Serious Brown Algae Problem
- Thread starter MrSalty
- Start date
Salty, that doesn't look like cyano to me. I'd say its diatoms or Dinoflagellates - these are often confused. It could also be a combo if you see more then one algae- my bet is Diatoms.
How long is the tank up?
Have you added anything new? rock/corals
Have you done anything different? new salt? new additives?
Has anything died recently?
maybe you need to change bulbs? are you running your lights to many hours?
My suggestion would be to do the following.
Decrease light cycle
Check RO filters, change if needed.
Remove any waste in tank while siphoning out as much as you can. Follow with water change.
Check all equipment for rust.
Begin running Carbon and GFO [if you aren't already i would suggest changing them]
and rinse and repeat. Generally i see that algae from dry rock!
How long is the tank up?
Have you added anything new? rock/corals
Have you done anything different? new salt? new additives?
Has anything died recently?
maybe you need to change bulbs? are you running your lights to many hours?
My suggestion would be to do the following.
Decrease light cycle
Check RO filters, change if needed.
Remove any waste in tank while siphoning out as much as you can. Follow with water change.
Check all equipment for rust.
Begin running Carbon and GFO [if you aren't already i would suggest changing them]
and rinse and repeat. Generally i see that algae from dry rock!
- Location
- manhattan
What are you using for water change? What are you using for topoff? If u are not using clean ro/ di then u are importing so bad stuff. Remove livestock. I would syphon the sand to get as much of it off the bed. Then i would remove all rockwork and scrub and rinse with clean satwater. Then stir sandbed and allow the filter to remove suspended material. Again syphon sand as heavy stuff will fall to bottom.
So water level is at a 2/3 now, clean tank and filter areas,pumps. Sump etc. Change all media.
You have exported 75% of bad stuff. Dont put it back with bad water or additional nutrients
Add rocks back and be sure there is good flo around and thru rocks. Now u can use the chemi again
So water level is at a 2/3 now, clean tank and filter areas,pumps. Sump etc. Change all media.
You have exported 75% of bad stuff. Dont put it back with bad water or additional nutrients
Add rocks back and be sure there is good flo around and thru rocks. Now u can use the chemi again
- Location
- Manhattan New York
Looks like you don't have enough flow in your tank , also looks like you might be over feeding ! I don't think that you should move everything out this wont be a good idea cause that would just open another can of worms smh get your self an sea Urchin after you Siphon out that stuff out with an hose . Also cut down on light and last but not least a sand sifting goby this one will do the trick a tiger goby would be something I will go for they are beast
- Location
- 10022
I can lend you my sea urchin if you want
but that algae will come back again,
it looks like you're running your lights for too long, you not using RO+DI water and you don't have proper filtration
but that algae will come back again,
it looks like you're running your lights for too long, you not using RO+DI water and you don't have proper filtration
Performed a 40%water changed, took out both filters and replaced internals (Biomax,Carbon,Sponge and Water scrubber) , took out live rock and rinsed it out, cut down on time lights are on during the day, seems to have reduced it but now i see it coming back slowly, what happens to the fish if all lights are off ? Now only problem i have is water getting a little warm its at 82.3 this morning and that was after spending the night with the lights off...
Thnx for the offer
How long should lights be on ? As of now the filters im running are Fluval 406 & Fluval 70 overhead filter, RO+DI ??? Sry still havent caught up with the terminology lol
Last edited:
- Location
- Yorktown, NY (Westchester)
RO/DI- Reverse Osmosis/De-Ionized water. The setups are very reasonable and easy to install. Check Premium Aquatics, Bulk Reef Supply and Marine Depot amd research the units they offer. Might not seem worth it but it totally is. Also check the marketplace to see if anyone is selling a unit too
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Reefs
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Reefs
- Location
- manhattan
Don't panic. You need to consider your bio load and cleaning crew.
1: how many gallons is tank complete with sump if any?
2: how many fish are in system?
3: of those fish how many are grazers (eat algae)?
4: How often do you feed and what do you feed?
5: how often do you test?
6: what does your cleaning crew consist of?
7: are you using RO/DI water ALWAYS now?
8: do you have a sump, refugium?
9: what algae do you have if you have sump and or refugium?
10: do you use a reactor for GFO or Bio pellets (nitrate/phosphate removers)?
11: whats your level of commitment to your tank?
Once you answer these questions ppl can really help you.
1: how many gallons is tank complete with sump if any?
2: how many fish are in system?
3: of those fish how many are grazers (eat algae)?
4: How often do you feed and what do you feed?
5: how often do you test?
6: what does your cleaning crew consist of?
7: are you using RO/DI water ALWAYS now?
8: do you have a sump, refugium?
9: what algae do you have if you have sump and or refugium?
10: do you use a reactor for GFO or Bio pellets (nitrate/phosphate removers)?
11: whats your level of commitment to your tank?
Once you answer these questions ppl can really help you.
Last edited:
1: 40 Gallon Breeder , No Sump
2: 6 fishes in total,2 clown,1 fire Angel,1 coral Beauty ,1 fire goby and 1 Diamond goby.
