# Yellowing HC, Diatoms problem, please help.



## 10kredline (Nov 6, 2014)

Wow, thanks for your help everyone! I appreciate it, this forum is awesome! =(


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## Meeky (Apr 29, 2014)

Whats the water flow like, How long are the lights on, how long have you had this tank established for?


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## Midnighttide102 (Oct 2, 2014)

Diatoms pretty much have to run there coarse adding a few otocinclus catfish will def help and stay on top of water changes say 50% weekly or even 25% twice a week you will really be surprised how fast a few oto's will clean that up though as far as leaves browning not to sure but it could just be the diatoms blocking the light


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## 10kredline (Nov 6, 2014)

@Meeky - Thanks for replying, water flow is ok, output is on one end and the intake is on the other end. I think it has a good flow, but maybe needs a better filter. As for lights, it's on a timer for 7 1/2 hours a day. Tank is about 2 months old from a new start.

@Midnighttide102 - I have 1 oto catfish in there and I do 25-50% water changes every week. I had a siamese catfish in there but it jumped out of the tank and died so I got the oto abougt 4 days ago. Is it possible that the diatoms has embedded itself into the substrate? Because I see algae along the bottom edge of the tank all the way down to the substrate.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Have you directly sprayed the HC with H2O2 (peroxide), perhaps as a treatment for algae? Reason I ask is because I killed some by doing that once, and it looked a lot like this at the onset, before proceeding to slowly melt away over the course of a few weeks.


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## Meeky (Apr 29, 2014)

Since the tank is pretty new, I'd think it will die off on its own. Water flow will prevent it from attaching to much in the tank. Remove what you can with your fingers. A bushy nose pleco would love to get in on that diatoms action I bet.
With EI dosing; try to do 50% water changes weekly, not just 25-50%. To prevent excess nutrient build up.


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## 10kredline (Nov 6, 2014)

@burr740 - No, I did not spray hydrogen peroxide, Im too scared to do that because I did that to my xmas moss tree amd it completely killed. I learned my lesson.
@meeky - Im wondering since I removed the carbon filter I had a couple weeks ago, can that affect the filtration system causing it to have diatom bloom? My local fish store said I did not need a carbon filter, but I just realized that I started getting it after removing the filter. I do notice that my water isnt clean and has lots of small debriz.


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## Midnighttide102 (Oct 2, 2014)

You really don't want to run carbon in a planted tank it takes the nutrients away from the plants 
Pleco's don't eat diatoms 
I suggest adding a few more oto's as only 1 just isant going to cut it 
But mainly being a new tank it's just a phase it goes threw and will adventually clear up on it's own it's a ugly stage but it will get better in time


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## Meeky (Apr 29, 2014)

> Pleco's don't eat diatoms


I assure you, a BN pleco will. May not be its favorite, but since that's what is mostly in this tank. I'd like to guess he will. Do not get a common pleco though.

As far as pulling out the carbon, releasing some of what the filter trapped back into the tank. May have contributed to the issue. It is a good step for trouble shooting the tank.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Midnighttide102 said:


> You really don't want to run carbon in a planted tank it takes the nutrients away from the plants


This is not true. The general consensus is that carbon isnt needed in a planted tank, and most people dont use it, but it doesnt remove nutrients. Personally Im a big fan, use it in most of my filters. I dont worry about changing it out every 3-4 weeks though. After the absorption properties expire I just let it become bio media until next time. Amano starts all his tanks out with carbon and just leaves it in there. He seems to do alright.

@10K, if you had better clarity or conditions using carbon, then I would go back to using it, at least for a while until you get things sorted out better.

Have you tested for ammonia? HC doesnt tolerate ammonia well. Aside from that I would look at CO2 levels. HC likes CO2. It could be you had enough in the beginning, but as plant mass increased now you need more.


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## Midnighttide102 (Oct 2, 2014)

Meeky said:


> I assure you, a BN pleco will. May not be its favorite, but since that's what is mostly in this tank. I'd like to guess he will. Do not get a common pleco though.
> 
> As far as pulling out the carbon, releasing some of what the filter trapped back into the tank. May have contributed to the issue. It is a good step for trouble shooting the tank.


Sorry Bn's don't eat diatoms they will graze on green algea but even at that they need to be feed there a poor choice to even think of using to clean up diatoms


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## 10kredline (Nov 6, 2014)

Well, it's been 2 months and I'm assuming that it's gone through it's new tank cycle by now. The filter is an intergrated sump but the mechanical filter is letting some particles through. I'm going to go buy the carbon filter along with a better foam/pad on the mechanical side. As far as ammonia in the tank, I'm going to go buy the tester today. I'm also using a drop checker and co2 is at 1-1.5 bps, so the co2 levels are ok. Also dosing NilocG's liquid NPK fertz and seachem's trace, iron and excel along with water change every week. I really can't add anymore otos as it is at it's max capacity for this small 3 gallon nano. I'm going to try to get the filtration to work better and I'll see if it helps.


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## Red Cloud (Nov 11, 2014)

I had almost the same problem with the diatoms. It went from bad to worse despite co2 and Excel. I tried Phosguard that femoves the silicates that diatoms need to thrive and it helped but then I got a bit of green spot algae from a lack of phosphates. I added several otos, which did help but I also had the room to add 8 amano shrimp and a nerite snail. The clean up crew cleaned up the tank but did not eliminate the diatoms. It just had to run its course before it went away.


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## AlanLe (Jan 10, 2013)

too much flow at the substrate level can promote diatom as well.


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## 10kredline (Nov 6, 2014)

I just did a ammonia test, it's at 0ppm and a 50% water change along with better filtration this time. I'll see if it helps, thanks again everyone! Happy holidays.


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## Red Cloud (Nov 11, 2014)

That would make sense. I have a lot of water flow at substrate level trying to spread co2 to my dwarf HG. I have had nothing but problems in my tank with Floramax substrate. My Aqua soil tank performs better in every way


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## 10kredline (Nov 6, 2014)

Red Cloud said:


> That would make sense. I have a lot of water flow at substrate level trying to spread co2 to my dwarf HG. I have had nothing but problems in my tank with Floramax substrate. My Aqua soil tank performs better in every way


I made a better sump filtration and did the 50% water change, it's finally pearling. I also turned off one of the light after 4 hours and just used the Finnex one until the timer shuts it off. I'll keep an update on the progress. As for the substrate, I'm using just black sand but I want to try the Aqua soil that you're using, I heard good things about them. Or if I save up enough, i'll go with ADA's Amazonia


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## AlanLe (Jan 10, 2013)

Red Cloud said:


> That would make sense. I have a lot of water flow at substrate level trying to spread co2 to my dwarf HG. I have had nothing but problems in my tank with Floramax substrate. My Aqua soil tank performs better in every way


I used to have a power head pointing down and there was a round diatom spot on the bottom. it went away after I removed the power head. take a look at amano's tanks. he has a lily outflow on one side and a co2 diffuser on the opposite side. that's all it takes. 
here's my 120p. I use a diy reactor. It works much better than anything.


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## 10kredline (Nov 6, 2014)

I have my co2 diffuser right next to the outlet of the water pump which spreads the co2 all over the tank. Should I move the diffuser to another spot?


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