diatom

i started gettin diatom algea about a week or so ago so i bought a clean up crew and it seems the diatom is gettin worse not better im doin a water change every week about 10% nitrites and amm are 0 and natrate is 5ppm i was just woundering how long it takes to get rid of it

 

Need more info. How long has the tank been running? Have you finished with your cycle? A summary of your set up.

 

i started it 12/31/07 amm and natrites whent up then down then natrates whent up then down to about 5ppm 26g bofront with t5 light i comes on for 8hrs

 

Your still cycling and will continue to for about another two months. Dont do any water changes or add anything. By doing the water changes, you have prolonged the cycling period. Just monitor the NH3/4, NO2 and NO3 until they are steady at zero or close to it.

 

Yep, listen to Luna, just let it go, the diatom's will eventually go away......it's the Cyano that sucks

 

Defintely no more water changes, and do not add anything else to the tank..What is the makeup of your cleaner crew? If you are getting only diatoms, you might start to loose snails and or hermit crabs...They will starve because they have nothing to eat...

 

I am 2 months new to SW. I lost (got rid of) the brown diatoms after a week or two. Next came the green slime and that was another week. I did 5g water changes with distilled or RO water every few days during that time. Which may or may not be good, (i.e. do you spread more than you remove?) depending what you read and believe.

I did add a half dozen hermits and snail over that time. Now all the growth seems to be positive looking red and I'm loving my tank.

I need to go buy a new frag...

 

We've all went through it....

 

well i have 2 clownfish 1 green chromis 1 xenia 1 green polyp and 1 condy ananome what should i do let it all go or keep doin water changes i have them in a 26 gallon and they seem happy but tomorrow im settin up my 75 gallon thank with sump dont know much about sumps but im doin research and it seems like the way to go thankx for all ur guys help

 

if your not running with a sump, what are you using?
do you use carbon?
do you use a skimmer?

stop doing water changes for now. i have a sps reef and cant remember the last time i did a water change. let your system age itself.