Refugium/brown algae help

seabs106 · 07/08/2015, 03:44 PM

I have a 75 gallon tank with 20 gallon refugium and sump. it has been up and running for 4 and a half months. I added cheato to the refuge a couple weeks ago to help battle all the algae growing in my DT. The cheato seems to be growing alright, however it is turning a little brown in some places. Should I add a small circulation pump to my refuge? Also the cheato is clogging the filter pad which is, in turn, preventing water from getting to the return pump. Will a circulation pump help this as well? What could I do to prevent this? As for the brown algae, I have tested for nitrates and it reads 0. I use RO water as well. Wondering what else I could do for that. Thanks for the help!

Dkuhlmann · 07/08/2015, 04:07 PM

You don't need to add a pump but you can swish it around in the water of the sump a few times flipping it over and make sure you spread it out a bit and then let it sit until the next day.. Works well.

I've got to do some trimming of my chaeto and put a few bags up for sale LOL It's HUGE AND THICK!!!!! If you want it to grow fast just leave the lights on 24/7 for a week or so.

07/08/2015, 03:44 PM	#1
seabs106 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 2	Refugium/brown algae help I have a 75 gallon tank with 20 gallon refugium and sump. it has been up and running for 4 and a half months. I added cheato to the refuge a couple weeks ago to help battle all the algae growing in my DT. The cheato seems to be growing alright, however it is turning a little brown in some places. Should I add a small circulation pump to my refuge? Also the cheato is clogging the filter pad which is, in turn, preventing water from getting to the return pump. Will a circulation pump help this as well? What could I do to prevent this? As for the brown algae, I have tested for nitrates and it reads 0. I use RO water as well. Wondering what else I could do for that. Thanks for the help!

07/08/2015, 04:07 PM	#2
Dkuhlmann Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,823	You don't need to add a pump but you can swish it around in the water of the sump a few times flipping it over and make sure you spread it out a bit and then let it sit until the next day.. Works well. I've got to do some trimming of my chaeto and put a few bags up for sale LOL It's HUGE AND THICK!!!!! If you want it to grow fast just leave the lights on 24/7 for a week or so. __________________ Previous tanks: 200 gal fowlr 9" Emperor Angel and many different butterfly fish 4" maroon clown and several other fish, 50 gal sump, 40 gal mixed reef/fish mostly softies and LPS. Current Tank Info: 40b 750 gph 45 lbs lr, 2"-3" sand, 165w full spectrum dimable LED, 20 gal sump/refugium 30 lbs lr, Bak Pak 2 skimmer, 4" sock temp 79-80, sg 1.026, NH3 0, NO2 0, NO3 <10, ph 8.2, calc 400, mag 1300