a BN in there to help but my bush fish didnt let him be so hes growing out in my 10g beta tank lol.

any advice to get rid of the diatoms? i would really like a plant that might do the job, i think i currently have:
frogbit ( covering half the tank)
crypt spiralis
Alternanthera Reineckii Lilaciana
Hygro Corymbosa Siamensis
Bacopa monnieri
crypt wendtti

i am thinking of adding some riccia when i get a good level of co2 and getting rid of the frobit and maybe moving onto rrf... i have java, flame mosses i can throw in the tank, and pygmy chain sword i think thats all i got. also im kinda broke so the fish budget is nill unless something tragic happens...


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## hedge_fund (Jan 1, 2006)

Every time that I had a diatom outbreak I would just drop a few ottos and they would take care of it within days. Then again, your bush fish would have a field day with these little guys.


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## genocdex (Jul 16, 2012)

would and had a field day im afraid... only 1 survivor from 12.... and that one passed in my shrimp tank lol.


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## Asu1776 (Mar 5, 2013)

hedge_fund said:


> every time that i had a diatom outbreak i would just drop a few ottos and they would take care of it within days. Then again, your bush fish would have a field day with these little guys.


+1!


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## genocdex (Jul 16, 2012)

any other advice besides using those food, i mean fish? the otos dont last long in the tank and my bushfish has gotten much bigger so i doubt they would last any more than 2/3 days...


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## happi (Dec 18, 2009)

what is your GH, Ca and Mg?


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## brogan (Jan 16, 2012)

Here is my experience, which I previously posted:

I set up a new 46 gallon bowfront tank in my classroom last August. I had a terrible diatom problem that I battled for 7 months. I kept reading that it would just go away after the tank settled in, but it never did. I was doing massive cleanings once a month, pulling all the rocks and plants out and scrubbing them off. What a PITA!

I tried everything, reducing the photoperiod from 10 to 8 hours. I bought Nerite snails, who promptly got diatoms on their shells. I added three Otocinclus, who made dent but couldn't keep up. I tried massive water changes... no water changes... nothing helped.

One Friday, a teacher I share the class with was doing a spectroscopy lab and unbeknownst to me had shut the aquarium lights off, and closed the blinds. When I arrived Monday morning I noticed that the lights weren't on. I click the switch and to my utter amazement the entire tank was void of those dreaded diatoms.

The tank has been running with the original photo period since then and not a trace of the diatoms has returned!

I would suggest that anyone who has been battling diatoms as I was should try a 48 - 72 hour blackout (or brownout) and see if it cures it.


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## genocdex (Jul 16, 2012)

happi said:


> what is your GH, Ca and Mg?


i havent tested my gh in a while it was at like 1 or 2 drops from the test, i have very soft water. never been able to test for ca or mg....

would a 72 hr black out harm my plants any?


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## happi (Dec 18, 2009)

i know this is going to be hard to believe, but adding GH booster when i had Diatom algae took care of it, it also occurred when i used 100% RO and added no Ca/Mg. i think it has something to do with not having enough Mg, but its worth a try.


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## genocdex (Jul 16, 2012)

Any cheap sources of aquarium freindly mg?


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## happi (Dec 18, 2009)

genocdex said:


> Any cheap sources of aquarium freindly mg?


Epsom salt from grocery store, also known as MGSO4 magnesium sulphate. dose 1-2tsp per 50gallon per week with 50% water change and see if it improve anything.


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## lemenn (Sep 26, 2013)

I know you're on a budget while trying to get rid of algae but buying an Otocinclus catfish AKA , oto or algae eater. It'll really fix the problem but make sure you actually buy the 'algae eater' they look similar to lots of other catfish, 
when youre at your LFS find the oto that you actually see eating ALGAE! 

I bought 3 of them and they all school together, as soon as i put them in the tank they immediately started eating algae, not just do they eat algae but they're really fun to watch. They ate up all the algae in my tank , i even felt at times like i wanted some algae in my tank because i wouldn't have to feed them (cucumbers) because they eat up soo much algae that there isn't much to eat.

These guys might be shy at first but once they settle in they'll go crazy so its better if you get 3+ so they'll feel very comfortable.

These guys are awesome and completely eat algae and suck on things every minute. From my OWN experience i have to say these guys will do the job.
Its worth the money. If not try lowering your nutrients in your tank or black it out for a day. :smile:


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## genocdex (Jul 16, 2012)

well otos are great, i love them for algae control but they are eaten fast by my bushfish. its a preditor and will attempt to eat just about any fish, i even lost a 2" BN to that guy. but i made the tank for him so hes the boss.

otoh, im doing a good black out to see how that works, tomorrow i will undo the tanks to see what they look like. i have a bottle of flourish, that i havent started to used because of algae. but i was reading and if there's not enough balanced nutrition in the tank that causes the algae, so should i start dosing with the flourish ever other day? im super new to higher tech planted tank.


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## glenCOCO (Aug 12, 2012)

How does it do with snails? Have you looked into horned nerites? They'll get the job done slower than otos, but they'll definitely do a more thorough job and they're pretty much bulletproof for most people.


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## Coralbandit (Feb 25, 2013)

Many of the phosphate removing resins also remove silicates.Diatoms feed on silicates,nitrates and light.
They also usaully exhaust themselves(eat themselves out of house and home),but if they continue then you are adding more silicates to your system.Not all ro/di systems are equipped to remove silicates.Check into phosban/phosgaurd.


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## genocdex (Jul 16, 2012)

Cant keep snails for more than a few months in my tanks, i have super softer water, ie 1ish * kh/gh. Im going to be doing some water modification soon so maybe a few snails, tho mu blue gourami loves snails.... Dont think he had any chance with adults tho so maybe it will be fine thanks


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## Prediscus23 (Aug 18, 2013)

Wouldn't using phosgard remove all the ferts out of the tank?


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## zodduska (Aug 14, 2013)

Do you have strong current in the tank? If so try reducing it a little. Diatoms seem to love current.


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