The diatoms are blooming at high rate now. In 48 hours after every water change, they're again covering a large part of the bottom, and some spots on the glass.
It's strange how almost everybody on the net says diatoms need low light, and recommend to increase the lighting period to control them; but my experience here is that they grow almost only under direct light: all spots under the roots are clear. So, I keep my lighting period at 8 h/day.
The main problem for me is that they're heavily affecting the plants: both Ceratophyllum and Java moss are badly covered with this brown mold, and clearly appear to suffer from that. Particularly the moss, all its new "stems" grow vertically towards the light, but without "leaves", since they get covered by the diatoms.
I can't find in town a test for silicates, which are usually considered one of the sources of diatom blooms, so I'll have to order online. For the time being, I got 8 Neritina Natalensis, and they got at work immediately. 50% water change yesterday, and plant pruning; let's see what happens.
I'm considering adding some fertilizer to try and help the plants...
It's strange how almost everybody on the net says diatoms need low light, and recommend to increase the lighting period to control them; but my experience here is that they grow almost only under direct light: all spots under the roots are clear. So, I keep my lighting period at 8 h/day.
The main problem for me is that they're heavily affecting the plants: both Ceratophyllum and Java moss are badly covered with this brown mold, and clearly appear to suffer from that. Particularly the moss, all its new "stems" grow vertically towards the light, but without "leaves", since they get covered by the diatoms.
I can't find in town a test for silicates, which are usually considered one of the sources of diatom blooms, so I'll have to order online. For the time being, I got 8 Neritina Natalensis, and they got at work immediately. 50% water change yesterday, and plant pruning; let's see what happens.
I'm considering adding some fertilizer to try and help the plants...
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