Algae/ diatoms after water changes

[fisheez]

Fully cycled setup. Hello I've been having some issues in my tank where every time I do a 50% water change there seems to be diatoms throughout on the ornaments and glass after a few days. Tank ammonia levels are 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates around 20. I usually vacuum the tank every time I do a 50% water change which is done once a week on 120 gallon. It's easy enough to clean off but a pain to take ornaments out every week. I use regular tap water and only have a fluval 306 and 2 sponge filters. Any other information I can add to help lmk.

 

[NevermindIgnoreMe]

Fully cycled setup. Hello I've been having some issues in my tank where every time I do a 50% water change there seems to be diatoms throughout on the ornaments and glass after a few days. Tank ammonia levels are 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates around 20. I usually vacuum the tank every time I do a 50% water change which is done once a week on 120 gallon. It's easy enough to clean off but a pain to take ornaments out every week. I use regular tap water and only have a fluval 306 and 2 sponge filters. Any other information I can add to help lmk.

How long has the tank been running? New setups often have diatoms at the beginning, but eventually it stops coming. I had a ton of diatom in my tank after I added some more sand because of the silicates it added to the water. I bought some ramshorn snails, I no longer have any diatom. You can get some for cheap from here or ebay, the come in lots of colors.

 

[fisheez]

How long has the tank been running? New setups often have diatoms at the beginning, but eventually it stops coming. I had a ton of diatom in my tank after I added some more sand because of the silicates it added to the water. I bought some ramshorn snails, I no longer have any diatom. You can get some for cheap from here or ebay, the come in lots of colors.

Over a year

 

[NevermindIgnoreMe]

Over a year

Mine was a few months over a year when I added the sand and got the diatom explosion. You haven't...added any sand or anything right lol? I still would just get some snails. They are great little cleanup crews!

 

[The2dCour]

Fully cycled setup. Hello I've been having some issues in my tank where every time I do a 50% water change there seems to be diatoms throughout on the ornaments and glass after a few days. Tank ammonia levels are 0 nitrites 0 and nitrates around 20. I usually vacuum the tank every time I do a 50% water change which is done once a week on 120 gallon. It's easy enough to clean off but a pain to take ornaments out every week. I use regular tap water and only have a fluval 306 and 2 sponge filters. Any other information I can add to help lmk.

Does it happen if you do a smaller water change?

 

[fisheez]

Does it happen if you do a smaller water change?

I'll have to try that I suppose

 

[The2dCour]

I'll have to try that I suppose

Only reason I asked is because you say you get this explosion right after the water change? That's a pretty significant water change, so maybe making it smaller would introduce less of whatever is causing the population boom and it wont take hold.