Brown algae taking over my tank! What do I do?

[sepulcherx]

Like the topic says... brown algae is taking over my tank.
Every since i replaced my florscents with Power Compact lighting the brown algae is taking over and its gross.. what should I do to stop the algae? Is there a way to get rid of it? I heard less amount of lighting would do the job? But exactly how much less? I have the daylights and moonlights.. and my sched goes like this:

daylights: 8:30 am = on
10:30 pm = off

Moonlights: 6:00 am = on
2:00 am = off

No lights: 2:00 am till 6:00 am

What would be the ideal sched to not only get rid of the brown algae but keep it away?

Thanks guys,

- Larry

 

[liquid]

Welcome to Reefs.org! 8)

Are you running a skimmer?
Are you using RO/DI water?

Shane

 

[Unarce]

Welcome to RDO!

In most cases, you can expect an algae bloom soon after upgrading your lights. This will ususally go away on its own. You could also try lowering your photoperiod from 14 hours to 12.

Brown algae can also be an indication of phosphates. You may want to do a test to make sure.

 

[cdeakle]

Welcome to reefs.org brutha!

What are your tank parameters? ie ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph, alk, phosphate, silicates?

How old is your tank?

Filtration/skimming?

Circulation? How many powerheads?

 

[sepulcherx]

Welcome to reefs.org brutha!

What are your tank parameters? ie ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph, alk, phosphate, silicates?

How old is your tank?

Filtration/skimming?

Circulation? How many powerheads?

Thanks for the welcome guys = )

Here are the specs:

55 gallon
(1) 802 powerhead
(1) 660 powerhead
(1) 404 fluval /w carbon
(1) penguin 330 /w (2) biowheels
(1) cheapo $40 protien skimmer

About 30 lbs of cured live rock. And the tank is only about a week and a half old. Its my first attempt at saltwater after doing freshwater all my life.
I put in live sand as well as a few damsels. And yes it is tap water. I think ill get a RO machine for water changes.

Thanks for the input,
Any more suggestions?

Thanks,

- Larry

 

[K9coral]

Too long!!! I recommend you leave the lights off until around 11:30 or 12pm. I have mine set to come on starting and 1 pm and ending around 11pm. I also have PC lights. IMO. CUT WAY BACK.

 

[SRSMITH121]

Your tank is still curing. It's quite normal to get these algae blooms. Your lights are defianately on for too long (12 hours is good). How is the temperature in your tank? I've found heat to contribute a lot too.

Once your tank has cured you can add some guys that love aglae (hermit crabs & the lawnmower blenney).

By the way, I'd look at getting a good skimmer when you start to get into inverts & corals.

Good luck.

 

[liquid]

Since the tank is fairly new, it'll go thru a series of algal blooms before it settles out. Using RO/DI water will help you tho when it comes to waterchanges...

Shane

 

[K9coral]

Bla, Bla, Bla, all of that stuff aside, if you leave your lights on for less time during their cycle, You will have less brown or green algae growing on the glass. IMPE

 

[sepulcherx]

Your tank is still curing. It's quite normal to get these algae blooms. Your lights are defianately on for too long (12 hours is good). How is the temperature in your tank? I've found heat to contribute a lot too.

Once your tank has cured you can add some guys that love aglae (hermit crabs & the lawnmower blenney).

By the way, I'd look at getting a good skimmer when you start to get into inverts & corals.

Good luck.

12hrs? Is that for the daylights? how long should i keep the moonlight son? Or is it 12 hrs total?

Thanks,

- Larry

 

[Ben1]

It is normal and I wouldn't worry about it. It could be lots of different algea, my guess would be diatoms which would be from silicates from the tap water. You will always have some diatom growth but it will be way cut down in a mature tank with a low silicate level.

It could also be a brown cynobacteria or dinoflagelates. Either way with them its from P02. Just wait it out.

