Two year old tank is having Diatom algae issues.

[dynomonkey]

Any thoughts on how to reduce this Diatom algae in my tank. Its brown and stringy. My parameters appear to be good. Over a week I change the water 20% every other day for three days. Thought it was gone, but it appears to be returning. How do I get rid of this? Corals are also showing stress. But clowns are laying eggs. I think this started when I went on vacation and used an auto feeder.

 

[DFW]

Is it diatoms, for sure? They are usually associated with silicates, low water flow areas in the tank. Some reduce their lighting for a few days, and increase flow in low flow areas. If your water has silicates, water changes could possibly feed the problem rather than help. But when you say it is stringy, I think of cyanobacteria, or dinoflagellates, not diatoms. I hope that it isn't cyano, or dinoflagellates, but if it is, there are ways to deal with them. Dinoflagellates need to be dealt with immediately when they first show up! A picture and/or description of the problem would be helpful.

David

 

[dynomonkey]

As far as I can tell. When I vacuum it up it, come off the sand in a layer of brown. The pic is from my phone, hope it helps.

 

[DFW]

I don't remember ever seeing diatoms in my tank in a layer like that. I have had Cyanobacteria in sheets before. Here is an article about different algaes:

http://www.lenntech.com/eutrophication-water-bodies/algae.htm

It says that cyano can be brown, and in sheets. Diatoms are not described as being in sheets. I recommend ChemiClean, not ChemiPure, both of which are made by Boyd enterprises, to get rid of cyano. It has worked well for me on 2 occasions! Plenty of extra aeration during treatment, follow the directions, and you might have to treat it 2 times in a row to defeat it, which means 2 20% water changes after each 2 day treatment.

David

 

[Llawen]

I increased flow to 2000 gph on my 110 gallon reef, and added phosphate reactor. Now no problem with anything. Chemi-clean works, But FOLLOW directions completely.

Sent from my C771 using Tapatalk

 

[DFW]

@DFW wrote:

I should have said "a 20% water change after each 2 day treatment", instead of "2 20% water changes after each treatment". And turn off skimmers and phosban reactors. Be ready to skim tons of liquid after you finish treatment. It will overflow your containers. I ran an air pump to a wooden air stone in each tank in my system while treating. This can't be overemphasized, as Chemiclean is an antibiotic that depletes oxygen from the water, drops the pH, and without aeration, loss of livestock could occur. I had to build shields for the tops of the tanks to keep the water from getting on the lights, and making a mess from all the bubbles. But it was worth it to be free of cyano!

 

[toomnymods]

I perfer to use a more natural less harmful method..
Install a Gfo reactor and do 1 weekly 15-20% waterchange with ro-di water.. don't trust ur lfs filters che k them and definatly don't over feed your tank. Feeding Nuthing but frozen foods will definatly be a major problem with nitrates and feed the bad nuisance algaes

 

[dynomonkey]

I do appreciate the input. To give you a little more info, my tank is a 28g jbj HQI with stock skimmer, chiller, media basket in back as a refugium and cheato. I also have the two stock pumps along with two oceanstream going full blast. Today, I noticed a few bubbles under the brown on the rocks. I'll try to get more pics tonight.

 

[dynomonkey]

So far I have had the lights out for about 4 days and it appears to be going away. I guess I will start trying to reintroduce light this week.

 

[DFW]

I tried that, too, before using ChemiClean. I hope it works for you, but if not, ChemiClean is a miracle product, in my opinion! I treated mine in a cooler part of the year and could open the windows to get fresh air in the house. You don't want to use it, I don't think, if your pH is real low, which is often caused by stuffy air in a closed house. I think that's why they say to aerate very well when treating.

David

 

[bimmerzs]

If it just started recently I would look into your source water, there have been many issues as the cities overtreat the water to keep the algae blooms/bacteria in check. If you haven't replaced the filters in your ro/di unit for a yr or more I would start there. If you want to run anything I would suggest purigen as it will "catch" some f the stuff that may make it past your ro/di filter's.

Cheers,

 

[dynomonkey]

Well, I don't make my own saltwater. I purchase from LFS. They say they have not had issues, but maybe they nipped it early or their system is to large with volume. Corals appear to be retuning.

 

[curt.smith]

I agree how old is the tank I just set mine up 31/2 months ago and a am having "the Blume" as well mine was from the water even after clean pure RODI I was still hitting 3 DTS I switched to a 2 carbon canister set up and all is good it is starting to clear up the light and lower feedings are a great natural solution but I have done both , the cyno is a red/ brown bacteria not an Algae cham clean does wonders how ever it will hide under the sand bed and rockwork if you move stuff you will see it again. Good luck with it, its not that bad , also the use of BIOPTAM and bacteria additives tend to help as they will do their job -curt

 

[dynomonkey]

Update: Turned lights off for 3.5 days and then returned lights slowly using blue LEDs during the day and then finally turn HQI light on. Stuff gone. tank looks good. I did loose one cleaner fish during blum.