So....

[K.J.]

I have a bad diatom infestation in my tank and recently we've switched to compact fluorescent which probably gives us way too much light, but it was either that or let the whole tank die. Diatoms are still growing. I want to stop them, but I don't have nearly enough money to buy whole new plants. Will I have to discard the plants I have and start anew (or rather, get plastic plants.... ugh) or can I still stop it?

 

[Themuleous]

Get an otto or two, they love the stuff!

Sam

 

[arif_93]

get some algae eaters such as:
any freshwater shrimps ( my favourite are cherry shrimps)
otos
siamese algae eaters
cory cats
these are the nice lookin critters that love algae

 

[Themuleous]

Ottos are best for diatoms.

BTW siamese algae eaters get quite big, 6" after a time so only get those if you can home them long term. They also in my experience get bored of eating algae and eat the normal fish food, so stop doing the job you added them for!

Sam

 

[three-fingers]

any freshwater shrimps ( my favourite are cherry shrimps)

It's worth pointing out that not all shrimp eat algae, and some eat algae considerably more than others.
For example, lots of lfs sell juvenile Macrobrachium sp. as 'algae eating shrimp', 'freshwater shrimp' or 'glass shrimp'.
These shrimp eat little to no algae when young, and will quickly turn into 10cm+ (depending on species) fish killers that will rip a planted tank to shreds.

Of the proper algae eating shrimp, the amano shrimp is most effective (heres a picture). If the shrimp has long clearly definable claws like the picture below, it is Macrobrachium sp. It could be a ghost shrimp instead, but while got shrimp wont do any harm, they are rubbish at eating algae .

And otos are by far the best at eating diatoms, my shrimp never ate brown diatoms off the glass, which is understandable. I got a nerite snail to do that instead, and it was gone in no time.

 

[nry]

Not sure if corydoras catfish can be classed as algae eaters?

 

[three-fingers]

Unfortunately not, they cant eat diatom algae and will barely touch algae of any description unless they are really hungry.
They will eat algae wafers though, and in nature there will probably be at least one species of corydoras that feeds extensively periphyton.
In an aquarium however, they are essentially useless algae eaters .