Getting rid of diatoms, often called "brown algae," in your aquarium involves addressing the underlying causes, primarily silicates and excess nutrients, through a combination of environmental controls and biological helpers.
Combating Diatoms: Effective Methods
Diatoms are a common nuisance in new tanks or those with high silicate levels. Fortunately, several strategies can help you tackle this brown growth and restore the clarity of your aquarium. Based on common aquarium management practices, the key methods involve limiting their food source and outcompeting them.
Here are proven ways to help eliminate diatoms from your aquarium, incorporating essential strategies:
1. Add More Aquarium Plants!
Healthy, fast-growing live aquarium plants are excellent competitors for the nutrients that diatoms feed on. By utilizing phosphates and nitrates in the water, plants can starve out diatoms, naturally reducing their growth. Aim for a good density of plants suitable for your tank's lighting and setup.
2. Keep Up with Maintenance.
Regular aquarium maintenance is crucial. This includes performing consistent water changes to remove excess silicates and nutrients that fuel diatom growth. Also, cleaning substrate and decor helps to physically remove the existing diatom blooms and prevent them from getting established.
3. Consider Adding Reverse Osmosis Water.
Tap water often contains silicates, a primary component of diatom cell walls. Switching to Reverse Osmosis (RO) water or a mix of RO and tap water (depending on your tap water's quality) can significantly reduce the silicate load in your aquarium, making it much harder for diatoms to thrive.
4. Feed Your Fauna Less.
Excess food breaks down into nutrients (like phosphates) that diatoms consume. By reducing the amount you feed your fish and other inhabitants, you limit the available nutrients in the water column, thus curtailing diatom growth. Only feed what your fish can consume in a few minutes.
5. Increase Water Flow.
Dead spots in the aquarium where water is stagnant are prime locations for diatoms to settle and grow. Increasing water flow with powerheads or adjusting filter output helps prevent diatoms from adhering to surfaces and can even dislodge existing patches. Good circulation keeps nutrients distributed and not concentrated in specific areas.
6. Add Algae-Eaters.
Introducing certain aquarium inhabitants known for consuming diatoms can be a very effective biological control. Species like nerite snails, otocinclus catfish, or specific types of shrimp (like Amano shrimp) are known to graze on diatoms, helping to clean surfaces naturally. Ensure any new additions are compatible with your existing tank inhabitants and water parameters.
7. Maintain Proper Aquarium Lighting.
While diatoms don't strictly require high light like some green algae, maintaining appropriate lighting duration and intensity for your specific tank setup and plants is important. Avoid excessively long light cycles, as this can encourage various types of algae, including diatoms. Typically, 8-10 hours of light per day is sufficient for most planted tanks and helps keep algae in check.
Summary of Diatom Control Strategies
Here's a quick overview of the methods:
| Method | Primary Action | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Add Aquarium Plants | Nutrient competition | Starves diatoms of food sources |
| Regular Maintenance | Nutrient/Silicate removal, Cleaning | Removes food source and physical algae |
| Use Reverse Osmosis Water | Silicate removal | Eliminates a key diatom building block |
| Feed Less | Nutrient reduction | Reduces excess nutrients available to algae |
| Increase Water Flow | Prevent settling, Dislodge algae | Limits growth areas, removes existing algae |
| Add Algae-Eaters | Biological control | Consumes existing diatom growth |
| Maintain Proper Lighting | Environmental control | Discourages excessive algae growth |
By implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage and get rid of diatoms in your aquarium, leading to a cleaner, healthier environment for your fish and plants. Patience is key, as it may take time for the diatom population to decline once the conditions are less favorable for them.
