Brown Diatoms Beware!

excuzzzeme said:
A couple of things to also try is if you use carbon, remove it.
for some people like myself, carbon enhances the the ability of the diatoms to increase by removing other impurities that might otherwise aid to keep it in check.

The second thing to try is a phos remover pad in your filter system.

Personally, I like the natural method (snails) the best.
Click to expand...

Thanks excuzzzeme :)

I don't use carbon unless I am trying to remove meds. Also, I have tried Phosguard, I adopted a psycho maintenance schedule to remove as much diatom food as possible, I have had tanks in a basement with almost no light at all. If you "bing" brown algae, they will tell you the following:

"Not a brown algae at all, but what are called diatoms, these organisms need what all marine alga require to survive: light and food. The cure for this type of problem algae is the same as the prevention: Starve it into oblivion."

In my opinion, they missed something,... introduce a natural "predator." :headbang2:
 
Lovely work, fellas! :) Incredibly gorgeous tank, btw.

My olive nerites ate quite a bit of my diatoms, but there's still a "five o'clock shadow" on the white rock, if you know what I mean.

I have this superstition about diatoms now...white rock and pool filter sand = diatoms. I have no scientific explanation for it, only that the times that I have used lots of limestone (basically decorating the whole tank with it, vs. a piece or two), pool filter sand, along with any white rocks or shells, I have gotten diatoms. Only happened twice, but that's what both tanks had in common.

I guess that fast growing floating plants are out of the question for you because of the kinds of fish you're keeping? ;) But obviously, your tank is pristine so it is not excess nutrients.

I am glad you found something to take care of your diatoms, but please let me know if you ever pinpoint the cause, as I am very curious myself.
 
My 55 gallon had silica sand and loads of THR and shells...had diatoms for like 6-7 months but then they disappeared. I doubt silica sand has anything to do with it, since it's inert.

I prefer the most natural way of just letting them run their course. Admittedly, it doesn't always work for everyon, for whatever reason. So far I've yet to resort to any other method.
 
Oh, I totally get that it's not supposed to make any difference - sand is inert, silica is the same stuff your aquarium glass is made of, so how could it matter? That's why it really bugs me that it happened both times when I tried PFS as a substrate. When I considered the variables, that's what ended up being the common denominator, even though it wasn't a satisfying answer to me.

Oh btw, what's THR? ;)
 
THR=Texas Holley Rock
 
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