# Diatom problem



## domenick (Sep 3, 2012)

How many trochus snails would you reccomend for a bad diatom problem in an established 55 gal with 8 med size mbunas


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I don't find snails eat diatoms...aren't trochus snails marine?

Diatoms wipe off easily. Some people find bristlenose plecos eat it...mine didn't.


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## domenick (Sep 3, 2012)

Last week it took me quite a while to wipe it off its on all my plastic plants, rocks, and 3d backround I have to scrub hard and this week its back worst than before I put two plecos in a couple of weeks ago and thet died, I read those snails help I am frustrtated I just oreded some phosguard and will try that also


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Your plecos died? Diatoms in an established tank can be from from few things.. High nitrates and dim lighting are often the culprits. What are your water parameters?


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## domenick (Sep 3, 2012)

Water paramaters are very good zero ammonia/nitrites nitrate 20ppm ph 8.2, I do have tank in a dim light room becase everywhere else in my house has excessive light and I had out of conrol green algae that took over now at this spot its diatom, two weeks ago I scrubbed the heck out of it and then kept my aquarium lights on for about twelve hours and that diatom came back worst than before so now I want to try snails I am told nerites are the ones to use but how many for the 55 gal


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

I can't really help you in regards to snails as I have no experience with them. I've always found a single Bristle Nose pleco to be more than adequate.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Did you check your phosphates first? My tank has zero (unless I add it for live plants).

You could try olive nerites...maybe a dozen in a 55G. But I don't find they do the plants...mostly the glass and they want green algae. Also my mbuna and Tangs kill them by knocking them off the glass (they should live more than a year) so be careful to pick them up off the substrate when you find them upside down as often as possible. They starve if they are not able to graze green algae from the glass continuously...they don't eat fish food.


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## dcchilelli (Jan 18, 2013)

Would that be the same as silicates?


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

dcchilelli said:


> Would that be the same as silicates?


Or decaying plant matter. It can happen from something in your tank or right in your tap water. Organic compound(s)


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## dcchilelli (Jan 18, 2013)

yes I am trying to get a handle on these diatoms first I tried two plecos from the lfs they died after 5 days, now I have three mystery snails in their about a week I am not sure about those I am being told I would need more in their and perhaps nerites, I have a nice aquarium store a bit far away that I may travel to telling me their plecos are acclamaited to african ciclids so I may try them, I have ordered phosphate test kit & silicate test kit am waiting for that, and under the advice from an online source I have put heavy dark blankets completety over aquarium for 3 days seeing if that will die off diatoms ,and now I am adressing the lighting question, oh yeh I almost forgot I am considering reverse osmosis for tap water if readings of nutrients come in high


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## dcchilelli (Jan 18, 2013)

PS no live plants


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## lilscoots (Mar 13, 2012)

Yeah my BN plecos devour diatoms, I rotate the 4 I have between the 16 tanks I run. Here's a shot of a rock in my 125 after adding one 3" BN.


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## dcchilelli (Jan 18, 2013)

16 Tanks OMG thats incredible


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