# Diatom Outbreak.



## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer (Aug 22, 2006)

I have diatoms everywhere, few spots on the side, everywhere on the back glass.

Sorry guys, I don't have any readings my FW test kit I have lost it.

Its a 75g with a xp4, housing 1 big piraya who is fed once weekly. I make sure no food scraps are left over.

I change 25 percent of the water weekly.

Lighting is the coralife freshwater aqualight.

Do you guys think this is something that will eventually pass as my tank becomes more mature? Tank has been up for 1.5 months only.

Any tips? TY!


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

This may not be diatomes sym, may just be algae that has to be wiped off every couple weeks or so.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

how much light is over the tank? you might want to cut back on the lighting a bit if you're using power compacts.

with a large piraya, you could probably get away with adding some otocinclus cats to help take care of the brown algae outbreak and keep it in check in the future.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

What is your lighting schedual? Is it a single or dualstrip light?
Depending these could give you lots of algae


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer (Aug 22, 2006)

Its a dual strip Power compact, the previous owner used it over a heavily planted tank.


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

is it the 2x65 watt freshwater aqualight? if so, you're at almost 2 wpg of strong light over the tank... if you don't have a bunch of plants and co2, i'd try to cut back to one bulb and keep it on for about 8-10 hrs a day... definitely look into the otos tho, even 3 or 4 would clean your tank up within a couple days


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer (Aug 22, 2006)

Yes joe thats the one. Thanks for the advice. I thought it may have been my water?


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

speakyourmind said:


> Its a dual strip Power compact, the previous owner used it over a heavily planted tank.


Thats your problem since the tank is prett short one light would do.
Do you have an actinic bulb on it aswell, its the blue bulbs?
Those produce even more algae.

I would limit how long the light is on for and just stay on top of the algae while it easily wipes off. If you let it go too long without wiping you'll have to scrape it off with a razor blade or something.

Here is a good link
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/algaecontrol/a/aa091100.htm


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## xeloR (Jan 2, 2009)

Is your fish still shy? The bright light might be making him timid too.?


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## Wide_Eyed_Wanderer (Aug 22, 2006)

Alright thank you both for the help!

I will take care of the lighting asap.

BTW do those OTOs produce a lot of waste?



mtuttle02 said:


> Is your fish still shy? The bright light might be making him timid too.?


No not shy anymore mtuttle, hes pretty outgoing now.


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## xeloR (Jan 2, 2009)

speakyourmind said:


> No not shy anymore mtuttle, hes pretty outgoing now.


Cool man keep us posted- I really want to see more of this big guy! Keeps me motivate on growing mine out


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## JoeDizzleMPLS (Nov 5, 2007)

no sym, otos are a perfect algae clean up crew, they are tiny, produce very little waste, and can take care of an algae outbreak in a couple days... if you wanna keep them in there afterwards, just remember to throw in some food for them every once in a while. they are pretty much the exact opposite of the messy plecos that everyone gets to "clean up" their tanks.


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## FEEFA (Nov 19, 2007)

Joes right ottos are the sh*t and your piraya wont even bother with them


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

Pro or not you should be planning on getting a replacement test kit, even if you only use it once a month or when things seem off. They're super cheap for what they do.


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