diatoms

[chode]

my tank has been setup for about 2 and a half month and i was wondering if the brown diatom algae ever stop growing. should i just get a bunch of grazers or would low lights have something to do with it. its not a reef tank yet but it shouldnt be long. im in the process of building a sump/refugium but now the only filter is a hang on back power filter. the sump will also have a protein skimmer. thanks

[chode]

also how does coralline algae everstart to grow. do i need any supplements in my water or does it just start. im still new so sorry for any trouble.

[FishinInTheDark]

You should see the diatoms start to subside at four months, and be replaced by other algeas after six. (Personally, I thought I'd NEVER get there, but the thick, brown gunk is almost gone from my sand bed!) I chose to siphon mine off with a turkey baster, but you could add something that likes to eat it if you want. There are some snails that like it and other algaes too.

What lighting are you running? I had broken one of my blue power compacts and used a 4100K bulb until I could find another. The algae really loved that light! Try not to use anything less than 6700K, but the higher the better, as far as algae is concerned. Keep them on no longer than twelve hours per day.

RO/DI water will also help, because there can be nutrients in tapwater. I, personally, haven't purchased a RO/DI filter, but it's high on my list of "must haves". You could use distilled water, also.

I hope this helps. . .

Conni

[chode]

right now i only have a 15 watt atinic and 15 watt 50/50. nothing in there right now that needs light yet. next week im getting 2 110 watt vhos. my sand be stays real clean. i have some hermit crabs i got from the beach in there. i thought they were not going to work but theyve been in there for 2 months and they are doing just fine. i also started to use distilled water for top off about 1-2 weeks ago. and that about it

[MikeS]

Using distilled or RO/DI water will help a great deal. Diatom blooms are fuled primarily by silicates in the water, so "starving" them by using said water will help speed up their departure from your tank.

Mike

[vanadium]

the brown algae should have gone after a few weeks.....water should be ro quality......lights i use argadia t5 lighting 2 tubes at 14000 and 2 blue the same.

[chode]

yea i started doing water changes and top offs with distilled water because i dont have money for a ro/di unit right now. it seems to be helping a whole lot.

[jman785]

A RO/DI unit is A LOT cheaper in the long run, than using Distilled water...unless your boiling it yourself and catching the moisture, which would probably end up being more expensive anyway...just a plain RO unit, will be fine, but for the purest, cleanest water, an RO/DI unit is a must.

[chode]

i know in the long run it is a lot cheaper and i plan on getting one but for now this i what im using