I keep getting diatoms

Dinos can be stringy, yes. They'll get bubbly stringy. Weird lookin stuff.
IMG_0387.jpg
 
Did you ever figure out what you have? I am having the same issues you are judging by the picture you posted. My system has been up since October as well and I run gfo from bulk reef supply. I vacuum the sand and the stuffs back the next day and I'm constantly wiping it off the glass.
 
Ok good of that's not what you have.
And your light period does seen kind of long.
Make sure there's no silicates getting into the tank somehow .
Some cheap piece of plastic in the water, a piece of metal rusting in the water, a hose clamp, something in the sump.
It can be small.
Something not meant for aquarium use that could be leaching silicates or iron?
Also what's the TDS of the water your doing changes with?
 
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The TDS (per my meter is 0). I think I MAY have figured it out. My tank faces north. Next to it, is a window that faces east. So when I set my tank up in October, the days were starting to get shorter. Now, they are getting longer, so the sun starts hitting the tank at around 6AM, plus my lights. So, what I did was, I keep the blinds and room darkening curtains closed. I also cut the total photo period by almost three total hours. I am still on the fence about whether or not lighting can help cause diatoms, but it seems to not be as bad. Do you think it's possible the new skimmer I added a few weeks could be leaching silicates into the sump?
 
I have the morning sun hit my tank for a few hours in the morning, I don't have any algae issues.
 
Older homes are known for using glass that has not been treated with UV protectant. Therefore algae issues from daylight is highly likely.
I live is a 40+ year old trailer. Put my transition glass near a window and they will darken. In my car they don't. This is what caused me to research this exact issue.
One side of my tank directly faces an east window and this is what I get. No where else in the tank, just this side.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1397589991.751526.jpg
 
Got any updated pics of this? I'd really like to see a close up shot if possible. Possibly of it on the front glass. Might help the ID too.
 
I think he means it's more of a brown slime that wipes off easily with magnet, finger, scraper, etc.

Mine started back up again once the house temp got warmer (tank temp got warmer/no chiller on the tank) and the lights were on the same cycle as winter time/colder temps.

I did change out my GFO and it too has helped clean it up.
 
I just changed my Rowa out for some fresh and also added some ChemiPure Blue. It starts around two hours after my lights are fully ramped up. It's so irritating.
 

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