how to remove diatoms from sand

mosaphet

Reefing newb
What is the best way to get this gunk out of the sand? My tank is 3 months old and this gunk keeps forming at the bottom. I have been keeping up with my tank maintenance and know this will eventually go away, but for now I am just burring with with sand. A day later it is coming back out of the sand. Am I doing the right thing? :grumble:
 
yea, better get used to them, we all get them, it's part of the cycle. You can siphon them off with your water change also. Cut the lights a little and try to increase the flow in the area.
 
Usually the brown diatom cycle should come then go. 3 months old and still forming may be cause to look further. You shouold probably be seeing more of the green algae and maybe some of the red cyano by the 3 month mark. What are your water params?
 
Thank you for the replies.

My setup:
Started tank with Tap water (I now use a RO now)
Protein Skimmer, Power Head , 10 gallon Refuge with mineral mud (set this up last week).
31 PP Salinity
67 degrees
Nitrite (undetectable)
Nitrate (well within safe)
See this image http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w258/mharmon827/Aquarium/Apr_25_2010_8684.jpg




My Tank Cycle:
To clarify it is purple, not brown like i had in the beginning of my tank. This is what has happened with my tank so far. In month 1 I got brown Diatoms and some green algae. Month 2 I got lots of green algae and the brown diatoms disappeared and thats when i got my clean up crew (12 assorted snails and 6 blue legged hermits, and 1 emerald crab). Month 3 the green algae is under control live rock started to propagate itself onto the base rock and the purple (i think diatoms) appeared on the bottom. It grows back very fast and is trying to climb up my rocks and walls of my tank. This stuff is evil.

Maintenance:
Pinch of flake food in morning and quarter a cube of brine shrimp at night
Clean Protein Skimmer twice a week
10% water change with RO water once every other week.
bury the damn purple diatom on the bottom of the tank daily.
 
If it is diatoms, you are not doomed. Diatoms in and of themselves are harmless. But if it's "climbing" your rocks and glass, it may not be diatoms. Is it slimy? Does it form a "carpet" on your sand?
 
If it is diatoms, you are not doomed. Diatoms in and of themselves are harmless. But if it's "climbing" your rocks and glass, it may not be diatoms. Is it slimy? Does it form a "carpet" on your sand?

Yep Its slimy and it forms a carpet on my sand and small bubbles form on it.. Only takes a day to do it too. =/
 
I just notice you typed that your tank is at 67 degrees. If I'm not mistaken you should keep your tank somwhere between 76-82 F. Probably not the reason for the algae but maybe something to look at nonetheless.
 
Sounds like Cyano. And your tank is about the right age to be expecting it. I have some myself that I am about to start to try and get rid of >.<
 
If its brown and slimy,I'd about bet that its Dinoflagellates.Which is THE WORST problem we face in our tanks.
But lets wait for the pics before we jump on that wagon.
 
That's Cyano. Check your phosphate level, and cut back on your feeding. You don't want to stir it up. Try using a turkey baster, or something similar to suck it up and out of the tank. Doing more water changes when you do this will help as well.
 
+1 Fast
Might've been the tap you initially used. At least you're trying to undo the damage by switching to RO. I'd keep doing water changes, and maybe try to siphon some of it out.
 
Thank for the fast reply. I have sucked almost all of it out and am in the process of doing a 20% water change with RO water. I am also going 24 hours without light for one day and increasing the light back to normal over a period of about a week.
 
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