Diatom Algae Won't Go Away

[dodge250]

I have no silicates or nitrates and bright light and my sand is disgusting it's browny gold and every time I do a water change 2 days later Its back but where there is no light there is no diatom algae but when The sands in the light it's every where please help does anything eat it I don't understand I even have sand sifting snails I have 5 what could be wrong

 

[Musho3210]

How old is the tank? Phosphate levels?

 

[dodge250]

Phosphate levels 0 tank is 12 months old

 

[Musho3210]

Phosphate levels 0 tank is 12 months old

I'm stumped then, probably bad test kits.

Add more flow around the sand area.

 

[seffieuk]

I'm really sorry but i have forgotten how big your tank is, but it may well be you just haven't got enough cuc. However as Musho said, may well be your test kit is not correct, which ones are you using and how old are they? You can have phosphate in the tank but when you test it appears to be 0 as the algae is eating it, hence making more algae. have you got any other algae in your tank?

So, a couple of questions there, I would be tempted to get my water checked at the lfs

Seffie x

 

[dodge250]

I have had the test kit a couple of months it's from the company api and my tank is 190 litres and have alot of flow so I am stumped too

 

[TigerIssey]

The api phosphate test is rubbish. During a cyano outbreak with api I consistently got 0.

After changing to Salifert phosphate test my reading was over 1.

A huge difference considering the phosphate is likely tied up in the algae and in your live rock.

Do you use phosphate remover?

 

[Musho3210]

API phosphate isnt reliable as the others have said. Salifert is reliable (if you dont get their frequent bad batches), same with ELOS (dunno if that has reached UK). None are as accurate as electronic phosphate testing, but those meters run in the hundreds. You might want to find someone with an electronic tester and see how your levels add up.

Are you positive its diatoms? It could be a much worse thing like dinoflagellates.

 

[Truck]

if you want an accurate phosphate test kit buy a D+D it may be 30 quid...but its very accurate!

 

[seffieuk]

dinoflagellates.

That always sounds so rude

Seffie x

 

[dodge250]

I use phosphate remover the only test kits that are sold in my area are api kits what do dinoflagellets look like could it be hydrogen sulfide

 

[seffieuk]

You can get them on fleabay

Seffie x

 

[Musho3210]

I use phosphate remover the only test kits that are sold in my area are api kits what do dinoflagellets look like could it be hydrogen sulfide

What phosphate remover? Dinos looks like a mix of cyano, human mucus, and diatoms.

 

[dodge250]

I use a phosphate mat from aqua one it works very well what colour would u get from mucus diatoms and cyno

 

[Musho3210]

I use a phosphate mat from aqua one it works very well what colour would u get from mucus diatoms and cyno

dirty brown

I haven't heard of the aqua mat, but I wouldnt be surprised if GFO is better (it normally is).