dinatwin

OK I'm convinced now that i have diatoms in 2 of my 3 tanks. I have read it's new tank syndrome. I have had my tanks since Aug would that still be considered a new tank? It's soo confusing.

Lucy

It wouldn't be considered new.

I've read where incresing the light can help with diatoms.
http://plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9

dinatwin

Thanks Lucy I have read about that and now keep my lights on for 8-10 hrs a day using fluorescent light bulbs.
It's soo ugly
Thanks again!

sirdarksol

Is the tank getting any natural sunlight? I have one tank that had diatoms for months after it was set up, and I discovered it was because the tank was getting more than a little indirect sunlight (reflected off of walls and floor). The tank now has no diatoms, mostly because I tested a nitrate-removing filter in it. The filter worked (at least in the short term), removing the diatoms' food source.

dinatwin

Thanks Sirdarksol I have their tanks on the kitchen counter up against the wall. I don't think it gets more natural light. It's pretty dark in their tanks when the lights are off but i guess anything is possible. What's the nitrate removing filter you are talking about? Is this something i could try? I have the marineland filters with the biowheels.

sirdarksol

It is, but it's kind of expensive. It's called HiQ-USA's Zero water change System.
My warning is that I can't tell you what part of the system works, yet. I'm in the process of testing the individual components. I have a sneaking suspicion that they cheated, but can't support that, yet.

eaglescout316

From what i've read online, there's a theory that new glass tanks seep a compound (silicate?) into the water which is then used by the diatoms as a food source. I too started a tank in August, and i too had a carpet of gross looking brown algae on the back wall, side walls, and specks on the front wall of the tank. The explosion happened just before my bulldog pleco died for no discernable reason, and about 4 days before i was rendered carless for a month.

I thought i'd let it just burn itself out, since the new tank theory means they'd run out of food eventually. Having grown impatient (and watching all my tank decorations also turn brown) i threw a glass scrubbing magnet thing onto an online order, which made an unholy mess. Got my car back and get a bristlenose pleco. Little sucker's only an inch and a half long (he'll grow to ~5) but in the past 3 days he has cleaned the algae off of EVERYTHING. He's also pooped on EVERYTHING. First morning i checked in on the new fish i saw piles of poop where algae had once been. Vacuumed the gravel and viola, the tank's cleaner than it's been in months.

So in short yes, i think it's a new tank issue since i had the exact same one, and the only way i found to actually handle it is through the tried and true "buy a [non-common] pleco" method.

dancerhas

^^ that's very possible. The only tank we have that has diatoms is our fairly new 10G, none of our other tanks have them.

There may also be some plausability to the light theory because it's also the only tank that has incandescent lights. We bought some Otto's to help with the problem.

pinkfloydpuffer

My tank had diatoms in it for about 6 months until I upgraded the lighting. So I'd try that.