Yet another post about diatoms...

Okay fellow reefers,

My tank looks like crap! please help I've been experiencing a diatom
bloom in my tank. I have read that they are 'good' and usually go away
on their own. I've had these diatom things in my tank for over 2
months now and its getting frustrating.

some pics:

http://flickr.com/photos/mario_valen...7594207229049/

http://flickr.com/photos/mario_valen...7594207229049/
(does anyone know if that is hair algae in the above picture?!?!?)

http://flickr.com/photos/mario_valen...7594207229049/

I've been fighting the urge to do water changes, thinking it might
inadvertently 'feed' the diatoms more.

my lights are on about 11-12 hours per day. i top-off with distilled
water (nothing from tap). i dose c-balance to maintain calcium ~ 450.
my last water change was about 4-5 weeks ago (20%). i don't overfeed.

What do i need to do to reduce the growth of this stuff? an RO/DI
water source is not available to me, hence why the distilled water.

please advise!

Your tank is still cycling, Diatom is are natural part of the cycle.. it
happens, unfortunately it make your tank look like crap for a while..
Nitrites are still breaking down, it takes time... patients ..Read up on
it..
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/alg...a/aa091100.htm

Thanks..

Started tank up in july. Isn't ~2months a bit long for this to keep
occuring? Shoudl i be siphoning this stuff out? perform water
changes? cut back light?

or just let it run its course and hope for the best?

-malto

Peter Pan wrote:
Your tank is still cycling, Diatom is are natural part of the cycle.. it
happens, unfortunately it make your tank look like crap for a while..
Nitrites are still breaking down, it takes time... patients ..Read up on
it..
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/alg...a/aa091100.htm

For diatoms, just let it run it's course.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



Malto wrote on 9/15/2006 10:07 AM:
Thanks..

Started tank up in july. Isn't ~2months a bit long for this to keep
occuring? Shoudl i be siphoning this stuff out? perform water
changes? cut back light?

or just let it run its course and hope for the best?

-malto

Peter Pan wrote:
Your tank is still cycling, Diatom is are natural part of the cycle.. it
happens, unfortunately it make your tank look like crap for a while..
Nitrites are still breaking down, it takes time... patients ..Read up on
it..
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/alg...a/aa091100.htm

Hey Malto,

Try this :
http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Prod...lyID_5626.aspx

I was introduced to it back when I was in the same phase you were. My
tank's cycle lasted less than a month. I can't guarantee that's what you
need but I really do think it will help. I now know a few people who have
used it and their cycle went much faster.

It's cheap so why not?! Yeah, there might be a few nay sayers on this
newsgroup about this, but I know my friends' experience and my own
experience showed me this works.

Good luck and be patient just a bit longer.

Bryan
picks of my diatoms and bubbles from a few months back:
www.geocities.com/bryg30



"Malto" wrote in message
ups.com...
Okay fellow reefers,

My tank looks like crap! please help I've been experiencing a diatom
bloom in my tank. I have read that they are 'good' and usually go away
on their own. I've had these diatom things in my tank for over 2
months now and its getting frustrating.

some pics:

http://flickr.com/photos/mario_valen...7594207229049/

http://flickr.com/photos/mario_valen...7594207229049/
(does anyone know if that is hair algae in the above picture?!?!?)

http://flickr.com/photos/mario_valen...7594207229049/

I've been fighting the urge to do water changes, thinking it might
inadvertently 'feed' the diatoms more.

my lights are on about 11-12 hours per day. i top-off with distilled
water (nothing from tap). i dose c-balance to maintain calcium ~ 450.
my last water change was about 4-5 weeks ago (20%). i don't overfeed.

What do i need to do to reduce the growth of this stuff? an RO/DI
water source is not available to me, hence why the distilled water.

please advise!