Diatoms everyday

[LowBucks]

I have had this Diatom problem for over a month and nothing that I do seems to help. So... I ask all of you. I have a 75 fowlr I run a206 and a 306 fluval canister filters I recently purchased 2 (1 for each filter) UVC of fluval's design to help combat Diatoms I have ran PhosGaurd in both filters I use RODI water also have phosphate filter sponge in both and I still have to clean and siphon everyday. I recently as of 3 days ago completely cleaned my filters and changed out the media but nothing seems to help. I feed twice a day once at 730 again at 5, 1 cube of mysis for 8 fish that consume their meal in about 3 minutes am I over feeding. I just don't know. Any help is greatly appreciated
Thanks All

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

How old is the tank?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have had this Diatom problem for over a month and nothing that I do seems to help. So... I ask all of you. I have a 75 fowlr I run a206 and a 306 fluval canister filters I recently purchased 2 (1 for each filter) UVC of fluval's design to help combat Diatoms I have ran PhosGaurd in both filters I use RODI water also have phosphate filter sponge in both and I still have to clean and siphon everyday. I recently as of 3 days ago completely cleaned my filters and changed out the media but nothing seems to help. I feed twice a day once at 730 again at 5, 1 cube of mysis for 8 fish that consume their meal in about 3 minutes am I over feeding. I just don't know. Any help is greatly appreciated
Thanks All

Diatoms are a brown algae that typically appear in a reef tank that has just completed its cycle but they can also appear in an established reef tank. They can cover sand, rock, pumps, glass, you name it. Diatoms look ugly but in most cases they are harmless so the key is to not panic when they appear.
Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires.
Diatoms are typically harmless to a captive reef and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the kibosh on the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass.

For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have exponential growth rates.
To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

 

[LowBucks]

late February.

 

[Reefer Matt Verified Media Partner]

Did you add any rock or sand lately? Dose silicates? Diatoms eat silicates.

 

[LowBucks]

Diatoms are a brown algae that typically appear in a reef tank that has just completed its cycle but they can also appear in an established reef tank. They can cover sand, rock, pumps, glass, you name it. Diatoms look ugly but in most cases they are harmless so the key is to not panic when they appear.
Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires.
Diatoms are typically harmless to a captive reef and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the kibosh on the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass.

For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have exponential growth rates.
To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

I have read the article and others like it I want to know why after all the effort of phosguard uvc light rodi water and phosphate filter media it has been over a month with constant 10 to 15 percent water changes everyweek siphoning the bottom every 3 days and wiping the glass daily, what the heck could be going on? I am baffled

 

[LowBucks]

Couple of new pieces of dry rock about 5 days ago. You think that is it. I mean, I did just completely clean everything and the diatoms slowed to about half the growth rate since the cleaning that's approx when I added the new rock.

 

[Jekyl]

I have read the article and others like it I want to know why after all the effort of phosguard uvc light rodi water and phosphate filter media it has been over a month with constant 10 to 15 percent water changes everyweek siphoning the bottom every 3 days and wiping the glass daily, what the heck could be going on? I am baffled

What's your current nitrate and phosphate?

 

[LowBucks]

I can't do a clean up crew had a huge outbreak back in late march wound up dosing the tank with copper power levels are down but still around .6

 

[LowBucks]

0 for nitrate not sure on phosphate

 

[Jekyl]

0 for nitrate not sure on phosphate

Positive you're not dealing with dinos? Some white light pics might help

 

[LowBucks]

You know what the real kicker is I have a QT tank that I only have to change water every week nothing else it has a little sand in a glass dish for wrasses a HOB filter with floss and some charcoal I never have a diatom problem in there

 

[LowBucks]

Everything I have read about the 2 steers me to believe they are Diatoms. They easily wipe off leaving a dust like cloud in the tank when I brush the rock.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I have read the article and others like it I want to know why after all the effort of phosguard uvc light rodi water and phosphate filter media it has been over a month with constant 10 to 15 percent water changes everyweek siphoning the bottom every 3 days and wiping the glass daily, what the heck could be going on? I am baffled

If phos is the one that is causing the continuous issues as it did for me, I put an end to it when I many years ago started using chemiPure Blue which reduces it and keeps it in check. I currently average .05 -.063 . I can always tell when the chemiPure is expiring as I get to .09 or a bit higher.
I havent seen algae, cyano or anything in sevral years.
I do have some astrea, nerite and nassarius snails which help with control.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Everything I have read about the 2 steers me to believe they are Diatoms. They easily wipe off leaving a dust like cloud in the tank when I brush the rock.

Yes- will wipe off and blow off easily opposed to dino. Early stage cyano blows and wipes off but you never get it all to move and high numbers generally point to cyano and diatoms as dino is present when numbers bottom out and tank is too clean

 

[LowBucks]

here is a pic with a piece of new dry rock added about 4 days ago

 

[LowBucks]

here is a better pic

 

[Jekyl]

Have you tried live phyto dosing? I had some minor algae issues and it cleared them up while being beneficial at the same time.

 

[LowBucks]

What is that never heard of phyto

 

[Jekyl]

What is that never heard of phyto

Phytoplankton. The life blood of the oceans. Without phyto our entire planet would die.