Diatoms Brown Algae

Diatoms Brown Algae are always present in your aquarium and are a crucial to the health of your tank but when allowed to grow in excess, they appear as brown haze and will coat surfaces inside your tank. Ideally the diatom bloom subsides after a healthy population of bacteria is established and a cleaner crew is added to the tank.

Diatoms are brown algae that form a slime on the surfaces of saltwater aquariums. They are often seen in new aquariums that have just completed their biological cycling process. To remove diatoms from your saltwater aquarium, you can try the following methods:

1. Rinse new sand before adding it to the tank: This will help to remove any excess silicates that could contribute to diatom growth.
2. Use RO/DI water and not tap water for water changes: Tap water can contain silicates and other contaminants that promote diatom growth.
3. Change DI resin regularly: The DI resin in your RO/DI unit removes impurities from the water, but it can become exhausted over time and allow contaminants to pass through.
4. Perform water changes with quality water Regular water changes can help to remove excess nutrients and contaminants from your aquarium’s water, which can help to reduce diatom growth.
5. Remove algae from the tank glass, substrate, and decor: You can use a scraper or brush to remove diatoms from the glass and decor, and a siphon to remove them from the substrate.
6. Increase the water flow if possible Diatoms thrive in areas with low water flow, so increasing the flow rate in your aquarium can help to reduce their growth.
7. Wait for the diatoms to die off once the silicate is consumed: Diatoms require silicates to grow, so once the silicate levels in your aquarium have been depleted, they will die off naturally.