Diatom algae
- Thread starter Thomashtom
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Malifry97
Valuable Member
Are you using RODI water? Diatoms primarily feed on silicates that’s why I ask. Extra snails and hermits help rid diatoms. Reduce white in lighting slightly. How long has the tank been running. Most likely it is just new tank uglies and will pass if you do the above things
Malifry97
Valuable Member
Running a UV sterilizer can help too. If you manually remove them, say with a toothbrush, you can then kill them with the UV. I’d check your water and get more CUC before I’d implement a uv though.
Malifry97
Valuable Member
No problem! Those are great steps to take! If these don’t work, I’d be happy to help further! Keep me posted!
Cwentz758
Do you even Reef bro?
I’m having this problem on an established tank. My RODI is producing 0 TDS out my white light intensity is 15% on my Red seas Reefleds. I have about 10 hermits and a watchman goby and some sand snails but this crap just sits on my sand and comes back even after sucking the sand.
Cwentz758
Do you even Reef bro?
Then him and my watchman would fight. I’ve had him for 5 years not really looking to get rid of him.
Malifry97
Valuable Member
Hmmm...is it stringy it’s is it 100% diatoms? Maybe your rock is leaching silicates. What rock? Maybe increased water changes. And I know turbo snails devour diatoms
Cwentz758
Do you even Reef bro?
Nope not stringy just like a dusting but there’s a lot of it. I do about 10g water changes weekly but I’ll change it then it’s back on the sand writhing an hour. My rock was dry rock originally but it’s all about 4-5 years old now. This tank has been moved a few times over the years. Been with me about 3 months but I used the same water and stuff when we moved it.
Jason mack
Monti madness
I would get a sample under microscope it could be dinoflagellates...silicate is taken up in a tank fast which is why diatom blooms dont last long ....in fact I dosed liquid silicate too induce a diatom bloom to out compete my dinos ....which was not stringy but rather a dusting ...a positive ID is a must ...
Hows your no3 and po4 ...has if bottomed out at all ...have you added anything new recently that could have come from a tank that has or had dinos . ?
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Daniel92481
Valuable Member
+1 ^
Cwentz758
Do you even Reef bro?
I’ve added a hammer coral, some pulsing Xenia, and a acro stick. I’ll have to check the Nitrates they were around 10ppm last I checked and I’m waiting on some Hanna mix to check the phosphates
Malifry97
Valuable Member
Just looks like diatoms to me. By any chance is your rocks or sand or water storage leaching silicates.
Here’s a pic before the lights today. Gonna change the water again
Cwentz758
Do you even Reef bro?
What would I be looking for? The rocks have been in the tank for a few years. My water storage is a Non brute trash can.
Malifry97
Valuable Member
Id get a silicate test kit and test your water storage. In an established tank, I can't see it being anything other than plastic leaching silicates from a storage container.
