Diatoms and Cyno won't go away!

[twenty12]

I got a BioCube 29 for christmas and my tank has been up since Jan 1. Every time I check my levels they are all perfect (ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0, ph 8.2, etc). I have stock lighting running. I also upgraded the pump to a Rio6HF and added a Hydor Koralia for more flow. I am running the BioCube protein skimmer, Chemi-pure and Purigen. I also use RO/DI water and use a TDS meter to test, it reads 0. Lights run 8hrs on a timer. I do water changes 3-5 gallons every week.
Everything else seems to be going well. I have a ton of pods that came naturally. I have coraline growing on my rocks. I have 1 fish that I feed very little (or atleast I think) that seems to be healthy. I have baby snails (somehow....). So everything seems cool.. except for the sand bed (which is shallow sb).
Given all that I still have cyno/diatoms growing on my sand bed. I adjust the flow and it still does not go away. Does anyone have an idea of how/what I can do to help eliminate it? I have tried everything I have read on the forums, and seem to have a setup thats pretty good... so not sure what else to do.
Any ideas are greatly appreciated. I can post a picture if needed as well.

 

[geoj]

This could be a local waste condition at the sand bed siphoning the sand can help or a sand sifting fish but your tank is a little small for a fish. You can let more macro algae grow.
Phosphate?

 

[spivey911]

I recently had this problem & have shaved a cpl hours off my lighting each day its helping!!!

 

[rtspeed]

Check the silca amount in the ro, as that will not come up on a tds meter

 

[geoj]

Originally Posted by rtspeed
http:///forum/post/2534011
Check the silca amount in the ro, as that will not come up on a tds meter
That is good to know.

 

[blazin2k6]

Get you a Fighting Conch, I had bad issue with diatoms and little bit of cyano and within a week or less it WAS completely GONE. and i am guessing it was because of the fighting conch eating all of it. Goodluck

 

[rtspeed]

conch will not it diatoms, as for cyano its a ? but i believe he will just stir it into the substrate and just cause more problems down the road.

 

[axle]

could there not be enough water flow?

 

[aquaguy24]

wat is the stock list for ur cleaning crew. a couple emeral crabs. some hermit crabs and a couple turbo snails should do the trick..and maybe cut the light time to about 6 hours could help..but just give ur tank some time..ur tank is still kinda new so it will go through a couple stages of different types of algea..

 

[earlybird]

Stay with what you are doing except double your water change amount, 3-5g twice/week, and siphon out as much of the cyano as you can carefult not to remove too much sand. Don't worry if you do because you can rinse and add the sand back. You are describing new tank syndrome. The fact is cyano is a weird thing and truly not much is really known about it. It will go away if you keep up with regular maintenance and you have good flow.

 

[huskerreefer]

Originally Posted by GeoJ
http:///forum/post/2533951
This could be a local waste condition at the sand bed siphoning the sand can help or a sand sifting fish but your tank is a little small for a fish. You can let more macro algae grow.
Phosphate?
Why are you saying that this tank is too small for a fish?

 

[spivey911]

Eating diatoms is what ther are sold for! They eat diatoms & clean upper layer of live sand from other algae too...

 

[geoj]

Originally Posted by HuskerReefer
http:///forum/post/2534460
Why are you saying that this tank is too small for a fish?
A sand sifting fish may starve.

 

[twenty12]

I have heard the same about a sand sifting fish, that my tank is too small. So I was staying away from that as an option for now, but figured i may try it if nothing else worked.
I think the tank is still "new" but it seems like others report things as being good well before the age of my tank. I guess every tank is different.
My cuc right now is (from memory)...
12 snails of varios types like nassarius, trochus, mexican turbo etc. 5 crabs (2 red hermit, 2 zebra, 1 blue), peppermint shrimp.
Phosphate levels test good as well.
How can I test for silicates? What is the proper test? I have tested my RO water with my saltwater test kit to make sure ammonia, nitrates, etc were all zero and that was the case.
Thanks for all the replies...

 

[geoj]

You can buy a silicate test if you can find one they’re a little pricey or find a medium that will absorb silicates. Or maybe wait and see if it will go away on its own.