Treating a diatom bloom

[Kilich]

How do YOU control it?

[sporto0]

You ride it out, it goes away fairly quickly, unlike most other nuisance issues.

[thebkramer]

You ride it out, it goes away fairly quickly, unlike most other nuisance issues.

+1
unless there is another cause other than it being a new tank
what are your water params?

[Jreid35]

You ride it out, it goes away fairly quickly, unlike most other nuisance issues.

As I too am experiencing one in a fairly new tank, would you please quantify that. Thanks

[sporto0]

As I too am experiencing one in a fairly new tank, would you please quantify that. Thanks

Sure, Diatoms need silica or "eat" silica if you will, typically new tanks have new sand, new sand has silica in it (mostly, not always) therefore it is a very short diatom bloom in most cases. I can't give you an exact quantifiable time exactly, but typically no more than a month.

[Kilich]

welp thanks, ill keep my light at 7 hours, does that sound adequate?

[Neil0309]

they are unsightly!! but leave them be... mine stayed for just over a month, tried cleaning the glass daily and even cleaned the rock which i found out after was a complete waste of time. just ride it out as others have said. then look forward to the next algae bloom ha ha... my tank is about 5 months now and all seems to be settling down. have a look at this vid http://www.youtube.com/user/newyorksteelo?feature=chclk#p/u/16/ttR-RO7nXUE