diatoms

im having issues with diatoms in my new tank, its been a month since the cycle finished, i have a very light bioload and decent sized clean up crew and still having large diatom issue. not sure how they are still present but are and its quite frustrating.

have no phosphates or nitrates so that is not the issue, my lights run for 10 hours a day so it is not over lighting...any help would be appreciated, im doing weekly 20% WC's and have been for that entire month, but no change in the amount of diatoms, literally covering everything.

 

It should pass on it's own. Mine was terrible and it lasted for 30 days.

 

where are the diatoms present? be patient usually diatoms die off on their own. are you sure its diatoms and not cyano? if present on the sand you could get a diamond goby. mine does a thorough job at keeping my sand bed clean.

 

its everywhere and i have lots of flow (mp10 at max reefcrest on 40 breeder)
on the sand, rocks, back wall, definitely not cyano though

ya i was figuring it would go away on its own, but still hasnt subsided at all, ive been using some filter media in the sump to try get some of it away that i use a turkey baster on, but hasnt really made any change in amount of it.

 

and i already have a yellow watchman goby from previous tank so that wont work, :/ plus that doesnt help the rocks

 

you could trun off you lights for a couple days if you have no corals or live stock (snails should be alright with less light)

 

got both corals and fish from my nano, so that wouldnt really be an option, ive been turning my lights off earlier than normal after like 6-7 hours for the corals to get the light they need to try to help them to subside but no help so far

 

do you have a CUC with snails and hermits?? mine polished off my diatoms in a matter of 48 hours

 

I would double check your phosphates with a new test kit. are you using RO/DI water for your water changes?

 

ya, cuc of about 30 snails, all cerith nassarius and trochus, but no hermits...hermits are the devil haha

ya im using rodi water from a BRS rodi unit 5 stage, im using a phos reactor with rowaphos so i doubt there is any po4 but ill take a sample to my LFS and double check it.