Brown Algae<**#@

[Jason25]

Ok recently put an orbit 130 watt T5 light and my tank and now I have wonderful brown algae all over what will eat it?

[blue_eyes53813]

HI jason, What do you have in the tank for a clean up crew? The brown sounds like a normal diatom bloom, How long are you leaving the lights on?
Just a couple ideas to minimize the diatoms
1. Increase water changes
2.increase flow
3.Decrease in lighting photoperiod
4.Decrease feedings

This algae is common in newer set ups and will subside. You can blow the gunk off of stuff in the tank with a turkey baster daily. Stir the top 1/2 inch of sandbed daily. This algae is alot easier to care for than the dredded hair algae or red slime algae.. Hang in there.

[Jason25]

I change 5&#37; a week using RO/DI water I have a Koralias 1 and an XP 3 canister filter for flow at the moment I also have a MJ 1200 but that runs my skimmer. As far as CUC I have none at the moment what would everyone suggest for 54 gal corner tank. The lights come on at 8am and go off at 10pm. I have 2 damsels and a clown for fish and 3 trumpet coral frags. Tank has been running for around 6 months and I feed everyother day small qty's.

[blue_eyes53813]

I would get some hermits and snails. Maybe even a brittle star(not green) to keep everything tidy.

What kind of lighting did you have before? 14 hours in along time. I would try to reduce the lighting to around 10 hours a day. With the added lighting of T5s the algae may be getting ready to go nuts. I run all my lighting a total of 8-9 hours a day. If I go any higher I get algae.

Your water changes sound ok. when you get more livestock you may have to increase water changes to 10-20&#37;..

I think reducing the lighting would be good enough to control the brown and a small CUC

[lcstorc]

I agree with Vicki.
Reduce your photoperiod and get some good cleaners in there and you should be good to go.
I would go with a variety of snails and maybe a conch or two but then again I don't like crabs in my reef. The only exception is the scarlet hermits (with the yellow eye stalks). So far they have behaved.

[Jason25]

OK thanks for the advice ladies, I will add CUC this weekend reduce the lighting period immediately.

[Jason25]

Hmm, what type of snails and hermits will eat the brown algae?

[blue_eyes53813]

For hermits I get the blue legged, astria snails, cerrith snails and turbo snails.
All will keep the detrius from settling on the rocks and substrate.

[Jason25]

Ok so how many might I need, my LFS offers CUC packages but they are not cheap, lol silly me expecting anything in this hobby to be cheap. Anyway here is the link of what they offer it is different from what you suggested though, would you take a look at them for me?


Marine Algae Pack | Algae Cleaner Packs | Aquarium Livestock - ThatPetPlace.com

[blue_eyes53813]

I would start with the smallest pack because your tank doesnt have alot of food/detrius,algae yet.. That sounds like a good clean up crew. I have baught all mine from Saltwaterfish.com - Saltwater Fish, Saltwater Fish Aquariums, Tropical Fish, and Saltwater Fish Tanks I noticed you are from PA and they are in CA I believe , that may be to high of shipping Im not sure, But they do have some good cuc packages.

[Jason25]

Ok thanks for your help,I will buy the 30 gal. package today.

[Jason25]

I would start with the smallest pack because your tank doesnt have alot of food/detrius,algae yet.. That sounds like a good clean up crew. I have baught all mine from Saltwaterfish.com - Saltwater Fish, Saltwater Fish Aquariums, Tropical Fish, and Saltwater Fish Tanks I noticed you are from PA and they are in CA I believe , that may be to high of shipping Im not sure, But they do have some good cuc packages.

Thank you so much for your help, I turned off the lighting for a day added the small CUC package from my LFS and today when I turned the lights on to see the progress I was amazed all most all the algae is gone, I wish I took before shots of the tank but all I have is the after shots. Somewhere hiding in here is a banded serpent start and a purple reef lobster. You can see some of the brown spots still there but trust me when I tell you alomost all my LR was covered.