Diatoms all over the tank glass?

[pumadog]

Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong?

My tank has been set up for about 5 months now, and I keep getting brown algae or diatoms all over my glass. I scrap it off and a few days its already coming back.

salinity is 1.023, nitrites and ammonie 0, nitrates 20, phosphates .25, temp is 78, and I run the lights about 10 hours a day.

I'm sure its because of nitrates and phosphates, but nothing I try works to get them down. water changes, phosban, and feeding less are having no affects on it. I have been doing 10% weekly. its a 100 gallon tank with 30 gallon sump. should I do more? View attachment 22430

any other suggestions or ideas? I just got into this hobby and so frustrated with this "dirty" tank that I want to sell everything. please help.

 

[CRW Reef]

Couple questions:

Are you running a sump or wet dry?

Are you using tap water or RO water?

Is this a reef or fish only? If reef I would bump salinity up between 1.024 - 1.026

Have you recently lost any fish or added any used dry rock?

What are your lights and how old are the bulbs if T5 or Halide?

 

[Salty1]

I clean my glass every other day

 

[CRW Reef]

However tank is still young and had not fully cycled yet so algae blooms are not uncommon for "new" tanks. Nitrates are very high as you know so find root of that should be primary goal IMO

 

[pumadog]

I am using a sump, with protein skimmer, UV, some chaeto, and use RO water.

It is mostly fish, but I do have a few small corals, polys and mushrooms, easy stuff.

Haven't added any new rock or anything. I did lose a cleaner shrimp that I had for a couple weeks. I thought he molted again based on what I saw floating around, but I haven't saw him since.

I have LED lights and then two bulb t-5 with 10k and actinic lights and these are brand new, bought them week ago.

I'm not sure how to find the root of the problem for the nitrates.

 

[pumadog]

salty1, do you have a new tank too?

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

You could decrease your photo period from 10 hours down to 7 or 8? It sounds like you don't have any high demand corals that need a ton of light, so maybe having the lights on for less will decrease some of the algae's photosynthetic drive?

What do you have for a clean up crew? Anything that will go after algae and detritus?

One other thought, do you check the TDS (total dissolved solids) of the RO water after it exits your filters? Maybe it is time to change those water filters in your RODI unit, especially if you bought it used and don't know how old they are?

 

[pumadog]

I have a bunch of different snails and crabs, and a blenny that likes to eat whatever is on the glass too, but can't keep up.

I have not checked the RO water, but I bought it new a few months ago.

 

[pumadog]

I did just check the phosphate level in the RO water and its exactly the same as the color from the tank and is about the .25. Is that normal for RO water to have phosphates or is there a way to eliminate that?

 

[TheRealChrisBrown]

What's the phosphate level of your tap water?

 

[SynDen]

I did just check the phosphate level in the RO water and its exactly the same as the color from the tank and is about the .25. Is that normal for RO water to have phosphates or is there a way to eliminate that?

What kind of container is your ro and mixing tank in? Some non-food safe plastic containers can leach phosphates into the water. You need to determine if it is coming form the containers or it is something making it through the ro. If its making it through the RO then what is your TDS at, cause you might need new filters for it, but if its the container you are going to need to replace it with a food safe container that wont leach phosphates

 

[pumadog]

the same .25

 

[SynDen]

Which test kit are you using for phosphates? and what RO unit are you using?

 

[pumadog]

its a APEC water ROES-50 unit. and its a API phosphate test kit.

I use 5 gallon water jugs to mix the water.

 

[Andrew_bram]

You said a bunch of different snail what kinds and how many. From the picture i could not see any. In my tank you can always see at least a couple snails on the glass at any given time.

 

[pumadog]

cerith x 20, margarita x 10, bumble bee x 5, nassarius x 20, fighting conch x 2, zebra turbo x 5.

but alot have died so not sure how many are still around. probably half or less. I don't want to add anymore until I figure out the issues, I imagine nitrates hurt them.

 

[Andrew_bram]

Dumb question but do you have a protein skimmer.

 

[pumadog]

yes, I do.

 

[SynDen]

I would not trust that API kit especially for phosphates, you should look into some other test kits for one. Phosphates are notoriously hard to measure even for the best test kits and API is good for ph an ammonia tests but phosphates I would use salfiferts or red sea kits.

 

[Andrew_bram]

How big are you skimming wet or dry. Also with the snails if the die that is going to release everything the ate back so make sure to remove the dead ones. Was the ro unit used or new when you bought it.