How do you get rid of DIATOM BLOOM?

[Mal]

THE MAIN PROBLEM IS A LIGHT RED BROWN and green DUSTING of Algae ON THE GLASS AND sand. It is a DIATOM BLOOM. My nitrates are about 15-20ppm. All other levels are good. (PH 8.2, Calcium 430, Nitrate 0, Anonia 0) (Lights 465 VHO + 300 MH)

How do you get rid of this?

My tank is up for 6 months and I still get it.

Any help is appreciated?

Mal

 

[AF Founder]

THE MAIN PROBLEM IS A LIGHT RED BROWN and green DUSTING of Algae ON THE GLASS AND sand. It is a DIATOM BLOOM. My nitrates are about 15-20ppm. All other levels are good. (PH 8.2, Calcium 430, Nitrate 0, Anonia 0) (Lights 465 VHO + 300 MH)

How do you get rid of this?

My tank is up for 6 months and I still get it.

Any help is appreciated?

Mal

Mal,
The growth of diatoms is quite natural, usually indicating good water conditions. If the growth of diatoms is excessive there are two solutions that work best when employed together. One, use a good RO/DI unit for makeup water, one that will eliminate the introduction of silicates, and two, get more snails -- as many as one/gallon.

 

[Mal]

I use RO water. I had snails, but my Huma Huma Trigger eats them. I guess he must go.

I was told that if I add live sand to the top of my sand that it will eat the algae. True?

 

[AF Founder]

I use RO water. I had snails, but my Huma Huma Trigger eats them. I guess he must go.

I was told that if I add live sand to the top of my sand that it will eat the algae. True?

Mal,

RO alone will not filter out silicates; you need DI also.

Putting live sand on top of old sand covered with diatoms will only help for a few days; the diatoms will be back. This is not a long term solution -- snails and crabs are.

 

[Mal]

What is DI?

 

[AF Founder]

What is DI?

Ion exchange resins, called Deionizing (DI).

 

[dgasmd]

Get rid of the 2 sources of algae:
-too many nutrients on the water
-poor skimming.

The RO/DI suggestion above is good too. You could cut the lighting down for a few hours a day. Also, cut back on the feedings. Add more live sand and a DSB will help too. Having a trigger in that tank tells me it is a fish only tank, which begs the question of why do you ahve so much lighting??

Alberto

 

[Mal]

No, I have a reef tank, but I have one odd fish, the Huma huma trigger. All other fish are reef safe. We have had the trigger so long, I hate to get rid of it. It is about 4".

The tank is about 6 months old. Mostly leather corals, star pollops, two anenomes, some mushrooms, frogspawns, etc.