Stuck in the ugly phase.

[Grthomas11]

My FOWLR tank has been running for 7-8 months now and I can't get rid of the diatomes. They have been hanging around for about 5 months. I've tried no light, manual removal, clean up crew and large water changes. No luck, they just keep coming back. I am also getting pinapple sponges. I am wondering if I need to get a protein skimmer. I have a 37 bow front with a canister filter. I clean the filter once a week. I beat cyano but can't shake the diatomes. I am new and don't have a lot of test equipment so I don't know all my parameters. This is what I know: nitrites and nitrates near 0,ph 8.5 and kh is 120. And ammonia is less than .25. Can anyone tell me what my next step should be. Thank you.

 

[FurrierTransform]

you might try Phosguard or something similar. Measure, of course.

 

[CamoFan]

I run phosguard and purigen in my system and have had amazing luck. It reduced me from 10-15ppm nitrate to now after a 1-1.5 weeks of running, brought me down to 2-5ppm nitrate and .04ppm phosphate. I definitely recommend those two products.

 

[Blue Cheese]

How sure are you it’s diatoms

 

[vetteguy53081]

My FOWLR tank has been running for 7-8 months now and I can't get rid of the diatomes. They have been hanging around for about 5 months. I've tried no light, manual removal, clean up crew and large water changes. No luck, they just keep coming back. I am also getting pinapple sponges. I am wondering if I need to get a protein skimmer. I have a 37 bow front with a canister filter. I clean the filter once a week. I beat cyano but can't shake the diatomes. I am new and don't have a lot of test equipment so I don't know all my parameters. This is what I know: nitrites and nitrates near 0,ph 8.5 and kh is 120. And ammonia is less than .25. Can anyone tell me what my next step should be. Thank you.

Please post pics to verify you are seeing diatoms and not something else.
Are you using RODI water or tap water from faucet ?
What is nitrate/phosphate level ?

 

[CamoFan]

How sure are you it’s diatoms

Diatoms look like a sprinkling of light/dark coffee grounds on the floor of your tank and sometimes rock. From my experience, it usually means high amounts of silicates in your water along with other organic compounds like nitrate or phosphorus.

 

[sixty_reefer]

You have dinoflagellates, not diatoms

 

[Blue Cheese]

Diatoms look like a sprinkling of light/dark coffee grounds on the floor of your tank and sometimes rock. From my experience, it usually means high amounts of silicates in your water along with other organic compounds like nitrate or phosphorus.

Yes,OP states he has diatoms,we are assuming he is diatoms,sounds like Dino’s replaced cyano to me but have no pics or params

 

[sixty_reefer]

Yes,OP states he has diatoms,we are assuming he is diatoms,sounds like Dino’s replaced cyano to me but have no pics or params

The op mentioned near zero nitrates and that he had Cyanobacteria previously. Dinoflagellates is normally the specie that thrives in the same organic nutrient condition. A picture would confirm either way

 

[Grthomas11]

 

[Grthomas11]

 

[Blue Cheese]

looks like Dinoflagellates

 

[Grthomas11]

I have a bag of Phosguard in the filter. Been there about a week.

 

[Blue Cheese]

Wait for others opinions but those bubbles I can barely see make me believe it is Dino’s and phosguard is not what you want if so

 

[rhostam]

Do they “go away” when lights go off?

 

[Grthomas11]

Do they “go away” when lights go off?

I don't believe they go away in the dark. I will have to check in the morning. I have my lights go on after I go to work.

 

[Grthomas11]

Wait for others opinions but those bubbles I can barely see make me believe it is Dino’s and phosguard is not what you want if so

Those are not bubbles. They are small bits of the substrate. My camera isn't very good at taking underwater pics.

 

[Grthomas11]

Do they “go away” when lights go off?

They definitely don't go away at night. I woke up this morning and checked.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

do you use Rodi? And if so are the filters clean? I got diatoms once when I didnt change out the filter

 

[Grthomas11]

do you use Rodi? And if so are the filters clean? I got diatoms once when I didnt change out the filter

I do use RODI water and my system is fairly new. Only about 2 months old. Now i'm not sure if i have diatoms or dinos.