Fighting Brown Diatom Algae for 1 Year

[uncleken]

Thanks in advance for reading my long story since I’m feed up with the Brown Diatom Algae in my tank. I’ve searched thru the threads ahead of time, and I can’t find one instance that closely resembles my situation. Why I seek your advice.

Tank Established: 11/23/2007
36 Gallon Bow Front Aquarium (AGA & using the Bulb came w/ the Hood Kit)
6 Silver Tip Tetra and 3 Gold Barb.
Fluval 305 – Carbon bottom, Seachem PhosGuard Mid Level, BioMax Media Top level.
Penquin Bio-Wheel 150
Water Source: Well Water - using home filtration system w/ softener. (sodium chloride tablets)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
All Plastic Plants – just a few. I’m sick of cleaning them.
Fake Rock and Fake Tree Stump decoration
Gravel Substrate
Water Temp: 74 F
Tetra AquaSafe Water Conditioner
Fish are feed 1/Day & usually what they consume in 2-3 minutes.

I have been battling a Brown Diatom Algae problem for easily 1 year. I know this because I went back and checked my logs and dated 2/16/08 when I added my True SAE’s as a suggestion to eat the stuff (I’ve since lost all of them and never replaced)

Water Changes are done every 2-3 weeks. Typically 30% with a gravel clean – The tank is completely covered by this time anyway. I remove all the plants & decorations and give them a fresh water cleaning & scrub as well. It seems like the more I clean, the more Brown Algae each time. Last water change 1/26/09.

Carbon Filter Changes are done every 1 ½ to 2 months.

To date, I've tried the following:

1. Marc Weiss Algae Magic - 1st dose Schedule completed on 1/17/09 - you have to wait 2 weeks for the 2nd dose.

2. 1/29/09 started Seachem PhosGuard in the Fluval. I've got a 1/4 cup each of media in 2 filter bags. Is this too little?

Here’s the most perplexing part of this puzzle…I also have a 16 gallon bowfront going - using same water, gravel, conditioner etc and it has very little if any brown algae at all. Plus, this tank gets more daytime light than the 36G.

I am researching the Vortex Diatom Filter and an RO/DI unit.

Will the Vortex Diatom Filter help?
Will an RO/DI unit help?

Any and all advice/recommendations are welcome...Thank you.

[AngelMom]

It appears that your tank has never cycled? If you are removing and cleaning all the decorations every time you do a water change you are removing the bacteria needed to cycle the tank and it's possible I suppose. Have you ever gotten any ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate?

Phosphates do not contribute to diatomaceous algae. This stuff usually goes away on it's own within a few weeks after the tank has completed cycling.

I'd be concerned that by adding so many chemicals and doing cleanings that are too thorough that you've somehow kept the tank from maturing properly.

[uncleken]

It’s highly possible this is the case; however I always get Zero Ammonia & Nitrites. Nitrates barely registers by the time I do a water change.

When I set the tank up, I remember that I got the spike and drop on both Ammonia & Nitrites. According to my log, it took about 1-2 months for this to happen.

I’ve also had all the Silver Tip Tetras since May 2008 – wouldn’t I have lost them by now? Then again, I’ve added and lost 4 Dwarf Gouramis, 2 Apisto’s, 4 True SAE’s & 2 Gold Barb’s since 11/2007. Some from disease – septicemia, fin rot, and a couple of mystery deaths. PS, my pH is consistently 8.2

How does one determine if this is the case and what do you do to re-cycle if necessary?

PS, I only started adding Algae Magic a few weeks ago and the PhosGuard this weekend. Other than that, nothing but water conditioner goes in the water.

[AngelMom]

Hmmm ... OK, if we assume the tank did cycle properly based on your recording the ammonia and nitrite spikes a year or so ago (and the 1-2 month span is about right), and take at face value that you have low nitrates (zero or next to zero is almost never heard of unless one has tons of live plants) then we'd have to look at an excess of something that would be feeding the diatoms. In most tanks this isn't a problem, but since your source water is from a well, it's always possible there is something there,

The only thing I've ever heard of that would sustain diatoms in a freshwater aquarium is silicates (there may be other things, but that's the only one I've ever seen mentioned). The test for silicates is tough to find (and they tend to be specialty items) but you could try to use deionized (DI) or reverse osmosis (RO) water for your water changes and see if that helps. If you go that route, keep in mind that you'll need to add minerals into the DI/RO water. When I was using DI water for my discus tanks I used Kent's RO Right.

It's interesting what some fish will adapt to. I've seen fish live in really filthy tanks that were so bad the poor fish had to be slowly acclimated back to "good" water conditions. Not suggesting you have that situation, just throwing it out as an example of how hardy fish can be. ;)

[uncleken]

Thank you for the suggestions...

But, I'm now really concerned that I did not properly get the tank fully cycled and matured. Especially when you say it's almost unheard of for Zero Nitrates.

Maybe my test kit liquid is not working properly. I tested 2 vials of water for Nitrates one after the next and got Zero on both readings.

I'm using the API Liquid Drops Test Kit to test for Ammonia, Nitrates etc.

Can you provide the following:

1. The proper procedure for me to recycle a tank that's been around for over 1 year?

2. Your thoughts on the Vortex Diatom Filter?

[AngelMom]

You don't need to do anything for a tank to cycle ... if there are fish in it, it will cycle. ;) If you are testing for ammonia and nitrite regularly and aren't seeing any fish stress or bacterial blooms (white cloudy water) you're probably OK ... though you would expect to see a small bloom if too much is cleaned thoroughly at once. How old is your test kit? They are generally good for about 12 - 18 months once they are opened. It's entirely probable that the kit may be near it's expiration and that's why you aren't seeing any nitrates.

I don't know much about any of the diatom filters other than they are a water polisher designed to remove particulates from the water. Maybe someone else will comment on that,

[uncleken]

Hello again & Thank You..

Now that you've mentioned it, I have experienced cloudy water after a cleaning. I suspected this was the case. :)

PS and not sure if you can comment on this one...

I have Seachem PhosGuard running in the mid level basket on the Fluval 305. According to the directions, I needed 1/2 cup total. What I did was put 1/4 cup into each of the 2 media bags and placed them in divided basket.

Question - Is it ok to add more per bag to increase contact with the water? It just didn't seem like enough per bag when laid it flat.

Thanks.

[AngelMom]

Too much media will obstruct the water flow too much. Honestly, unless you've tested for phosphates and found they are high, I wouldn't even use the stuff.