Brown Algae - NEW TANK

djbetterly · 04/11/2014, 02:54 PM

Ok, whats the deal with the brown algae in new tanks...why am I getting it? My first tank I had a diatom bloom, and those things would blow off the rocks quite easily, this stuff doesn't blow off.

I'm using RODI water, tank has been completely cycled for a few weeks now. Not using any carbon or GFO.

Also, I have no inverts yet, only a few fish.

Mael · 04/11/2014, 03:14 PM

it was explained to me as part of the normal process in the tanks beginning phases, although I would say mine dissapeared a little quicker when I added some macro to my HOB fuge and added some janitor shrimp. I went from Cyano to the brown slimy algae mixed with hair algae and it slowly dissapeared as the tank matured, now it is all in the green before coraline phase.

I would definitely look at adding a CUC to help get through it quicker though, some nassarius to mix the sand, cerith and nerite for general algae eating and you could get a turbo or two as they eat algae like machines, but I have come to hate mine for knocking over frags....they are going in the fuge this weekend. If you have a local source for janitor shrimp....they are under a buck each....but are small so depending on what fish you have they could dissapear quick like.

djbetterly · 04/11/2014, 03:16 PM

Yeah, I figured it was natural, just double checking. Last time I had it, I could blow it off quite easy with a turkey baster, this stuff is just stuck. Its not on the sand, but definitely on the rocks.

04/11/2014, 02:54 PM	#1
djbetterly Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 284	Brown Algae - NEW TANK Ok, whats the deal with the brown algae in new tanks...why am I getting it? My first tank I had a diatom bloom, and those things would blow off the rocks quite easily, this stuff doesn't blow off. I'm using RODI water, tank has been completely cycled for a few weeks now. Not using any carbon or GFO. Also, I have no inverts yet, only a few fish.

04/11/2014, 03:14 PM	#2
Mael Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Phoenix Posts: 1,351	it was explained to me as part of the normal process in the tanks beginning phases, although I would say mine dissapeared a little quicker when I added some macro to my HOB fuge and added some janitor shrimp. I went from Cyano to the brown slimy algae mixed with hair algae and it slowly dissapeared as the tank matured, now it is all in the green before coraline phase. I would definitely look at adding a CUC to help get through it quicker though, some nassarius to mix the sand, cerith and nerite for general algae eating and you could get a turbo or two as they eat algae like machines, but I have come to hate mine for knocking over frags....they are going in the fuge this weekend. If you have a local source for janitor shrimp....they are under a buck each....but are small so depending on what fish you have they could dissapear quick like.

04/11/2014, 03:16 PM	#3
djbetterly Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 284	Yeah, I figured it was natural, just double checking. Last time I had it, I could blow it off quite easy with a turkey baster, this stuff is just stuck. Its not on the sand, but definitely on the rocks.