Diatoms Covering all of my Plants

[gcis]

I have had my 55 gallon tank up and going for about 14 months and I have changed over from plastic to real plants. I have 120 watts over it right now and I am contemplating reducing it to 80 watts because some of my low light plants are struggling. In addition to this I have a reoccurring problem with brown algae covering the substrate, artificial rock, and the leaves of my plants. I have scrubbed it off, cleaned the filter, vacuumed the gravel, and even lightly brushed it off my plants but it always come back.

I was running my lights for about 12 hours a day but I am going to push it back to 8 hrs a day at 120 watts for a couple of days to see if that helps. If not I will reduce the watts to 80 to see if maybe I am giving too much light during the photo period. I dose Seachem Flourish once a week with no ferts or CO2.

Alot of the threads that I have read about diatoms say that they eventually just vanish. I do a 25% water change about every 5-7 days. Will this stuff hurt my plants?

 

[MrGoodbytes]

With the light you have, you're in the low end of the range where you want to add CO2. I have a feeling that this is the factor limiting your plant growth. What is your aquarium stocked with? What are your nitrates measuring at? You seem to have enough for the algae but your plants can't out-compete them for nutrients. Keep in mind that plants (and many animals for that matter) can only grow as fast as the minimum source of fuel/nutrients allows (much like the limiting reagent in chemistry experiments).

 

[Riiz]

Brown algae thats coats all surfaces are called Diatoms, they are usually rampant in new aquariums and usually leave on their own after awhile. But I've seen them rampant on slow growing plants with broad-leaves and photo-periods that are too long.

Good call on reducing your photo-period already, also if you have the room, Otocinclus love diatoms as well.

 

[Fordtrannyman]

Diatoms are usually brought on by silicates or Not Enough Light.
What type of lighting and Kelvin rating(s) are your bulbs?
Have you recently introduced anything new, like a piece of man made aquarium decor?
What is your flora and fauna load?

 

[gcis]

Pics and Answers

I have 3 x 40 watt T12 6700K flourescent lights over the tank. I might cut it down to two of the bulbs if I continue to have problems. I have attached some photos of my struggling plants. I wonder if I should up my dosage of Flourish to two times a week? Would that help them outcompete the algae? Also, the anubias I have up on the rock........are they too high in the water column? Thanks.

My tank stock is:

15 neon tetras (would like to up it to 25.....waiting for my quarantine tank to finish cycling though.....last five that I added had ick)
6 Peppered Corys
2 Cherry Barbs
3 Ivory Mystery Snails

I would also like to eventually add a pair of Bolivian Rams but I definitely want to get my plant situation straightened out.

 

[grannylvsfish]

ugh, I can not tell you how I hated that on my 55 to. it was maddning since the tank was up over a year and still producing it. all over the place and I hated to have to clean it 2 times a week. I found out 2 things.... when I took away the filters that were made for my back filters ( the ones with the charcoal in them) my brown algae went away, and all of a sudden so did this green algae that carpeted my drift wood and tank disapear. relieve was awsome!!! I buy the thick blue pad stuff on ebay I cut to fit the cartridges

 

[Phyroath]

Yeah you got the same diatom problem as i did 3 months ago. Did all the possible means but could not get rid of it. Fordtrannyman found what I did to my tank with a piece of metal used for PVC connection. Highlight and algae eater have helped me a lot - pleco likes Brown algae but it is too big. I got China eaters every efficient in cleaning everything but they are very aggressive to other fish.

 

[Arakkis]

nerites snails would love to eat them

 

[gcis]

Has anyone else removed diatoms by changing the filter?

grannylvsfish mentioned that the diatoms in her tank were cleared up by changing the filter media........has anyone else had the same success? would you suggest filter floss? should I use activated carbon or ammo chips?

 

[DominionDesign]

Brown algae/diatoms cant grow without silicates. 2 common sources are the tap water being used and having silica sand in the tank. I saw in the pics you have gravel, by any chance is there sand under it? If it is your source water a deionization filter will remove it.