Diatoms are outta control!!!

[Sharkbait19]

Hi,
I literally cleaned my tank yesterday, and this is what my tank looks like now. Note that the two rocks on the left are supposed to be purple. There is also some Dinos growing too.

I tried the clean up crew, scrape the algae every other day, it’s outta control! Any advice to eliminate this growth would be appreciated.

 

[paul01609]

I read bakers yeast for diatoms,I have never tried it tho

 

[WIReefer]

Would keep doing what you are doing and ride it out. Seems like a very new/clean tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How do you know it is diatoms?

A new tank will likely get diatoms until the silicate is used up.

You aren't using tap water, are you?

 

[Nigel35]

Yeast is only a temporary solution if your tank is new then it is just a cycle. If they keep persisting then I would consider a diamond goby (fun fish!)

 

[Sharkbait19]

How do you know it is diatoms?

A new tank will likely get diatoms until the silicate is used up.

You aren't using tap water, are you?

I’m using RO filtered water. So I guess it will eventually go away once silicates and phosphates are gone?

 

[Sharkbait19]

Yeast is only a temporary solution if your tank is new then it is just a cycle. If they keep persisting then I would consider a diamond goby (fun fish!)

I looked into one, definitely is an option.

How are mollies with algae? Maybe I’ll purchase a $1 black molly from petsmart and acclimate it to saltwater.

 

[MrDLHughesY]

Just let it ride it’s course it will go away eventually. How old is the tank ?

 

[Tiki Reef Joshua]

Yea. Just ride it out. 100%. If you confirm Dino’s than that is different steps. Also reduce light period maybe? Don’t change more than one thing at a time.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Just let it ride it’s course it will go away eventually. How old is the tank ?

The tank is about three weeks old but cycled lightning fast as I loaded it with bacteria. The diatoms started appearing around three days in, but seem to get worse every time I try to manage it.

 

[MrDLHughesY]

The tank is about three weeks old but cycled lightning fast as I loaded it with bacteria. The diatoms started appearing around three days in, but seem to get worse every time I try to manage it.

What are you doing to manage it ? You say your tank is 3 weeks old and And cycled you still have many more uglies to come.

 

[WIReefer]

Being three weeks old, I think you should take a step back and slow it down a tad and ride it out.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Being three weeks old, I think you should take a step back and slow it down a tad and ride it out.

Yeah I just added the last of my starting phase. I plan to take a hiatus on adding anything for a few months, just to observe everything and manage any problems.

 

[WIReefer]

Yeah I just added the last of my starting phase. I plan to take a hiatus on adding anything for a few months, just to observe everything and manage any problems.

Good call, if it is just diatoms and not Dino’s then it'll be all good.

 

[Sharkbait19]

What are you doing to manage it ? You say your tank is 3 weeks old and And cycled you still have many more uglies to come.

Yeah I’ve been spot cleaning every other day for now but plan to put something in if it gets outta hand

 

[Cory]

Diatoms are the first to colonize because they can live with super low phosphates. Eventually they disappear when phosphates rise and other algaes outcompete them or silicate reduces to nothing. They are not a problem unless you have a continuous source of silicate which most dont. Sand can initially be a source but stops being one soon.

 

[Sharkbait19]

Diatoms are the first to colonize because they can live with super low phosphates. Eventually they disappear when phosphates rise and other algaes outcompete them or silicate reduces to nothing. They are not a problem unless you have a continuous source of silicate which most dont. Sand can initially be a source but stops being one soon.

Ok. So i should just wait and see? It won’t harm corals right?

 

[Cory]

Ok. So i should just wait and see? It won’t harm corals right?

Yes just wait. Diatoms wont hurt coral, some may even eat them.

 

[Cory]

But highly recommended to verify they are diatoms and not dinoflagelets if you have a microscope. Looks like diatoms to me though, because dinoflagelets form long strands like this pic ostreopsis dinos in my tank:

 

[BruceLeeroy]

With diatoms a lot of time you aren’t getting rid of them you are just stirring them up... they are easy to blow off sand and rock and looks gone and then they settle back out into visible layers