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Is this filamentous diatoms?

xZaiox

Member
Joined
31 Mar 2022
Messages
344
Location
Maidstone, UK
Hi everyone,
I've been struggling with some algae in my tank and I've been focusing on adjusting CO2, which has confused me because it seems like my drop checker dips into the yellow and I get a 1.4-1.5 pH drop. I've now only just found that diatoms can be filamentous (I had assumed it was some sort of green hair/thread algae), and I'm wondering if this is what's going on in my tank? This stuff grows crazy quick... Any advice?
 

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Looks like it. Whenever I see this kind of algae I think of highly lit tanks. What sort of light do you have and what intensity does it run at? +How many hours?
 
Looks like it. Whenever I see this kind of algae I think of highly lit tanks. What sort of light do you have and what intensity does it run at? +How many hours?
I'm using a twinstar 900s on a 180L tank, it's currently dimmed to 45% (in an attempt to limit this growth), and it runs for about 6 hours at 45% and 30 mins ramp up, 30 mins ramp down in the morning/evening. I was previously running it at 70% and have just been continually reducing it downwards, but to be honest it doesn't even seem to be helping.
Hi all,

Roll the strands between your fingers, if they are diatoms they have a <"silicified skeleton"> and <"feel slightly gritty">.

cheers Darrel
Hi Darrel, I just took some out of the tank to have a feel of, and I personally didn't find it gritty, but my partner said he could describe it as gritty. It didn't exactly feel like sand or anything but did cause my fingers to "catch" more while rubbing together. I guess I'm a bit unsure of just how "gritty" it should feel.
 
Hi all,
anything but did cause my fingers to "catch" more while rubbing together. I guess I'm a bit unsure of just how "gritty" it should feel.
That sounds <"like diatoms">, when combined with the colour ("<green algae"> are usually grass green). <"Oedogonium spp">. are yellowish, but really silky and slimy.

cheers Darrel
 
I'm using a twinstar 900s on a 180L tank, it's currently dimmed to 45% (in an attempt to limit this growth), and it runs for about 6 hours at 45% and 30 mins ramp up, 30 mins ramp down in the morning/evening. I was previously running it at 70% and have just been continually reducing it downwards, but to be honest it doesn't even seem to be helping.
Hmm. How long has it been running at 45%?
We're definitely going to need all the info outlined in this post, after that Im sure some smarter people than me can help you get to the bottom of it :thumbup:
 
Hi all,

That sounds <"like diatoms">, when combined with the colour ("<green algae"> are usually grass green). <"Oedogonium spp">. are yellowish, but really silky and slimy.

cheers Darrel
Do you have any suggestions on how to go about tackling it? I'm confused since my CO2 seems right, if anything it's more to the yellow side on the drop checker with a pH drop of either 1.4 or 1.5 :confused:
Hmm. How long has it been running at 45%?
We're definitely going to need all the info outlined in this post, after that Im sure some smarter people than me can help you get to the bottom of it :thumbup:
It's been at 45% for about a week now, and granted that's not a long time, but this algae seems to grow substantially within 3-4 days anyway. Before that I had it at 60%, and before that 70%. Also, my apologies, I missed the guidelines post, here's the details! -

1. Size of tank in litres. - 180L
2. Age of the set - up. - Tank was fishless cycled for about 8 weeks, then planted after the tank could process 5 ppm of ammonia in 24hrs, it's been planted for about 5 weeks.
3. Filtration. - Fluval 407 (pump performance 1450 L/h)
4. Lighting and duration. - Twinstar 900S, currently dimmed to 45%. Duration is 6 hours at 45% with a 30 min ramp up and down in the morning/evening.
5. Substrate. - The substrate is separated, the plants are in Seachem's Flourite at the back and sides, while there is sand at the front.
6. Co2 dosing or Non-dosing. - CO2 with dual stage regulator, currently at around 5 BPS, drop checker is on the more yellow side.
7. Fertilizers used & Ratios. - I'm using EI dosing with full ratios i.e potassium nitrate, potassium phosphate, magnesium sulfate etc. On micro days I'm dosing CSM+B with additional DTPA Iron (due to high pH tap water) and Seachem's ferrous iron.
8. Water change regime and type. - 50% water change every week on Sundays, filter clean every alternative clean (i.e each 2 weeks).
9. Plant list + When planted. - Micranthemum Monte Carlo, Rotala rotundifolia 'Green', Limnophila hippuridoides, Hottonia palustris, Blyxa Japonica, Murdannia keisak, Pogostemon erectus, Hygrophila Compacta, Microsorum Pteropus, Microsorum Narrow Leaf, Microsorum pteropus Trident, Anubias Barteri, Anubias nana Coin, Hygrophila polysperma Rosanervig, Cryptocoryne x willisii, Bucephalandra Kedagang, Pogostemon helferi
10. Inhabitants. - Currently 13 cardinal tetras. I also have other fish in quarantine that will soon be added, these will be 1 dwarf gourami, another 5 cardinal tetras, and 5 dwarf ram cichlids.
11. Full tank shot & Surface Image. - I've uploaded these here, please note I have just removed a large amount of the problem algae, it was much worse this morning (i.e the pics in my original post). The surface is crystal clear due to my skimmer intake.
 

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