Film Algae?

sweeper7 · 11/19/2012, 02:58 AM

My glass gets covered in green/brown film algae i believe it is caled very fast this past 2 weeks.

what is the main cause of it? For instance, if I clean it with my magnet in the morning, within 7 hours its covered again.

is it due to high phosphate?

shifty51008 · 11/19/2012, 04:35 AM

high phosphates and nitrates. get those low and that will go down.

gbru316 · 11/19/2012, 05:06 AM

The brown algae could be diatoms, in which case lowering no3 and po4 won't help.

Diatoms feed off of silica.

Chaucer · 11/19/2012, 06:45 AM

Do a search on algae in the forums, tons of help. Its hard to say without pics, but I'd agree it's probably just a bloom due to high nutrient levels. Make sure you've got plenty of skimming going on, and stay on top of your water changes. Water movement, and clean tank/rockwork, usually will do the trick.
Good Luck

swcc · 11/19/2012, 12:14 PM

high nutrients in the water column... more effective skimming, more effective removal of detritus... now if your tank is new(under 6 months) this can be part and parcel of the algae cycle typical in aquariums establishing themselves and over time and good export it will go away mostly.

sweeper7 · 11/19/2012, 07:57 PM

sweeper7 · 11/19/2012, 08:01 PM

Params are

salinity 1.026
Ammonia looked like .10 i dont know how this happened
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
pH 8.2
phosphate .25
Alk 8
calcium i dk i think i counted wrong cuz i got over 29 drops lmao

Tank is about 3 months old

11/19/2012, 02:58 AM	#1
sweeper7 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 822	Film Algae? My glass gets covered in green/brown film algae i believe it is caled very fast this past 2 weeks. what is the main cause of it? For instance, if I clean it with my magnet in the morning, within 7 hours its covered again. is it due to high phosphate?

11/19/2012, 04:35 AM	#2
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	high phosphates and nitrates. get those low and that will go down. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

11/19/2012, 06:45 AM	#4
Chaucer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Indiana, USA, Earth Posts: 54	Lots of help here Do a search on algae in the forums, tons of help. Its hard to say without pics, but I'd agree it's probably just a bloom due to high nutrient levels. Make sure you've got plenty of skimming going on, and stay on top of your water changes. Water movement, and clean tank/rockwork, usually will do the trick. Good Luck

11/19/2012, 05:06 AM	#3
gbru316 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Lancaster,PA Posts: 1,720	The brown algae could be diatoms, in which case lowering no3 and po4 won't help. Diatoms feed off of silica.

11/19/2012, 12:14 PM	#5
swcc Moved On Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Tampa Fl Posts: 1,659	high nutrients in the water column... more effective skimming, more effective removal of detritus... now if your tank is new(under 6 months) this can be part and parcel of the algae cycle typical in aquariums establishing themselves and over time and good export it will go away mostly.

11/19/2012, 07:57 PM	#6
sweeper7 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 822

11/19/2012, 08:01 PM	#7
sweeper7 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 822	Params are salinity 1.026 Ammonia looked like .10 i dont know how this happened Nitrite 0 Nitrate 0 pH 8.2 phosphate .25 Alk 8 calcium i dk i think i counted wrong cuz i got over 29 drops lmao Tank is about 3 months old