Diatom Outbreak

[DSR]

So my wife calls me yesterday and says, what is all this brown stuff on your plants.... Being at the office, I couldn't see what she was talking about... so I spent the afternoon worrying (finally got my plants growing). Got home and the large leafed plants all had small light-brown spots. I googled and came up with diatoms. Oddly there aren't very many good pictures out there...

I then noticed that there was some growing on the front glass. So I am pretty sure it is a diatom thing. What would you recommend that I do to rid myself of this pest? I have heard that otto's will eat it but I am a bit concerned about adding to the biolode. I have rehomed several (6 to be precise fish to cut down on the biolode). If ottos are the only way to go how many would I need to clean a 29 gallon tank reasonably fast (my Mum is coming down in 2 weeks). Thanks all.

[j-gens]

is the tank newly established? sometimes it just needs some time to mature and they will go away. just wipe the leaves and glass down and give it a little time. and yes ottos can help

[SMinNC]

The diatoms usually come around in newer tanks. While you have ammonia, but dissapears. Because we clean it off one more time after the bacteria have the ammonia under control.

If you want to go the Otto route. I'd say 6 would be a good number, just because of how small I've seen them in the stores these days.
And you have 2 weeks for them to do the job.

If you haven't already.
Check your water...
With every test you have. ; )
You might See something amiss.

[DSR]

Thanks. The tank has been up for a month or so and has fully cycled (it was an established tank moved across the street). I tried to wipe it off the leaves, but it would not budge on some of my plants. Will go the oto route. Water parameters are good 0 ammo 0 nitrite and a bit less than 10 on the nitrate.

I am going to black out the tank for a couple of days and buy some otos tonight. Hopefully that will remedy the problem.

[snoopy65]

If it didn't wipe off easily, it isn't diatoms.

[Star_Rider]

:iagree:

diatoms come off easily..

oto's are great but I do not recommend getting them to combat brown algae.

[rich311k]

Cutting light will not effect diatoms. Wipe them off and let them run their course.

[DSR]

if it isn't diatoms then what would it be... they look like diatoms (smallish to larger sized brown stains on the leaves... some of it does wipe off, but other spots don't).

The plant that it won't wipe off of is some sort of anubias I believe. Anythoughts.

[Reframer]

I wouldn't go the oto route, they wil eat diatom, but they are really supposed to have the green stuff in an established tank. It is also difficult to get them to eat supplemental food. Since it is easy to wipe off, then why not just do that until it goes away on its own.

[coach_z]

doesnt sound like diatoms if not wiping off, (like previously said) ottos wont eat brown algae....or at least they dont eat the stuff in my tank....

[DSR]

My tank is pretty established (four years+) before it was moved, literally 100 ft. Went through a mini cycle when I changed substrate, but all readings are 0 (except for nitrate which is less than 10). The strange thing is that some of it does come off, but some of it does not. I have been searching on google for information and can't find a thing that is similar (other than diatoms).

The "new" part of the tank is all the plants (of which there are quite a few). I was wondering if it isn't a deficiency of some sort, but I can't find any minaral or micro deficiency that shows up like this... I am at a loss. So far only one plant is effected with the non-whippable stuff.

[BettaFishMommy]

i have a planted tank that has been set up for less than a few months and i got diatoms/brown algae (still not sure exactly which, lol). tank stocking is: longfin rosy barbs (5), panda barb (1), apple snails (13), large angel (1), BN pleco (1), emerald cories (4).

someone is eating the brown 'stuff', and i know it isn't the pleco or the cories (newer additions) or the angel (too stuck up to eat 'brown stuff', lol!), so it's gotta be the barbs or the snails. both are hardy, both are easy to care for, and both live well together. get both! lol.

[DSR]

May pick up some snails in addition to the otto's never really liked snails until I got some for our new SW tank (two bumble bees). They are pretty fun to watch in the middle of the night.

[BettaFishMommy]

apple snails/briggs are the neatest things to watch, easy to breed, can be put with most freshwater community, don't eat plants (at least mine don't, thank jeebus!), and they loooooovvvvve frozen french cut green beans! lol.

[mrbigmuscles]

I think diatoms are also related to lighting intensity - in my 45 tall they grow on the glass from the bottom right up to a straight line 12" from the bottom (tank is 24" deep). Skeptical Aquarist says oto's do eat them; but in any case they will be outcompeted by other kinds of algae after a few months (like everyone else here said). http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/algae/diatoms.shtml

[7itanium]

I dont think you have diatoms... brown algae sounds like the case

cut down on light-- buy a snail, and get a razor blade for the glass

[DSR]

WIped off some of it last night. CHunked the plant that seemed to have been the host. Will replace it today. Thanks for your help. WIll also get some snails.

[jpappy789]

I dont think you have diatoms... brown algae sounds like the case

cut down on light-- buy a snail, and get a razor blade for the glass
Diatoms = "brown algae". Same thing.

[bushwhacker]

got diatoms once in my 55 gallon pretty bad too.. got a cple baby bn plecos and it was gone the next day

[Reframer]

Sorry, but I have 8 brigs and they don't eat much of the diatom. Maybe the BN pleco would be better. This will eventually go away, just keep wiping. Most of mine comes off, but with some plants that don't have the sheen, it may be more difficult.