Diatoms

[Geezer From Freezer]

ok, I've been having problems with algae/diatoms. My nitrate levels are
consistantly under 20PPM
but I keep getting Algae or diatoms (depending on how long I leave the lights
on). I'm
assuming I have high levels of phosphates or silicates in my tap water. What is
the best
way to combat this problem? Would a UV steralizer help any? Or should I go for
an anti-algae
chemical? Will this destory my plants?

[Geezer From Freezer]

bought a phosphate tester - blooming expensive!

[[email protected]]

it is due to food, and using a tank scraper is the best way of dealing with it.... or
build a pond. Ingrid

Geezer From Freezer > wrote:

>ok, I've been having problems with algae/diatoms. My nitrate levels are
>consistantly under 20PPM
>but I keep getting Algae or diatoms (depending on how long I leave the lights
>on). I'm
>assuming I have high levels of phosphates or silicates in my tap water. What is
>the best
>way to combat this problem? Would a UV steralizer help any? Or should I go for
>an anti-algae
>chemical? Will this destory my plants?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

[Geezer From Freezer]

wrote:
>
> it is due to food, and using a tank scraper is the best way of dealing with it.... or
> build a pond. Ingrid

I don't over feed, and there main diet is Progold. Pond, heheheh I wish!
I do use a tank scraper, but within a couple of weeks its built up again.
The tanks bottom is littered with diatoms! It's not a problem for the fishies,
but is unsightly. I don't mind any build-up on the back. Was wondering if a UV
steralizer
would help.

[MartinOsirus]

>
>
>ok, I've been having problems with algae/diatoms. My nitrate levels are
>consistantly under 20PPM
>but I keep getting Algae or diatoms (depending on how long I leave the lights
>on). I'm
>assuming I have high levels of phosphates or silicates in my tap water. What
>is
>the best
>way to combat this problem

I am going to try a phosphate/silicate remover ( phos-sorb). I have the same
problem

[botrus]

> >ok, I've been having problems with algae/diatoms.



what about adding 1 ancistrus temneki in your tank?
Botrus

[Geezer From Freezer]

bought a phosphate tester, going to test tonight.
I suppose at the end of the day I could always consider
a bristlenose pleco.

[[email protected]]

if it is only a couple weeks, then scrape it off around the time of water changes.
that isnt that big a deal. put on more light and instead of brown it will be green.
Ingrid

Geezer From Freezer > wrote:
wrote:
>>
>> it is due to food, and using a tank scraper is the best way of dealing with it.... or
>> build a pond. Ingrid
>
>I don't over feed, and there main diet is Progold. Pond, heheheh I wish!
>I do use a tank scraper, but within a couple of weeks its built up again.
>The tanks bottom is littered with diatoms! It's not a problem for the fishies,
>but is unsightly. I don't mind any build-up on the back. Was wondering if a UV
>steralizer
>would help.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

[E.Otter]

I was in a similar situation some months ago. I didn't have a real algae
problem, I just got sick of looking at the small amount that I did have and
cleaning it. I bought a phosphate tester and even something called "The
Phosphate+Silicate Magnet". The phosphate always measured off the tester's
chart and I read in the instructions that freshwater tanks always have a
high phosphate levels without problems and its sal****er tanks where
measuring and controlling phosphates becomes critical.

By the way, don't buy the "The Phosphate+Silicate Magnet". It seriously
fouled my filter and removing it did result in an algae bloom.

I got rid of the algae bloom by shutting off the light for a month,
scrubbing the algae off everything, doing lots of water changes, and, even
though people here don't recommend it, adding Jungle labs "No More Algae
Tank Buddies". Been algae-bloom free for 4 months. I still get a small
amount of algae and I still don't like looking at it. But I scrub it off
stuff, do a water change, and its gone.

"Geezer From Freezer" > wrote in message
...
bought a phosphate tester, going to test tonight.
I suppose at the end of the day I could always consider
a bristlenose pleco.