# Another diatom question



## An t-iasg (Jun 3, 2005)

I have diatoms in one of my 5 gallon tanks. I have two 5-gallon tanks that are set up almost identically. One has had diatoms for awhile. It looks like brown sugar over everything. This tank has a 9 watt, 10000K PC bulb. The other tank (no diatoms) has a 9 watt, 6700K PC bulb. Could the color temp. difference be to blame for the diatoms? I don't think I want to get any otos - I would need at least 4, right, because they are happiest in groups, and 4 otos plus a betta would be overstocked. 

This tank with the diatoms has been set up since the beginning of June. The other tank went through a rather painless algae phase. I don't know what to do with this "bad" tank anymore. The only thing I can think of is the Kelvin value of the lighting could be responsible somehow.


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## An t-iasg (Jun 3, 2005)

I have done a little searching and it seems like the closer you get to the blue spectrum, near 10000K, the more algae you will grow. Does anyone else have that experience? I don't have CO2 but I'm starting it today or tomorrow. There's a lot of hair algae in this tank too. The plants do pearl slightly with the addition of Excel, but the hair algae is quite bad in places. I'll remove this 10000K, 9-watt bulb and replace it with a 9-watt, 6700K. I hope my crypts don't melt!


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

I have had the same experience. I switched from 8000K to 10000K and algae has began to grow. I just upped the Co2.


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## An t-iasg (Jun 3, 2005)

Thanks, Simpte 27! I hope you can get your algae under control too.


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