Diatoms - Brown Algae - Research and Testing
Dec 8, 2016 18:44:22 GMT -5
Mastiffman/ Duramax7Man7 likes this
Post by fishy408 on Dec 8, 2016 18:44:22 GMT -5
Hi Guys,
Over the past few months I have been battling brown algae in my 90g Tropheus Tank. It's totally cool watching the Tropheus pecking at it but my brown algae is out of control. If I were to clean and scrub my tank, rocks, plants, and everything else; it only takes about 7 days before everything is covered again. Brown algae has taken the enjoyment and relaxation out of watching my aquarium.
Normal Maintenance: (some notes).
50% water change 1/week - this include siphoning the sand.
Water parameters are excellent.
Filters Socks are cleaned out weekly.
Glass scrubbing 1/week before water change.
Lights 8hrs/day
Direct Sunlight - usually I have no direct sunlight, but since it's winter season I now get about 1/hour direct sunlight a day.
Even with my normal maintenance, my fish tank has become a diatom factory.
Things I have read:
1) Lower the usage of lighting.
2) Add a UV sterilizer as it will kill all the algae/diatoms in the water.
3) Add Phosguard to reduce phosphate and silicates.
4) Add a Media Reactor to increase the performance of the Phosguard.
5) Don't use Tap, Use RO/DI water.
Things I have tried:
1) Lower the usage of lighting: This did not work for me.
2) Added a UV sterilizer. I truly thought this would work, but it did not.
3) Added Phosguard into a media bag and tossed it into a high flow area in the sump. This also did not work.
4) Adde Phosguard and Carbon into my newly acquired dual media reactor. This also did not work.
At this point I am thinking that the silicates and phosphates in my Tap Water are extremely high or must be. I wanted to purchase a RO/DI system, but the thought of this system in maintenance work was overwhelming. So before I go that route, I read two more things.
Additional things I have read.
1) Add Bristle Nose Plecos to help control the algae.
2) LED spectrum? Turn off blue/red and only leave white light on.
Next Step:
1) I added two 4" bristlenose plecos and changed my light settings to white only. It has been 3 days since I have done this and I'm awaiting results. By the 7th day I'll have a good idea if things are working or not.
Any advice would be helpful.
thanks
-Michael
Over the past few months I have been battling brown algae in my 90g Tropheus Tank. It's totally cool watching the Tropheus pecking at it but my brown algae is out of control. If I were to clean and scrub my tank, rocks, plants, and everything else; it only takes about 7 days before everything is covered again. Brown algae has taken the enjoyment and relaxation out of watching my aquarium.
Normal Maintenance: (some notes).
50% water change 1/week - this include siphoning the sand.
Water parameters are excellent.
Filters Socks are cleaned out weekly.
Glass scrubbing 1/week before water change.
Lights 8hrs/day
Direct Sunlight - usually I have no direct sunlight, but since it's winter season I now get about 1/hour direct sunlight a day.
Even with my normal maintenance, my fish tank has become a diatom factory.
Things I have read:
1) Lower the usage of lighting.
2) Add a UV sterilizer as it will kill all the algae/diatoms in the water.
3) Add Phosguard to reduce phosphate and silicates.
4) Add a Media Reactor to increase the performance of the Phosguard.
5) Don't use Tap, Use RO/DI water.
Things I have tried:
1) Lower the usage of lighting: This did not work for me.
2) Added a UV sterilizer. I truly thought this would work, but it did not.
3) Added Phosguard into a media bag and tossed it into a high flow area in the sump. This also did not work.
4) Adde Phosguard and Carbon into my newly acquired dual media reactor. This also did not work.
At this point I am thinking that the silicates and phosphates in my Tap Water are extremely high or must be. I wanted to purchase a RO/DI system, but the thought of this system in maintenance work was overwhelming. So before I go that route, I read two more things.
Additional things I have read.
1) Add Bristle Nose Plecos to help control the algae.
2) LED spectrum? Turn off blue/red and only leave white light on.
Next Step:
1) I added two 4" bristlenose plecos and changed my light settings to white only. It has been 3 days since I have done this and I'm awaiting results. By the 7th day I'll have a good idea if things are working or not.
Any advice would be helpful.
thanks
-Michael