BTW, cycling your tank with Damsels isnt recommended. I would cycle with a piece of cocktail shrimp and do a 100% water change after 30 days with temp/ph adj RO/DI saltwater. Then add the fish you would like slowly!
Damsels can get very territorial and aggresive and will be a ***** to catch later down the line. That said I have had a three stripe for 5-6 years and she only attacks the new fish (regardless of there size).

HTH

BTW I also Like a late light cycle and have my actincs go on at 11 AM then halides at noon, halide off at 11 pm, actinics off at 12 pm then my PFO moonlight stays on untill 4 am. The moon light is only a few watts, but the actinics are on for 13 hours. In the wild most reefs do receive 12 hours of light and in the summer more then that.

 

[K9coral]

I would keep the moonlights on no more than 4 to 6 hours.

 

[Ben1]

Oh yes and one more thing pull the biowheels they are nitrate factorys that will hurt the tank more then help it.

 

[Unarce]

The moonlight won't make much of a difference.

Like everyone mentioned, you can expect these blooms in such a young tank. Reason being, a new system doesn't have the ability to convert nitrates into nitrogen fast enough. So, algae flourishes from all those nutrients. When your tank matures, you'll have enough denitrifying (anaerobic) bacteria to process nitrates at a faster rate.

 

[sepulcherx]

Oh yes and one more thing pull the biowheels they are nitrate factorys that will hurt the tank more then help it.

Really? Can anyone agree with this? If it is true then I will remove them.
So basically what i got from this thread is:

(1) cut down the light usage
(2) cycle the tank with RO/Di water
(3) moonlights dont really matter much
(4) the reason for the algae blooms are from it being a new tank
(5) biowheels on a saltwater tank are "bad"

Can anyone comfirm all this? Everythign i listed above is correct?

Thanks for all the input everyone! Its helping my tank = D

- Larry

 

[Unarce]

Oh yes and one more thing pull the biowheels they are nitrate factorys that will hurt the tank more then help it.

Really? Can anyone agree with this? If it is true then I will remove them.
So basically what i got from this thread is:

(1) cut down the light usage
(2) cycle the tank with RO/Di water
(3) moonlights dont really matter much
(4) the reason for the algae blooms are from it being a new tank
(5) biowheels on a saltwater tank are "bad"

Can anyone comfirm all this? Everythign i listed above is correct?

Thanks for all the input everyone! Its helping my tank = D

- Larry

(1)Average photoperiods range between 10-14 hours. 12 is really the standard.
(2)RO/DI water can eliminate phosphate from source water
(3)moonlights will have a minimal if any effect on algae blooms
(4)more than likely
(5)quality LR and LS will have a balance of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria. The addition of another nitrifier like a biowheel can upset that balance where the denitrifying bacteria in the LR and LS can no longer keep up.

:wink:

 

[cdeakle]

Really? Can anyone agree with this? If it is true then I will remove them.
So basically what i got from this thread is:

(1) cut down the light usage
(2) cycle the tank with RO/Di water
(3) moonlights dont really matter much
(4) the reason for the algae blooms are from it being a new tank
(5) biowheels on a saltwater tank are "bad"

1) Yes, 12 hours max is good. I personally have my lights on for a total of 10 hours.

2) Not just cycle the tank with RO/DI water but ALWAYS use RO/DI water.

3) Personal preference.

4) We all go through algae blooms. Even us salty dogs with mature tanks. In the beginning though there are always algae blooms of different kinds. Even after tank maturity there is a good possibility of algae problems down the road. There is no escape :wink:

5) Yank those biowheels out and stomp on them. Then repeat. Then shine them up real nice, and drop kick there candy asses out of a second story window. :lol:

 

[SRSMITH121]

I have 4 flourescents in my tank. I have the first come on 10 am & off 10 pm. the other three alternate in half hour intervals on and off after the first one.

About the biowheels. I agree - they do have quite a bad rep.

I also don't have a sump (learned about it too late), but am currently running 2 canister filters. It's not the best but better than the biowheel.

 

[K9coral]

Make sure you clean those canisters at least monthly. I have a canister and a "hang on" filter along with LS and LR and as long as the filters are cleaned monthly or every 3 weeks I have no problem.