Diatom Bloom Treatment

GucciYoni · Feb 3, 2018

Hey everybody, never posted before, first time joining one of these forums, rest-assured I've done heaps of research and browsed through these forums for hours at a time!

So I currently have a cycled 65g tank FWLR, which will soon become a reef tank, after I observe stable parameters and get that calcium up! Ive got two 2500L/hr powerheads running, and Aquael Ledislim Marine & Actinic lights installed in the hood of the tank. The tank is doing beautifully, with heaps of organisms in the live rock, having survived the cycle, including a mollusc, brittle star, heaps of worms, snails, you get the point.

Inhabitants now include 3 fish which I recently added, a yellowtail blue damsel, a bicholor chromis (margaritifier) and a small ocellaris clown. Along with the mollusc etc, I've added 2 hermit crabs. All seem to be doing well (other than the yellow tail having almost like a light blue dot on his lip and forehead, but it may be harmless...

Issue is, I'm currently going through the diatom algae phase, and cant stand to see the top of my liverock formations be smothered with that brown crap. Any tips? New inhabitants? GFO? Polyfilter? Siphoning?

Good to be here, and I appreciate anyone willing to give a newbie some advice!

GY

GucciYoni · Feb 3, 2018

A couple of views, no replies.. is that common in these threads?

Kzguns · Feb 3, 2018

GucciYoni said:
A couple of views, no replies.. is that common in these threads?

How old is the tank? Mine had diatoms about 6 weeks to 12+. What helped was a good clean up crew. Then they gradually went away as the tank matured. Give it time. You must have patience

GucciYoni · Feb 3, 2018

Kzguns said:
How old is the tank? Mine had diatoms about 6 weeks to 12+. What helped was a good clean up crew. Then they gradually went away as the tank matured. Give it time. You must have patience

Could you be specific with clean up crew?

Thanks

Kzguns · Feb 4, 2018

GucciYoni said:
Could you be specific with clean up crew?

Thanks

Snails and crabs. I have a bunch of different ones. Probably around 10-12 snails and 4-5 crabs and when I first put them in the next day most of the rock was clean. They’ll track up the sand but you’ll need to wait it out and let it mature. Nothing happens fast in reef keeping.

Oceanwave45 · Feb 4, 2018

there isnt anything wrong with your tank. Diatoms are what they are. Its a part of starting a new tank. Now if your tank is older and you are having diatoms there could be something wrong with your water. You'll have to check that out. Yes, clean up crew will help but its band-aid. You need to find out what is causing it.

Now, ifs a newer tank allow 6-8 week before it will get better, but it will clear on its own.

DCharbs · Feb 4, 2018

Hi gucciyanni, welcome to club and exciting, sometimes frustrating world of reefing. I am no expert, but here is what I have read and learned over the past 3 years of my experience in the hobby: "The uglies" are a part of establishing your new system and a good indicator that thing are going right if they SLOWLY fade away (as others said "nothing good happens fast"). Patients is a virtue that should be sold with this hobby.

JMetaxas · Feb 4, 2018

You need a good clean up crew. Get at least 12 snails and 20 blue legged hermits.

I have a 65 gallon that cycled a few weeks ago and my diatom bloom was very limited because I put in the clean up crew. Fwiw, i have one Mexican Turbo snail that is huge and he does a lot of the dirty work.