brown cyano bubble algae

[sassyfrassy]

Having a macro tank is a new experience for me. i have 2 BAD brown algae that are probably not the same thing. Started out w/ brown quarter-sized spots on glass and on waffle board in fuge - then some bubbles on a tube. Now I have brown slime & bubbles on the roots of my mangroves in my DT. I probably feed too much, but figured the macros & CUC would take care of any excess. I also dose KNO3 about twice a week - trying to maintain enough phosphate for plants. How do you maintain phosphate for plants w/o incurring this bad algae? How do I remove it - read somewhere not to burst bubbles.
Any help appreciated.
Carolyn

[sassyfrassy]

can anyone tell me what to do?

[djkms]

Dealing with the less desirable nuisance algae's seem to come with the territory with macro tanks. The same methods to eradicate these pests dont work for us unfortunately. I have dealt with diatoms, GHA, bryopsis, cyano, red turf, velonia, dictoya. You name it my system has dealt with it.

Theoretically your macro algae's should outcompete the micro algae's but this has never really been the case for me. I do a 3 day lights out to battle the micros. This period of darkness has worked for me. What I do is bottom out my nutrients then do the lights out. The die off of the micros adds nutrients back into the tank but the macros take care of it pretty easily. Eventually though the micros come back and I have to do this process over again. Once every couple of months for me. I recently started vodka dosing to help keep nutrients under control but I overfeed and dont recommend carbon dosing with macro displays.