Having a bit of an algae problem
- Thread starter beastoise
- Start date
If it is diatoms then the lighting changes won't make much of a difference. Your lighting is high and can be a potential cause of algae problems, but diatoms are not light dependant. They tend to be more related to nutrient levels then light. I've heard people claim it can be related to new sand but you should also make sure you arn't overfeeding the tank.
As for when it goes away, depends on the tank, but typically a month or two.
As for when it goes away, depends on the tank, but typically a month or two.
Good for you - nothing wrong with keeping it simple, and I don't think there is any need to intervene to 'fix' this
But diatoms, as others have said, are part of the story of a maturing tank.
They're actually helping the tank come into equilibrium.
Also, from the photos, they don't look too bad to me.
No they're not too bad, but they appeared in only a couple days, which really threw me off guard. But as I've said, I halved my lighting, so I'll let it run a while and see where I get. Hopefully it is just a part of maturing.
digitalphrage
oh god how did this get here i am n
Do you run your lights on a timer? If so, you can run the lights for a few hours in the morning, have them shut off during the day while you're at work or out of the house, and then have them come back on for a few more hours in the evening when you're home. That might help with algae a bit. It'll allow you to run the lights while you're at home so you can enjoy the tank without over doing the lighting.
If you don't have a timer, I'd recommend getting one! I love mine. You can get a single or dual grounded plug timer for as little as $8-$10, or you can go a bit fancier for just a tiny bit more.
If you don't have a timer, I'd recommend getting one! I love mine. You can get a single or dual grounded plug timer for as little as $8-$10, or you can go a bit fancier for just a tiny bit more.
shoot, I would do what someone above said, get an oto.... The only thing I would worry about it what they said above, it doesn't look that bad at all really and the oto might not have enough algae in there to thrive because your tank might not have sufficient algae to feed it. I am not sure how much Silica your sand contained, but I suppose it could be adding to the diatom problem considering diatomic algae build their exoskeleton out of silica....I just don't know how much your sand contains. I never thought of that.
