Hi,
I seem to suffer from persistent diatoms.
To give background, I've had a 64L low-tech tank for about a year. It suffered from diatoms for most of that year until I eventually started double-dosing EasyCarbo. Now I'm happy with plant growth in that tank and it's all clear of diatoms.
A couple of months ago I set up a 120L yeast-CO2 tank and it is also suffering from diatoms. It's taken me a while to get to grips with the CO2 but I think I've finally got it stable. It has no other algae but I want to get rid of the diatoms.
I would like to keep amano shrimp in this tank and would prefer not to dose EasyCarbo, certainly not at double dosage...
I've never kept shrimp before so I have no idea if they will eat my diatoms for me. I'm hoping they will! But even if they don't I want shrimp anyway.
I'd like some advice on the best way to deal with the problem, should I:
Add shrimp and let them clean up the diatoms?
Nuke the tank with EasyCarbo for a couple of weeks until the diatoms disappear, then stop the EasyCarbo and add shrimp?
Blackout the tank for a few days then add shrimp?
Add both shrimp and snails to eat the diatoms - if so then what would be the best species of snail?
Thanks!
I seem to suffer from persistent diatoms.
To give background, I've had a 64L low-tech tank for about a year. It suffered from diatoms for most of that year until I eventually started double-dosing EasyCarbo. Now I'm happy with plant growth in that tank and it's all clear of diatoms.
A couple of months ago I set up a 120L yeast-CO2 tank and it is also suffering from diatoms. It's taken me a while to get to grips with the CO2 but I think I've finally got it stable. It has no other algae but I want to get rid of the diatoms.
I would like to keep amano shrimp in this tank and would prefer not to dose EasyCarbo, certainly not at double dosage...
I've never kept shrimp before so I have no idea if they will eat my diatoms for me. I'm hoping they will! But even if they don't I want shrimp anyway.
I'd like some advice on the best way to deal with the problem, should I:
Add shrimp and let them clean up the diatoms?
Nuke the tank with EasyCarbo for a couple of weeks until the diatoms disappear, then stop the EasyCarbo and add shrimp?
Blackout the tank for a few days then add shrimp?
Add both shrimp and snails to eat the diatoms - if so then what would be the best species of snail?
Thanks!