# Diatom outbreak



## destructo (Aug 12, 2009)

(Not most recent pic)

I have a lot of brown algae (diatoms) that is covering my plants and glass that I would like to get rid of. I do use a magnet cleaner for the glass and try to rub off the rest from the plants, but it just seems to come back with in a week or so.

My water seems to be on the good side, however my nitrates had bottomed out, so I started dosing Nitrogen to raise it a bit, and it now sits at 0.5ppm

I do dose once a week with the other Seachem's ferts according to the directions on the bottles.

My tank specs

Size: 75gal
Lights: Aquaticlife T5 HO (108watts) (8hr/day)
CO2: Pressurized 
Filter: Eheim 2217 (cleaned once every 2 months)
Substrate: 80lbs Eco-Complete.

I have been doing some research and some threads suggest using a phosphate remover in the filter to control the phosphates and silicates.

My question would be doesn't a planted tank need phosphates? 
Can anyone give me some other suggestions?


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## Will (Jul 24, 2008)

Plants do need phosphates. Some plants need it in very high levels (H.polysperma for example- which it looks like you have...) If you want, filter out silicates only. _Some _algaes can even appear specifically in low phosphate environments.

If silicates are the problem, doing a coule waterchages with RO water is helpful. Remember to add the nutrients back into the water- as RO is devoid of nutrients and can quickly harm plants. Eitherway Diatom blooms tend to be quite shortlived, and usually common in the first few months of a tanks lifespan.

Many catfish are very efficient diatom algae eaters. Bristlenose and Otos are favourites of course. Base on your plants I would suggest the smaller species, or leaner types, like otos, farlowellas, whiptails, royal whips.

Don't panic, this tend to be one of the easier outbreaks imo.


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