brown algae....

queenbee · 12-09-2006, 02:04 AM

i have brown algae starting to grow,on my walls,live rock and sand bed.what should i do?it's not crazy,just starting to grow.

BoomerD · 12-09-2006, 02:58 AM

New tank? If so, it's a normal part of the cycling process...sounds like a diatom bloom.

PhilOlsen · 12-09-2006, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoomerD

New tank? If so, it's a normal part of the cycling process...sounds like a diatom bloom.

I could not agree more, all new tanks will go thru this cycle. It is nothing to panic about. It is prob. everywhere right? on the glass, substrate, powerheads etc. as time goes by it will go away with regular water changes and by cleaning it off objects in the tank. Do you have live rock or sand in the tank?

queenbee · 12-09-2006, 02:51 PM

yes i do.it is just starting.the set up is new.in time i would like to get some low wattage corals,thinking maybe some shrooms and zoo's,can some one give me an idea of which ones would be ok.possibly might be getting a t5 hood maybe today

.

Cartman89 · 12-09-2006, 08:29 PM

Perfectly normal. Remember to do water changes once a week with RO/di water from your reverse osmosis processor or water from the grocery store. Start water changes once your tank has cycled. Don't keep lights on for a long period of time. And don't over feed.

BoomerD · 12-09-2006, 08:31 PM

Are you using tap water or RO/DI? The diatoms that cause this "brown algae bloom" feed on silicates, which may be present in your tap water.
How about some more tank information? Size? Sand bed? How much live rock? Skimmer? Lighting?

down and outman · 12-10-2006, 12:01 AM

Your going to go through several algae stages, the brown is the worst. Some of the algaes are pretty cool looking, some just nasty. Control nitrates and phosphates is the key to controlling algae. A refugium w/ macroalgae and a phos reactor will defimately help. Just hang in there, you'll make it.

fiveldsp · 12-10-2006, 02:59 PM

When I first set up my tank, I was using country well water for my water changes, which kept resulting in rather large brown algae blooms a few days after each change. Frustrating? yes indeed. We finally went out and invested in a RO/DI unit and have YET to have an algae bloom since. So that was part of our problem. Something else that we learned the hard way is when you feed your fish, instead of throwing mass amounts of food in at once and watching them scurry around like crazy, feed very small amounts at a time until they finish eating that amount, then add more. When we added too much at once, alot would get past the fish and end up on the sandbed or in rocks, which is only going to contribute to your nutrient levels which in turn feed the algae growth.

Other than that, just let the tank cycle and it'll take care of itself since you just started. I'm definitely not a patient person at all when it comes to this hobby, and sometimes forget the age of my tank as well. The longer you wait and more patient you force yourself to become, the more enjoyable little treasures you will find later on.

12-09-2006, 02:04 AM	#1 (permalink)
queenbee Tunicate Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: W.B.L>Minnesota Posts: 22 View Gallery Karma Komment	brown algae.... i have brown algae starting to grow,on my walls,live rock and sand bed.what should i do?it's not crazy,just starting to grow.

12-09-2006, 02:58 AM	#2 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,638 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: brown algae.... New tank? If so, it's a normal part of the cycling process...sounds like a diatom bloom. __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

12-09-2006, 02:51 PM	#4 (permalink)
queenbee Tunicate Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: W.B.L>Minnesota Posts: 22 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: brown algae.... yes i do.it is just starting.the set up is new.in time i would like to get some low wattage corals,thinking maybe some shrooms and zoo's,can some one give me an idea of which ones would be ok.possibly might be getting a t5 hood maybe today .

12-09-2006, 08:29 PM	#5 (permalink)
Cartman89 Neon dottyback Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Melbourne, FL Posts: 663 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: brown algae.... Perfectly normal. Remember to do water changes once a week with RO/di water from your reverse osmosis processor or water from the grocery store. Start water changes once your tank has cycled. Don't keep lights on for a long period of time. And don't over feed. __________________ I'am the Shark Police, if you want a shark your going to have to go through me. In Loving Memory http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...n101/aq015.jpg

12-09-2006, 08:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
BoomerD Reef Shark Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 5,638 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: brown algae.... Are you using tap water or RO/DI? The diatoms that cause this "brown algae bloom" feed on silicates, which may be present in your tap water. How about some more tank information? Size? Sand bed? How much live rock? Skimmer? Lighting? __________________ Intelligence is not knowing all the answers, but knowing where and how to find them! www.google.com

12-10-2006, 12:01 AM	#7 (permalink)
down and outman Fire Coral Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: LaGrange GA Posts: 68 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: brown algae.... Your going to go through several algae stages, the brown is the worst. Some of the algaes are pretty cool looking, some just nasty. Control nitrates and phosphates is the key to controlling algae. A refugium w/ macroalgae and a phos reactor will defimately help. Just hang in there, you'll make it. __________________ "There you go lad, keep as cool as you can. Face piles of trials with smiles." Moody Blues 90 Gal AGA RR, 50 lbs caribean liverock, a bunch of agrocrete rock, 90# Caribsea Sugar Sand Nova Extreme HO T-5 Phosban reactor 2 Koralia 4's, Mag Drive 7

12-10-2006, 02:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
fiveldsp Tunicate Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 17 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: brown algae.... When I first set up my tank, I was using country well water for my water changes, which kept resulting in rather large brown algae blooms a few days after each change. Frustrating? yes indeed. We finally went out and invested in a RO/DI unit and have YET to have an algae bloom since. So that was part of our problem. Something else that we learned the hard way is when you feed your fish, instead of throwing mass amounts of food in at once and watching them scurry around like crazy, feed very small amounts at a time until they finish eating that amount, then add more. When we added too much at once, alot would get past the fish and end up on the sandbed or in rocks, which is only going to contribute to your nutrient levels which in turn feed the algae growth. Other than that, just let the tank cycle and it'll take care of itself since you just started. I'm definitely not a patient person at all when it comes to this hobby, and sometimes forget the age of my tank as well. The longer you wait and more patient you force yourself to become, the more enjoyable little treasures you will find later on.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)