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Brown Algae in Your Reef Tank? It Might Be Diatoms

DALUA

5,244 views

Noticed a brown dusty coating on your sand, rocks, or glass? Chances are you're dealing with diatoms—one of the most common stages in a new reef tank.

In this video, I explain what diatoms are, why they appear, what causes them to thrive, and how to manage them effectively. I’ll also cover common mistakes reef keepers make when trying to get rid of them and when you should simply let the tank mature naturally.

If you're battling a diatom bloom or just want to understand what's happening in your reef tank, this guide will help you navigate this common stage with confidence.

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6 Comments

@Antonio-fq7wn 3 months ago

Thank you for your content about diatom algae. I’m from Russia, and your explanations were really helpful for me. I’ve been dealing with diatoms in my reef tank, and your videos made the whole process much clearer and easier to understand.
I appreciate the work you put into your channel — it genuinely helped me improve my aquarium.

@kennetholsen7676 4 months ago

GREAT video as always! Greetings from Denmark

@queencityreefs 4 months ago

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

@alittlebitcrabby 4 months ago

Nice vid. Started marine recently after a decade of many freshwater nanos. I think I’ve just passed the big diatom hump, now enjoying a bit of a bacterial bloom & bubbles on the surface. Nothing yet but a clownfish so I’m pretty alright with an ‘ugly stage’. Would it be crazy at this point to intentionally stir up the sand regularly to get rid of the silicates in a timeframe more like weeks-to-months than years, or is that a bit pointless?