Diatom problem

[koniyakutz]

Hi guys,

I’m fighting a losing between against diatoms in my 3 month old 2ft tank. Below are the specs for my tank.

I have been doing weekly water change (20%) and also, vacuum the sand bed. However, after 3-4 days the brown algae will start to grow again. 

Some reefers told me seachem phosguard is useless for removing PO4, I have already bought a bottle of Aquaz Purephos and will be changing to it this weekend.

Inhabitants: 1 * clown fish and 1 * cleaner shrimp

Tank circulation: Seio M620 + 1200L/hr canister filter

Filter media(in canister): Seachem Phosguard and matrix carbon in filter bags

Skimmer: Macro AS150 needlewheel

Salt used: Coralife

Liverocks: 25kg

Lights: 1*55W 14,000K PL and 2*36W 10,000K PL @ 10hrs daily

Feeding: Feed my corals with market prawn weekly, feed my fish( with mysis shrimp) and dose phyto(Aquaz) on alternate days

Top-up: 1.5L tapwater daily

Below are some pics

[flamey]

maybe u can reduce ur lighting period to say 7 hrs instead of 10?

don worry bro.. it will go away n due time i feel... new tank syndrome..

cheers

[seamonkee]

I see that u top up 1.5l of tap water everyday.... do note that our tap water contain phosphate which is the main fuel for diatom or any other nuisiance algae growth.

For a start, do what bro flamey suggested, cut back on your photoperiod. Also cut back on your feeding....

Secondly, invest in the following:

1) Tubby auto top up device - which allow you to store a reservoir of water to age and apply cholramine remover...

2) From my own experience and that of other reefers here, Seachem phosguard don't really work even though it is a cheaper alternative. From my experience, I use rowaphos and it works for me.... its not really expensive if you do your maths... 1000ml which sells at $85 can last you quite a while. For my five foot tank, I use 500ml per 4 months or so... not a single diatom bloom so far...

Just my 2 cents... I do not agree that all new tank has to go through a diatom bloom or what is called new tank syndrome... New tank syndrome is not a normal phenomenon and cycle to be expected contrally to the belief.... there are reefers I know who keep good tank running without even a diatom bloom.... basically, you just have to use the right phosphate removing medium (rowaphos) and ensure that no phosphate gets into the system to fuel any algae grow...

My tank is also running since early feb and almost two months, I have yet to get a diatom bloom... With right use of medium, religious water change and tank husbandry, a good tank can be kept running...

BTW, carbon over time can leak phosphate, that's why it is advocated to change them every 2 months or so...

Looking at the pix of your tank, the diatom bloom is quite extensive and "abnormal", something is wrong somewhere with your husbandry.... just gotta find out where went wrong...

Hope this helps....

[neokn]

Pardon me for asking.

How big is your main tank and sump?

For a 2' tank. You need to top up 1.5L of water everyday, that's alot. Are you using fan to cool your tank. If so, that explains the huge top up.

FYI. I only top up 1.5L every 3 days or so, even on a hot spell session I top up 1.5L every fortnight for a 4.5' x 1' x 2.5'. 3 x t5 on for 11hrs.

[Kelmen]

Will hermit crab or sea cucumber consume them?

[djviper]

i believe hermit crab will just shift the sand..

dunno about sea cuke diet

[absolut_vodka]

i believe hermit crab will just shift the sand..

dunno about sea cuke diet

i dun think hermit crab or sea cuke will do the job...

personally, i use rowaphos and that works for me... and i think the price to pay is fair considering what a good job it does.

[chrisyew]

May I ask how to use this rowaphos? What brand is this rowaphos and in what form is it - solid?

[absolut_vodka]

Yes, rowaphos is solid form (looks a bit like carbon). I'm using a fluidised reactor to 'activate' the rowaphos capabilities...

[chrisyew]

Yes, rowaphos is solid form (looks a bit like carbon). I'm using a fluidised reactor to 'activate' the rowaphos capabilities...

Thanks.

Mine is a 2ft nano tank and I'm using a HOB. Can I place the wool round the rowaphos and place it in the HOB as a filter media?

