Diatom Mess Resolved

[rcalzadilla]

Have been obsessed with my dirty NEW looking tank.
My diatoms don't go away. Did water changes last Friday, Sunday and again today.
Well, as I suck up the bottom and trimmed the plants, a veritable diatom storms kicks up every time. About couple of hours later the storm subsides but the plants are full of the diatoms. I assumed they were multiplying but now I don't think that's it.

I have two (2) Eheim Classics 2217, (125 gal. tank) upon close inspection the intakes of these filters don't suck up passing dirt nor do they have plant leaves sticking to them. They intake the water very very slow. My diatom dirt is not being filtered out of my tank! My two spray bars are vertically aligned and do produce a medium current toward the "intakes".

Has anyone had this problem? I have a filter problem aside from the diatoms.

Don't think a power pump will work due to the slow, slow intake.
Any ideas will be appreciated.

Any cheap filtering ideas?

 

[VaughnH]

I suspect your filter rotor assemblies are in need of a good cleaning. They do get gunked up eventually and that greatly reduces their ability to spin to pump the water. I have had rotors like that just stop completely - actually they don't stop, they just won't restart when I shut them off for some reason, such as filter cleaning.

 

[rcalzadilla]

Thanks, I am going to check the rotors also.
I know there is answer somewhere.

 

[rcalzadilla]

I am still growing industrial amounts of diatoms.
Algae has subsided with half light regimen.
Have less algae growth and plants are growing slower. Some have died and bought new ones.
Excel stresses my fish may has already killed some.
Added 30ml Excel at water 50% change ( which is less than label recommendations of 50ml) the fish all at the top and breathing heavily. Two quick 20% water changes and some charcoal filtering saved their lives.