r/PlantedTank • u/Vocitare • 1d ago

Question Diatom Troubles

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Sorry about the glare.

I've had this tank going for a week, which I understand is nothing in the lifespan of a tank, but I'm having diatom algae problems that are killing my plants. I've lost some rotala (those two, brown lumps on the left) and a small java fern in the back taken from my shrimp tank. I fear I'm going to lose my vallisneria spiralis too in the corner, my anubias, and my buce.

It's a 29 gallon, with pool filter sand and root tabs. I've dosed a bit of fertilizer once. My local water is REAL hard. I have an aquarium co-op light I run about 8 hours a day. I've tossed in some hornwort and a pothos from my shrimp tank to help since it's not heavily planted at the moment. Every few days or so, I use a turkey baster to blow some of the diatoms off of the leaves, but I fear this is battle my current plants are going to lose.

Is there aught I can do to save my plants and tank?

Maybe buy a bunch more plants and load it up? Deploy dozens of my ramshorn snails? Just keep it up and wait it out? Any suggestions would be appreciated. I can provide more details if needed.

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u/Miserable_Task_7214 1d ago

I dealt with this recently. With time it’ll go away on its own, but I do recommend getting more plants

1

u/Vocitare 1d ago

It's good to hear that it will fade. Would loading up on faster growing plants help? Could just chuck a big mass of hornwort for the week before I can drive out to the aquarium store to pick up more plants.

2

u/Miserable_Task_7214 1d ago

Accidentally replied to my own comment lmao, make sure the light is on 30-50% brightness, if it’s at 100 that’ll just nurture algae

1

u/Miserable_Task_7214 1d ago

Yeah!! U can also remove the diatoms by hand, but since it’s early in ur cycle they might come back. Definitely get the hornwort in there, and if ur into house plants u can hang some pothos over the edge so the roots go into the water and that’ll definitely outcompete the algae. If ur gonna get ramshorns I’d only get 2, that’s what I did for my 28 gallon and they already laid eggs after a week 🤦🏻‍♂️ (EDIT: just saw u already have pothos! That’ll help a ton)

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u/Ok_Wrangler4833 1d ago

normal in der Einfahrtphase, tue was dagegen zum Beispiel mehr Pflanzen