Diatom going and coming. Help....

[blue eye]

Tank has been up for about 4 months, my nitrates have always stayed at about 20, but now they have gone up to 60 and 80.55gal tank diatoms are on the glass here and there but also Coralline algea is going which is good. Why do i still have diatom and also some hair algea on my LR. All my other parameters are fine, except for my nitrates. I do water change every 2 weeks about 10 to 15 gallons. I use distiled water for top off and salt mixing. Light are on for 8 hours they are T5's.
What am i doing wrong?
Why are my nitrates so high?
Please Help.

 

[coralreefer]

maybe there is a dead critter that you dont know about

 

[shyfish]

Hi,
What kind and how much food?
My hair algea problem happened when I overfed the tank. The stuff the coral eats feeds algea.

 

[blue eye]

I use frozen brine shrimp and mixed frozen foods that are in a cube form and flakes to feed. I feed twice a day, morning and afternoon. I have my protein skimmer running and it is pulling stuff out.
Should i cut back to only feeding once a day, and should i do more of a water change then what i do and also should i get more snails in there
As for coral i have a frog spawn, hammer and some yellow polyops.
Can i try using AlgeaFix from API for marine and see if that helps.
What do u guys think?

 

[blue eye]

As for the critter maybe being dead that might be the issue i have not seen all of my snails in a couple days, but they could be hiding.

 

[subielover]

I would not resort to chemicals. What kind of fish do you have? Every other day is how often I feed, depending on your fish twice a day is way way overkill.

 

[oceansidefish]

Are you using RO/DI???? You may want to check your water you are topping off with

 

[blue eye]

2 Clarki clowns, 6 line wrasse, Royal Basslet, 3 damsels, scooter blenny, snails, hermit crabs,
I use distileed water for top offs, and when i mix my salt water

 

[subielover]

With those fish listed, cut back feeding to every other day, this will help a lot to reduce the amount of nutrients in the tank. What are you feeding them?

 

[blue eye]

Brine Shrimp(Frozen) or flakes, or multi pack frozen cubes. What about my nitrates? What should i do about getting them down?
What about a 50% water change or is that to much. What else should i do to get them down.
My fish and corals are doing great!!!!

 

[subielover]

Feed less, more water changes.

 

[blue eye]

ok thats cool. Thx