Brown algae. Diatoms?

Hi all

Here is my setup
55gal
26c.temp
Sal 1.024
Ph 8.2
Alk 10
Nitrates nitrites ammonia all 0
Mag 1300
Phos 0.15

Hardware
Canister filter with Rowa Phos, live rock and Phos sponge

3 powerheads
Mce300 skimmer
Lighting
2x t5. Hybrid 60% White 40% blue

25kg live rock

Livestock.
2 clowns 2"
1 lemonpeel angel3"
1 bicolour blenny2"
1 chromis 1"
1 royal dotty back 2"
1 baby regal tang 1"
5 head torch coral
Green shrooms
Trumpet and finger leather
Xenia

3 turbo snails
5 hermit
1 emerald crab (M.I.A)

Basically I upgraded my skimmer from a tmc 600 v2. To a deltec mce300, Days after I did this. I have had huge diatom outbreak. I expected this due to the introduction of silicates from the skimmer. But it's been 6 weeks and it shows no sign of leaving

Tank has been up 9 months and I do 10% water change fortnightly

Cannot add a sump nor fuge
All water is RO
Any ideas?

 

Hey bullets - from what I can see - all of your water params are fine. But when you are having an outbreak that means there is a good deal of the excess nutrients that you are testing for that you do not see in your results because they are being taken up by the algae/cyano.

That being said, the other thing I noticed is that in a 55, if you only have a few turbo snails and a few hermit crabs with an MIA emerald crab, you are a bit light on the CUC IMO.

For that size tank I'd want several snails per gallon. I personally am a huge fan of dwarf ceriths. Unfortunately, I am guessing that you live on the Eastern edge of the Atlantic Ocean (UK?) and the individual whom many of the members here would recommend to get these snails from cannot ship internationally at this point.

However, if you can get your hands on: cerith snails, florida ceriths, nassarius, nerites, zig zag periwinkles, astrea, limpets, or virgin nerite snails - I would get them as they will all help with your cyano problem and will help to keep it under control in the long term.

As for the bloom you are seeing now, flow seems to be one of the great aides in ridding of cyanobacteria which is what it sounds like you have. Do you know how many gallons/litres per hour each of your powerheads is moving?

I recent increased the flow in my tank from 20 to 60 turnovers per hour and I have not seen even a trace of cyano since the upgrade.


Hope some of this info helps!