how to get rid of this diatom?

[DRoy1124]

hey, i've noticed this diatom that has been growing in this one section of my tank.

 

What is the best way to get rid of it?

My tank is 1 year old, and i've only had this diatom when my tank was cycling.

any reason for this and whats the best way to keep it from growing?

Thanks.

David.

 

Here are some pics of it. It's mostly brown with a small hint of red.

thanks again!

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oops, links didnt work.

lets see if these work....

[diggman08]

probably change the flow of your water so it agitates the sand better.. and get a bunch of snails, they take care of it

[djchristone]

did you test your water?

 

stop feeding your tank so much?

[Pship]

It is hard to really tell from the pic but it is possible that it could be cyanobacteria. Regardless, you should increase flow, and reduce feeding. If that does not work you can leave the lights off for 2 days and that will deprive the algae of any nutrients that it is recieving from the light which is usually a lot.

 

Also, do some water changes more than likely your phosphates are really high. Test the phosphates and give us some results.

[DRoy1124]

havent tested my water in a few weeks.

i dose w/ a nano reef supplement by kent marine about three times a week.

 

and i hardly feed my fish. prolly about twice a week.

 

ill go to my lfs and get a free water test in a lil bit.

 

 

i cant really add more flow becuase my LR blocks my hydroflo in that section (its a 12 gal AP)...unless there is someway to add more flow. anyone have any ideas?

 

thanks again.

David

[Jackopus]

havent tested my water in a few weeks.

i dose w/ a nano reef supplement by kent marine about three times a week.

 

and i hardly feed my fish. prolly about twice a week.

 

ill go to my lfs and get a free water test in a lil bit.

i cant really add more flow becuase my LR blocks my hydroflo in that section (its a 12 gal AP)...unless there is someway to add more flow. anyone have any ideas?

 

thanks again.

David

 

 

I don't trust that Kent nano reef supplment, I quit using it. I think your flow across those areas maybe slow. but if your CUC isn't getting to it, I am wondering what we're/you're missing.

[kkyyllee]

it looks like cyano to me, get a power head to blow through there

[DRoy1124]

i agree. i feel like i do need more flow in my tank.

 

what is the best way to make more flow in my tank when i am crammed with such a little tank in a 12 gallon aquapod.

 

just need some ideas.

thanks.

[Matty1124]

try and get your self a little power head... what kind of pump do you have in there now... maybe you could use a pvc and rig something up (maybe by splitting the flow with a T piece) to disperse flow to the bottom and still have your hydor in there

 

looks like cyano to me... best solution is more flow

 

EDIT: oh yeah do you have a fuge set up in the back of your tank? if not you might want to think about getting some cheato and throwing some back there with a small light... that is how i got a small out break in check... well that and moving a power head...

 

good luck

[Phixion]

Stop supplimenting. When I had my Ap12g up, I NEVER supplimented anything, and my tank thrived well, granted so did the GHA in it. But your pic looks like cyanobacteria I'd say as well, something I'm battling in my current 30g tank right now. More flow is a good way to combat this, as is a shorter light period. If you run them for say 10 hours a day, cut it down to 7-8 hours a day instead.

 

the best way to add flow is ditch the Hydor-Flo (as nice as it is to have) and add a Y-locline piece so you can spread out the flow to the far corners of the tank. I had to add a Koralia 2 pump to my 30g tank to get better flow to areas since my rocks were also blocking the Hydor-Flo I have in certain areas.

[Uhuru]

Stop supplimenting. When I had my Ap12g up, I NEVER supplimented anything, and my tank thrived well, granted so did the GHA in it.

 

LOL, GHA seems to thrive where no other algae can. It's driving me mad!

[strangelove]

havent tested my water in a few weeks.

i dose w/ a nano reef supplement by kent marine about three times a week.

 

and i hardly feed my fish. prolly about twice a week.

 

ill go to my lfs and get a free water test in a lil bit.

i cant really add more flow becuase my LR blocks my hydroflo in that section (its a 12 gal AP)...unless there is someway to add more flow. anyone have any ideas?

 

thanks again.

David

 

I added a second return pump to my 12g nano cube by just running a tiny water pump Rio 50 with a tube to a flex hose to direct the flow, drilled a small hole and used a plastic lock tie to hold it in place. Hydor FLO on one side and the flex hose on the other, water current bounced off the wall and even reduced the aount of algae that would grow on that side of the tank. Easy way to add more current.

[chrisstankevitz]

i agree. i feel like i do need more flow in my tank.

what is the best way to make more flow in my tank when i am crammed

 

Crammed is not good, you want that water moving around in your tank. Get rid of whatever is cramming your tank. If you're crammed with rocks, remove some or move some into the sump/rear.

 

Chris

[DigiKill]

Diatom blooms are usually cyclical and the result of excess silica. They're hard like glass and you find them in some toothpastes.

 

 

 

Silica is the basis of their skeletal structure, with silicon being the keystone component to their life cycle (the same way that phosphate is keystone to blue-green algae.) They normally float near the waters surface. The LACK of organic nutrients in the water column causes them to sink to the bottom and clump together until conditions improve.

 

 

 

If what's in your photos are diatom or dinoflagellate blooms, then they should be all over the substrate. If not (isolated to a particular spot on a rock perhaps) then you may have cianobacteria growing.

 

 

 

Diatoms will come and go in cycles. It's nothing to worry about, just unsightly. Turn the lights out for a day or two if it really bothers you and they'll have to start their life cycle all over again.

 

 

 

I don't supplement. Don't recommend it either. Almost all your trace elements and such are "topped off" during routine water changes. A lot of companies like to sell "magic water" for lots of $$$. They are not pharmaceutical companies. There is no definitive proof that what they are selling works, and like all pet products (reef tanks are technically Pets) there is no regulative authority to oversee their products.

 

 

 

I alway try to Keep it simple.

 

 

 

Here are links you may find helpful:

 

Wiki Diatoms

 

Water Parameters (read down for silica)

 

Trace additions (myth 12)

[DRoy1124]

hey, i was just thinking.

Would a sand-sifting Star work?

 

I remember reading something about that they eat corals. is this true? cuase if they do, it would be back cuase i have alot of zoa's and GSP in my tank.

And i also remember reading that they need a bigger tank. Is a 12gal AP to small for the sand-sifting-star?

 

Thanks.

David.

[dsoz]

I think they need a bigger tank. 1 per 20-25g. So it may starve to death in a 12. Or when they get hungry they will start eating things you like to keep (like coral and fish).

 

Get some nassarius snails if you want sand movement. Get more if you don't have enough.

 

A sand-sifting goby will also turn your sand bed to keep it clean. Problem is that most will cary a mouthfull of sand up and spit it out so it rains all over the rockwork. I heard that there is one type that does not do this. I don't remember which one.

 

dsoz

[Drez]

I think they need a bigger tank. 1 per 20-25g. So it may starve to death in a 12. Or when they get hungry they will start eating things you like to keep (like coral and fish).

 

Get some nassarius snails if you want sand movement. Get more if you don't have enough.

 

A sand-sifting goby will also turn your sand bed to keep it clean. Problem is that most will cary a mouthfull of sand up and spit it out so it rains all over the rockwork. I heard that there is one type that does not do this. I don't remember which one.

 

dsoz

 

Sifting stars and gobys don't eat the diatoms though, they eat the little things in your sand, those things also tend to help keep your tank clean by eating detritus. Less detritus = less food for algae = less algae. I don't think you'll be helping yourself, only hide the problem by moving the sand a bit. Narssarius snails should help though.