Help with brown algea

loves saltwater · 12/01/2006, 10:07 PM

I have been lucky until now but I have brown algea growing everywhere and almost over night ? Help !

EdKruzel · 12/01/2006, 10:22 PM

It sounds like diatoms which feeds on excess silicates in the water; this is common for new tanks (a few months old to a year).

Conduct water changes (10% or more) once a week utilizing RO/Di or distilled (from a reputable source) until the diatoms dispense.

Most snails (in the trade for algae removal) will feed upon diatoms as well as many fish and other inverts.
My little nano was set up using only base rock (from the local desert) and cured LR but still had a small outbreak of diatoms.
With water changes and adding a Lawn Mower Blenny my diatoms were gone in days.

drummereef · 12/02/2006, 01:42 AM

Yep, diatoms. Very common for new tanks to go through this as the tank matures. Your calcium level is too high, should be somewhere between 380-420. 400 being a nice median number. Are you dosing anything?

loves saltwater · 12/02/2006, 05:48 AM

No I am not dosing anything.I asked about the Cal level the other day and I was told as few things to do to lower it ny Randy and it is coming down now.I will start the 10% water chage is more better with respect to WC's ? Anything else I can do to help elimate this problem ?

kau_cinta_ku · 12/02/2006, 05:54 AM

if all you have is a mj900 and a return pump for flow, i would say you need to add more flow. get it up around 20x - 30x turnover

EdKruzel · 12/02/2006, 12:01 PM

You should try one of the mj mods ( www.mjmods.com ).
The flow is incredible.

loves saltwater · 12/02/2006, 02:10 PM

I am moving 700 gph through my sump (tested flow not calculated) not counting my MJ900.

kau_cinta_ku

So you are saying I need to move 20 to 30 time my tank volume through my sump ? Or is this just water movement around in my tank ?
If through my sump then I would need to upsize my plumbing to reach 1500-2300 gph ?

drummereef · 12/02/2006, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by loves saltwater
No I am not dosing anything.I asked about the Cal level the other day and I was told as few things to do to lower it ny Randy and it is coming down now.I will start the 10% water chage is more better with respect to WC's ? Anything else I can do to help elimate this problem ?

IMO, smaller, more frequent water changes such as the 10% weekly you are doing is a good number to shoot for. You need 20-30x turnover total between the return (minus headloss) and circulation in the tank. A couple of powerheads can make up the difference as regards to in-tank flow.

jpitch · 12/02/2006, 02:24 PM

I would up the circulation. I have a 95g tank with a 20 gal sump and 4 mj1200's on a wavemaker and I'm barely satified with it. However, that won't solve your diatom problem, which several people here already deduced. Are you using ro/di water for water changes? If so, have you considered using the several phosphate removing products along with a phosban reactor? What name brand test did you use to test phosphates? Many tests will read 0 but not give you an accurate reading. I had a bad brown algae problem early in my tank life. I ran some rowaphos in the bag that came with it and less than a week later the problem is 95% gone. HTH

BiggySmalls · 12/02/2006, 03:44 PM

i have the brown algea too.
i hav e to start changing the water

loves saltwater · 12/02/2006, 04:04 PM

jpitch---The test kit is Aquarium Pharmaceuticals.I started my tank with tap water(I know a big no no I had not found RC yet.) By you syaying up the circulation I am assuming you are talking about the flow in the tank?

I have other power heads how would you set them up in the tank.I have the standard water leaving the tank on one end and return on the other with a vertical spray bar.

jpitch · 12/02/2006, 05:15 PM

I always thought the rule of thumb for circulation was 10x your tank. With that in mind, calculate how much output you have with your ph's. you don't have all your equipment listed so we can't determine if it's appropriate for whatever you're looking for. you also did not mention what your intent it, such as softies, lps, sps, etc. also keep in mind you don't want continuous flow without any type of randomness if you want to get into sps. putting a ph with 2000 gph constant flow onto an sps colony is not the same as 2000 gph though multiple outlets in a random fashion. However, this is completely off topic to your current thread. brown algae will grow on rock that's in a direct path of a ph. solve the problem, not the symptoms, as i read so many times here on RC. your problem is not the brown algae, it's what the algae is feeding off of.

drummereef · 12/02/2006, 06:33 PM

10x flow nowdays is barely legal in some states.

Most are in the range of 20-30x turnover in their tank. Depending of course on what they are keeping.

zmovegolf · 12/03/2006, 05:19 PM

I would say 20x is plenty.

