Feedings and Diatom Algae

[dismayed]

I have a 24 gallon AquaPod and have several corals in my tank. Over the last few weeks the tank has really been overrun by brown diatom algae. I've cut back on feedings, I do 10-15% water changes every Saturday, I've cut back on lighting, I've added a power head pointing to the surface, I bought and added a nano protein skimmer, I've added activated carbon, and I watch the tank's temperature closely and nothing seems to work.

I've tested for silicates and phosphate with test kits... no problems there. Nitrates are usually around 10 ppm after my weekly water change, and by the end of the week they reach 15 ppm or sometimes 20.

Two Questions:

1. I don't have any fish in the tank right now, so the only feedings that I do are DT's phytoplankton, Reef Complete, and Reef Plus (a capfull of each) every 3 days. Am I over feeding?

2. The only thing I can think of that I am not doing is vacuuming the substrate. Should I give it a shot?

Thanks for any help.

 

[zpyro]

maybe not feed anything? unless you have some non-photosynthetic corals they really don't need anything but light...and even then you can turn off the lights for a day or 2 and probably not worry about anything. that's what I ended up doing for mine. then again I wasn't putting anything in the tank at all

oh and some macroalgae would absorb some nutrients as well. might be something to consider if everything else fails?

 

[KidNano]

When did you set the tank up? Diatom blooms happen. stir up the sand every other day. If you didn't have coral in there I would recommend turning the lights off but you need them. Also get some snails and/ or hermit crabs and they'll take care of what's on the rocks.

:welcome to nanotank.

 

[drty811]

i wouldnt feed for a couple weeks. i found when i had diatoms sturring up teh substrate prolonged it. i just leave mine alone and it evenually went away. JMO