# Latest Infestation: Diatoms?



## l8nite (Aug 29, 2012)

I don't know enough to give you specific help, but I wanted to say:

1) Your tank looks awesome, even with the algae 
2) Don't give up the fight, you'll get it under control with some patience and the advice from other folks here.


----------



## karce87 (Dec 6, 2012)

It might be Rhizoclonium. I had it before. Just siphon it out as much as possible. lower the light period. increase CO2. That did the job for me.


----------



## karatekid14 (Jan 16, 2011)

I looked up Rhizoclonium and I don't think I have it. It looks very green and whatever algae I have is brown. I spent over 2 hours today pulling it out so now it looks like the photo from last Saturday. I am worried that by next Saturday it will look like the infested pictures.


----------



## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

I have it. I have it EVERY time I start a new tank. It goes away on its own. In the meant time keep your co2 and circulation up. Siphon out what you can. I use a tooth brush and twirl it around. Eventually it goes away and never comes back. 

It's a form of diatoms btw.


----------



## xiaoxiy (Dec 18, 2012)

Jeffww said:


> I have it. I have it EVERY time I start a new tank. It goes away on its own. In the meant time keep your co2 and circulation up. Siphon out what you can. I use a tooth brush and twirl it around. Eventually it goes away and never comes back.
> 
> It's a form of diatoms btw.


How long does it usually stay around for? I'm running into a diatom bloom in my new tank too. Been doing every 3 day water changes and scrubbing all my hardscape like crazy during the water changes.


----------



## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

Give it a month. It's frustrating I know and you will probably have plants die on your while it happens. Just let it happen and when it's done it's done.


----------



## sjb1987 (Feb 23, 2012)

Jeffww said:


> Give it a month. It's frustrating I know and you will probably have plants die on your while it happens. Just let it happen and when it's done it's done.


+1 very true.... Try not disturb your substrate either... It'll just make it worse


----------



## karatekid14 (Jan 16, 2011)

So the best option may be to let it run its' course, but what would be the cause of diatoms in an established tank? Unless I know what I did wrong I will have lots of frustrations. Also when people talk about ppm do they add the whole weeks amount of say K and say Xppm of K? Or are those levels the amount K you should dose each day. If it is each day then I have been doing things seriously wrong.


----------



## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

I'm having the same problem in an established tank. I just moved my tank and had to drain it and re-fill. Hope it goes away for me too I'm just removing it with a tooth brush but doesn't seem to slow it down. I also tried adden a couple fast growing plants to see if that will help as well.


----------



## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

It comes from silicates. This can be from a change in your tap water, a change in substrate or just moving stuff around in the tank. The stuff's pretty bullet proof so I like to just use an old toothbrush with really messed up bristles to entangle everything and get rid of it.


----------



## zzrguy (Jul 11, 2012)

I had diatom a added Otto's and they ate it then it came ba k i added shrimp they ate it it came back I added a snail he ate it it came back
. I now have Otto's Amanio shrimp and one little rams horn and the algae is under control.


----------



## AirstoND (Jun 17, 2011)

nerites


----------



## karatekid14 (Jan 16, 2011)

Jeffww said:


> It comes from silicates. This can be from a change in your tap water, a change in substrate or just moving stuff around in the tank. The stuff's pretty bullet proof so I like to just use an old toothbrush with really messed up bristles to entangle everything and get rid of it.


I should get a silicate test kit and see if that is the problem. If it is I could get PhosGuard to remove the silicates, but that would also remove my phosphates. If I dosed higher phosphates would that counteract the PhosGuard or cause it to deplete faster?

As for otos and shrimp they won't touch the the algae. I would gets some nerites to clean the glass but I had a snail problem so there are still a few assassins left.


----------



## latchdan (Sep 7, 2007)

karatekid14 said:


> I should get a silicate test kit and see if that is the problem. If it is I could get PhosGuard to remove the silicates, but that would also remove my phosphates. If I dosed higher phosphates would that counteract the PhosGuard or cause it to deplete faster?
> 
> As for otos and shrimp they won't touch the the algae. I would gets some nerites to clean the glass but I had a snail problem so there are still a few assassins left.


I have a few nerites and from what I've seen haven't touched the algae. Althought they mainly stay on the glass and driftwood. I don't see them climbing the more delicate plants (which are most infested). Heck, the diatoms are growing on the snails shells.


----------



## karatekid14 (Jan 16, 2011)

So I checked the water utility website and apparently my water has 17.9 ppm silica. I read that you should have it be <.05ppm. Yikes! My levels are super high, any suggestions for ways to remove the silica other than phosgaurd?


----------



## happi (Dec 18, 2009)

karatekid14 said:


> So I checked the water utility website and apparently my water has 17.9 ppm silica. I read that you should have it be <.05ppm. Yikes! My levels are super high, any suggestions for ways to remove the silica other than phosgaurd?


Ro water


----------



## Jeffww (Aug 6, 2010)

That's pretty standard actually....If you're concerned you can just pass it through a resin before you add it to your tank if the tank's small enough.


----------