12/01/2006, 10:07 PM	#1
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	Help with brown algea I have been lucky until now but I have brown algea growing everywhere and almost over night ? Help ! __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

12/01/2006, 10:22 PM	#2
EdKruzel Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 7,384	It sounds like diatoms which feeds on excess silicates in the water; this is common for new tanks (a few months old to a year). Conduct water changes (10% or more) once a week utilizing RO/Di or distilled (from a reputable source) until the diatoms dispense. Most snails (in the trade for algae removal) will feed upon diatoms as well as many fish and other inverts. My little nano was set up using only base rock (from the local desert) and cured LR but still had a small outbreak of diatoms. With water changes and adding a Lawn Mower Blenny my diatoms were gone in days. __________________ When you find yourself in "Deep Water" it's best to keep your mouth shut! Current Tank Info: 65RR Cube Mixed Reef

12/02/2006, 01:42 AM	#3
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Yep, diatoms. Very common for new tanks to go through this as the tank matures. Your calcium level is too high, should be somewhere between 380-420. 400 being a nice median number. Are you dosing anything? __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

12/02/2006, 05:48 AM	#4
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	No I am not dosing anything.I asked about the Cal level the other day and I was told as few things to do to lower it ny Randy and it is coming down now.I will start the 10% water chage is more better with respect to WC's ? Anything else I can do to help elimate this problem ? __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

12/02/2006, 12:01 PM	#6
EdKruzel Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 7,384	You should try one of the mj mods ( www.mjmods.com ). The flow is incredible. __________________ When you find yourself in "Deep Water" it's best to keep your mouth shut! Current Tank Info: 65RR Cube Mixed Reef

12/02/2006, 05:54 AM	#5
kau_cinta_ku Moved On Join Date: May 2005 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 8,669	if all you have is a mj900 and a return pump for flow, i would say you need to add more flow. get it up around 20x - 30x turnover

12/02/2006, 02:10 PM	#7
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	I am moving 700 gph through my sump (tested flow not calculated) not counting my MJ900. kau_cinta_ku So you are saying I need to move 20 to 30 time my tank volume through my sump ? Or is this just water movement around in my tank ? If through my sump then I would need to upsize my plumbing to reach 1500-2300 gph ? __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

12/02/2006, 02:24 PM	#9
jpitch Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Middle Island, NY Posts: 908	I would up the circulation. I have a 95g tank with a 20 gal sump and 4 mj1200's on a wavemaker and I'm barely satified with it. However, that won't solve your diatom problem, which several people here already deduced. Are you using ro/di water for water changes? If so, have you considered using the several phosphate removing products along with a phosban reactor? What name brand test did you use to test phosphates? Many tests will read 0 but not give you an accurate reading. I had a bad brown algae problem early in my tank life. I ran some rowaphos in the bag that came with it and less than a week later the problem is 95% gone. HTH __________________ 36X36X30 DT, 75g sump, Vertex Vectra L1 return pump, Apex 2016, Apex DOS +DDR, Apex 1link, 4 X Kessil A360's, Vertex Alpha 170, Maxspect Gyre 250 x2

12/02/2006, 03:44 PM	#10
BiggySmalls Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: chi-town Posts: 1,315	i have the brown algea too. i hav e to start changing the water

12/02/2006, 04:04 PM	#11
loves saltwater Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Katy,Tx Posts: 945	jpitch---The test kit is Aquarium Pharmaceuticals.I started my tank with tap water(I know a big no no I had not found RC yet.) By you syaying up the circulation I am assuming you are talking about the flow in the tank? I have other power heads how would you set them up in the tank.I have the standard water leaving the tank on one end and return on the other with a vertical spray bar. __________________ Does anyone have the number to Reef Keepers Anonymous! AM- 0 Rite- 0 Rate- 0 Phos- 0 PH- 8.0 SG- 1.026 Cal- 420 KH- 8.0 dKH Alk- 2.51 meg/L Mag- 1350 Temp-78-80 Current Tank Info: 125RR/30 gal DIY sump-fuge/100 lbs of LR/PM Bullet Skimmer/1000GPH Closed loop/T5 4X54 Watt HO

12/02/2006, 05:15 PM	#12
jpitch Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Middle Island, NY Posts: 908	I always thought the rule of thumb for circulation was 10x your tank. With that in mind, calculate how much output you have with your ph's. you don't have all your equipment listed so we can't determine if it's appropriate for whatever you're looking for. you also did not mention what your intent it, such as softies, lps, sps, etc. also keep in mind you don't want continuous flow without any type of randomness if you want to get into sps. putting a ph with 2000 gph constant flow onto an sps colony is not the same as 2000 gph though multiple outlets in a random fashion. However, this is completely off topic to your current thread. brown algae will grow on rock that's in a direct path of a ph. solve the problem, not the symptoms, as i read so many times here on RC. your problem is not the brown algae, it's what the algae is feeding off of.

12/02/2006, 06:33 PM	#13
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	10x flow nowdays is barely legal in some states. Most are in the range of 20-30x turnover in their tank. Depending of course on what they are keeping. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

12/03/2006, 05:19 PM	#14
zmovegolf Registered Member. Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 63	I would say 20x is plenty.