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Brown diatoms in mature tank (ARGH!)

12K views 12 replies 10 participants last post by  concepts88 
#1 ·
Brown diatoms all over my 36g tank, mosses, plants. Looks terrible!

Tank is mature. I feed fish (there are 12 small mixed fish in there and one pearl gourami) only a tiny bit each day, and nothing over the weekend. I have not rescaped. There have been no disruptions or changes.

I added four ottos... they seem to be eating anything and everything else but the diatoms. The ottos are not touching anything on the mosses. They focus on keeping one plant clean.

I also have a few ramshorn snails and CRS in there, but nothing I can't sacrifice if absolutely necessary. I breed CRS in a different tank, and can repopulate if needed. For example, would removing the fish and overdosing with Flourish Excel possibly work?

This tank looked sparkling clean for months before the diatoms took over.

What to do??? If the tank were not so big, I would have thrown it out my second story office window by now. :mad:
 
#3 ·
My take these days is clean, clean, clean. Especially the filters. I added some kno3 and phosphate two weeks ago and the next day the plant leaves were coated in brown slime. No fish. No co2. I don't know how you are running your tank so perhaps you have some other problem. For me keeping things clean, not adding too much n,p,k and a decent amount of flow works pretty well.
 
#4 ·
Thanks... I dose with Flourish Excel 3x/week. No other nutrients except root tabs.

Tank levels are balanced. HOB filter for a 50g runnning in the 36 g, so flow is good.

I will try doing a major clean with 50% water change?
 
#5 · (Edited)
My tank is just cycled and the brown tide is rolling in. Im trying to cut the light and dose with CO2 bosster to see if it will stop it. I have no algae eating fish in yet.

I had a outbrake in my 5gal and it was running for 9 months. I dosed it with co2 booster and it died off in a week of dosing every day.
 
#7 ·
I feel your pain ... I have been going through the same thing. My 90 gallon is over a year old and I have diatoms galore. I have posted questions about it here with no satisfactory answer. I will follow this thread with interest ... good luck!
 
#8 ·
Diatom is caused by the presence of silica in the water, substrate, and sand. Since the tank is matured (not sure how long you have the tank), the silica has to be be introduced from the tap water, water change. You can get Phoslock to remove both phosphate and silica before doing your WC.
 
#11 ·
Hi all, I have been swamped by life since I posted this. I will try some of your suggestions. Thank you for the responses.

Other clues based on the above:
I do have Eco-Complete in there.
Root tabs are replaced sporadically at best.
I use half tap water and half RO when I can.
I use the same substrate and water in a 10 gallon, and no trouble with diatoms there.
The lamps have been on the fixture for about a year now. May need replacing.
 
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