Brown algae outbreak

[cvega01]

Hey guys, my tank has been up for nearly 6 weeks now and is now having a rapid outbreak of brown algae, appears to be diatoms. My LFS advises me to just leave it be and that it will pass on its own. I hate what it's doing to the tank and was thinking of using Red Sea NO3:PO4-X. What do you guys think? I have a yasha ray goby, a pistol shrimp, a GSP coral, and as of yesterday a true percula. My parameters are as follows:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
Phosphate: .36 ppm
Temp: 80
pH: 8.0

[Reefmedic79]

I agree with the LFS, wait it out.

How big is the tank? If it's fairly small I'd slow down a bit on the fish additions, a 6 week old tank may still be cycling.
Check out myth 15 in the below link, it could help explain what might be going on.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/eb/index.php

What type of CUC do you have?

Where does your source water come from?

If you can't stand not doing anything, a water change can never hurt especially with detectable phosphates

[bnumair]

if it is diatoms then yes u need to leave it alone and it will pass soon as silica levels drop from the water. if its algae then u can cut ur lights off for 4 days and do some water changes.

[ajcanale]

if it is diatoms then yes u need to leave it alone and it will pass soon as silica levels drop from the water.

+1

[Angel*Fish]

Good advice, by Reefmedic. In my opinion everyone should read that link. Read it three times! And as he/she said, if you've got to do something, do a water change.

[Reefmedic79]

Got the link from you Angel, I consider myself pretty experienced when it comes to reef tank and I still found the info in that article very informative.

[cvega01]

Thanks guys, that link DOES help a lot! I'll just take a deep breath and keep doing my weekly water changes.