[shoelevy]

heard dwarf hermits superb in diatom control.

sea cuke beware of it nuking your tank

[seamonkee]

Thanks.

Mine is a 2ft nano tank and I'm using a HOB. Can I place the wool round the rowaphos and place it in the HOB as a filter media?

You can actually but the only difference is that for fluidized reactor (FR), there is more water-media surface exchange since essentially you are passing a column of water through a small column of rowaphos media... If u see the design of an FR, u know what I mean. Of course maximum contact means maximum effect... but on the downside, your rowaphos use up faster too...

For those who put in filter bags, yes you can... but try to put it at a place where most of the water columns will pass through...

[chrisyew]

Is it something like this and need a pump to work?

[hotlemond]

get a FR and RowaPhos. Cut down feeding. Any chance get a tap water treatment unit

[flamey]

I see that u top up 1.5l of tap water everyday.... do note that our tap water contain phosphate which is the main fuel for diatom or any other nuisiance algae growth.

For a start, do what bro flamey suggested, cut back on your photoperiod. Also cut back on your feeding....

Secondly, invest in the following:

1) Tubby auto top up device - which allow you to store a reservoir of water to age and apply cholramine remover...

2) From my own experience and that of other reefers here, Seachem phosguard don't really work even though it is a cheaper alternative. From my experience, I use rowaphos and it works for me.... its not really expensive if you do your maths... 1000ml which sells at $85 can last you quite a while. For my five foot tank, I use 500ml per 4 months or so... not a single diatom bloom so far...

Just my 2 cents... I do not agree that all new tank has to go through a diatom bloom or what is called new tank syndrome... New tank syndrome is not a normal phenomenon and cycle to be expected contrally to the belief.... there are reefers I know who keep good tank running without even a diatom bloom.... basically, you just have to use the right phosphate removing medium (rowaphos) and ensure that no phosphate gets into the system to fuel any algae grow...

My tank is also running since early feb and almost two months, I have yet to get a diatom bloom... With right use of medium, religious water change and tank husbandry, a good tank can be kept running...

BTW, carbon over time can leak phosphate, that's why it is advocated to change them every 2 months or so...

Looking at the pix of your tank, the diatom bloom is quite extensive and "abnormal", something is wrong somewhere with your husbandry.... just gotta find out where went wrong...

Hope this helps....

agreed!

think rowas works best in a fluidised reactor..

[shoelevy]

Is it something like this and need a pump to work?

from the pic, it should be correct

to be sure, go to shops and check out resun FR, FBF500

[hotlemond]

here's the picture of the Resun FBF-500.

[chrisyew]

here's the picture of the Resun FBF-500.

Can this be used as a normal filter like the HOB for nano tank?

[acidjazz]

Can this be used as a normal filter like the HOB for nano tank?

FR has its own purpose, u can say its part of the filtration system. For me, i am running two FR. One with purephos, the other with carbon. i believe this will improve the water quality n keep the diatoms under control.

[Angel]

From experience it is quite messy during changing media with the Resun FBF or rather got to use strength to remove the cover unlike the PhosBan Reactor which is so much easier.

Now my resun sitting in the store room.

[koniyakutz]

Does NSW from lfs contain high levels of PO4 and silicates?

[houndster]

current my tank has diatom.. if i put the FR will it remove the diatom automatically or should i remove the diatom 1st?

[prec]

From experience it is quite messy during changing media with the Resun FBF or rather got to use strength to remove the cover unlike the PhosBan Reactor which is so much easier.

Now my resun sitting in the store room.

use strength? huh? just twist it open wat..

[klim]

Hi I am using the Tap Water Filteration which supposed to removed the phosphate, cholramine & etc - BAD ingredients. Why am I still having Diatom?

May I know anyone can guess the caused?

[tineng]

relax lar....just do your water changes regularly and soon it will go away....its a stage every reefer will face....

for y the tap water filteration would work, its probably there are still sillicate, nirtate and phosphate within the sands and LR itself...give it time, it will exhast it itself.....