3: non are grazzer
4
nce a day, small cube of Mysis shrimp5: Weekly tests
6: 6x turbo snails, 1 cleaner shrimp, 4 lasarus snails, 5 hermit crabs, 2 sand sifting starfish and a sea hare.
7: i started with the petco brand sea water then started mixing my own.
8: no sump or Refugion
9: N/A
10: No
11: 110% !
- Location
- Manhattan New York
Also I would invest in a uv
- Location
- Beacon, NY
If you can add a sump with a skimmer it will help clean up your system.
Whats GFO carbon ???
Yes a eshopps psk 75h hang on skimmmer
- Location
- manhattan
Good
Ok. The only thing I can think of is that you have been mixing salt with tap water. That has to stop. You can buy a RO/DI unit or you can cart water like I do. Meaning I buy RO/DI water at .50 cents a gallon and transport 40 gallons a month from my LFS. Yes its a pain in the a>> but no floods or leaks or filters to change.
You do not have a skimmer or a sump or a refugium. This means you will have to do more regular water changes, more water movement with some surface water movement as well.
Also how many fish can you stock in a 40 gallon setup?
3gal to 1" of fish?
4gal to 1" of fish?
5gal to 1" of fish?
Let say 4 to 1 to make it easy so that's 10" of fish
gobies say (2) 2", angels (2) 4", clowns (2) 3" so you are ok there but only just.
Clean up crew is scant. Turbos only cruise rocks and glass, cleaner shrimp N/A, nasarus snails you need at least 10 more, Crabs you need diverse types and plenty of them 20 would be good as they eat different type of algae they also stir the very top of the sand (they die, get stuck and die, get eaten... and die) so more is better. Never had luck with sand sifting stars as I never have that much build up in the sand. Brittle stars are better as they cruise the sand and the rock work.
This is not a bible just a recommendation as I have not touched on a number of other things.
1) Power heads? how many? continuous or cycle?
2) filtration? Hang on back? canister?
3) water change schedule?
4) what are your current water readings?
Continue to syphon off the buildup and gently stir the sand weekly. Start a tank thread and you will get great tips and you will be able to post follow up photos showing progress!
1: 40 Gallon Breeder , No Sump
2: 6 fishes in total,2 clown,1 fire Angel,1 coral Beauty ,1 fire goby and 1 Diamond goby.
3: non are grazzer
4
5: Weekly tests
6: 6x turbo snails, 1 cleaner shrimp, 4 lasarus snails, 5 hermit crabs, 2 sand sifting starfish and a sea hare.
7: i started with the petco brand sea water then started mixing my own.
8: no sump or Refugion
9: N/A
10: No
11: 110% !
Ok. The only thing I can think of is that you have been mixing salt with tap water. That has to stop. You can buy a RO/DI unit or you can cart water like I do. Meaning I buy RO/DI water at .50 cents a gallon and transport 40 gallons a month from my LFS. Yes its a pain in the a>> but no floods or leaks or filters to change.
You do not have a skimmer or a sump or a refugium. This means you will have to do more regular water changes, more water movement with some surface water movement as well.
Also how many fish can you stock in a 40 gallon setup?
3gal to 1" of fish?
4gal to 1" of fish?
5gal to 1" of fish?
Let say 4 to 1 to make it easy so that's 10" of fish
gobies say (2) 2", angels (2) 4", clowns (2) 3" so you are ok there but only just.
Clean up crew is scant. Turbos only cruise rocks and glass, cleaner shrimp N/A, nasarus snails you need at least 10 more, Crabs you need diverse types and plenty of them 20 would be good as they eat different type of algae they also stir the very top of the sand (they die, get stuck and die, get eaten... and die) so more is better. Never had luck with sand sifting stars as I never have that much build up in the sand. Brittle stars are better as they cruise the sand and the rock work.
This is not a bible just a recommendation as I have not touched on a number of other things.
1) Power heads? how many? continuous or cycle?
2) filtration? Hang on back? canister?
3) water change schedule?
4) what are your current water readings?
Continue to syphon off the buildup and gently stir the sand weekly. Start a tank thread and you will get great tips and you will be able to post follow up photos showing progress!
- Location
- Yonkers, New York
Sorry to jack your thread but Troy mentioned something I have a question on; The RO/DI water. I also by mine 10g at a time for my 29g Biocube water changes. so my question is this and not just to Troy but any one who can answer, how long is the RO/DI good for? How long can I store it? i mix my water for a day sometime 2 but if I could buy more and have it in house for water changes/top off it would be easier.
- Location
- manhattan
If the RO/DI water is clean. The shelf life is only affected by the container, light, and heat. Plastic has PCB or something which leaches into the water from the plastic so for storage high grade food containers are useful. I would say that the delivery water jugs are fine for up to 3 month + storage. I get 35-40 at a time. I mix 25 or so for a water change and the rest is for top off. So I go get more every 3 weeks. I would store longer but I don't have the space.
Hope that answered the question.
Our host I hope has gotten the situation under control it seems as he has not followed up recently. I hope.
Hope that answered the question.
Our host I hope has gotten the situation under control it seems as he has not followed up recently. I hope.
Last edited:
Sponsor Reefs
We're a FREE website, and we exist because of hobbyists like YOU who help us run this community.
Click here to sponsor $10:
