Brown Algae

frankfast · 11/11/2017, 06:30 AM

Currently have a 20 gallon IM all in one tank. It's been running for over a year and previously converted from a 10 gallon. When I converted I transferred rock with brown brush algae to the new tank. I tried to brush it off to no avail and the algae persisted in the new tank. Recently I've decided to turn off the brighter daylight bulbs and kept the blue bulbs lit. The tank has mechanical filtration with Chemi-Pure Blue, a small skimmer and a media reactor with Phosphate Out. The brush algae seems to be morphing into a slime like substance that coats the rock, glass and substrate. I try to remove as much as I can periodically with a toothbrush. It comes off in sheets but it persists. Does anyone know what this stuff is?

TexChuck · 11/13/2017, 05:09 PM

Can you send a pic? Here is a good thread with links to help you ID

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1031289

How often are you doing WC's? Have you tested for nitrates and phosphate? I'm a newbie myself, and recently went through another nuisance algae bloom... The only long term fix I've found is to fix the root problem -- excess nutrients. And the best way I've found is to increase WC frequency and decrease feeding.

FisheyVetTech · 11/13/2017, 09:03 PM

Has the reduction in light helped? What are you light cycles (how long on/off)? Also we need to know parameters, really just phosphate and nitrate. I know you have phos-out and chemi pure blue (good stuff, I use it too) but it is still good to test.

What is you live stock? What do you feed? How often do you feed?

Also, what type of light bulbs do you have and how old are they?

I'd also be interested in how your flow is in the tank (powerheads, etc.) and what type of water you use.

Pics would def help, possibly could be diatoms or cyano or something. But +1 w/ TexChuck on upping WC's (at least for now) and decrease feeding.. and keeping those lights low.

"blow it off with a turkey baster...if it disintegrates its dinoflagellates, if it comes off in mats then its cyano" -Info I ran across on Google

FisheyVetTech · 11/13/2017, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sneaton

blow it off with a turkey baster...if it disintegrates its dinoflagellates, if it comes off in mats then its cyno....does it ever get stringy and snotty

Found the quote lol, didn't realize it was this site.

jlmawp · 11/13/2017, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankfast

The brush algae seems to be morphing into a slime like substance that coats the rock, glass and substrate. I try to remove as much as I can periodically with a toothbrush. It comes off in sheets but it persists.

My buck is on cyano, but a pic would go a long way in helping us confirm. Does it appear reddish or pinkish?

frankfast · 11/15/2017, 02:47 PM

Just completed three days of total blackout of tank. The brown slime seems to be completely gone. I reintroduced actinic lighting only for a few hours. I believe that the daylight bulbs were part of the problem and my soft corals don't suffer under the reduced lighting. My parameters of nitrates and phosphates are good and I use distilled water only. We shall see if the slime comes back. From what I've researched, it is dino.

frankfast · 11/15/2017, 02:52 PM

I forgot to mention that I have only two small fish - a Green Chromis and a Six Line Wrasse (What a mistake!). I also probably feed them too much. Have to cut back.

jlmawp · 11/15/2017, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankfast

Just completed three days of total blackout of tank. The brown slime seems to be completely gone. I reintroduced actinic lighting only for a few hours. I believe that the daylight bulbs were part of the problem and my soft corals don't suffer under the reduced lighting. My parameters of nitrates and phosphates are good and I use distilled water only. We shall see if the slime comes back. From what I've researched, it is dino.

Distilled water is your culprit, in my opinion. If you're serious about preventing this in the future, I would highly recommend acquiring an RO/DI unit to produce cleaner water. Distilled water is full of things that algae, dinos, and cyano loves. With a 20 gallon tank, a small unit would last a really long time before needed to change out the membranes/filters for it. I bought one for making water for my 9-gallon and paid $50 for it. Best investment in the tank so far.

Small Heavens · 11/20/2017, 08:40 AM

Great job. If you do not do so already, begin dropping some liquid carbon to the water column daily. Your tank already has all the needed anaerobic bacteria that can rinse out Phosphates and Nitrates, they are just depended on the access to carbon to do so.

frankfast · 11/23/2017, 06:15 AM

It's been more than a week now since I've removed the blackout material from the tank. The brown slime algae is gone and the brush algae has decreased. The soft corals show no ill affects and the two small fish are fine. As a matter of fact, my tank has never looked this good. I'm using only actinic lighting.

11/11/2017, 06:30 AM	#1
frankfast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 9	Brown Algae Currently have a 20 gallon IM all in one tank. It's been running for over a year and previously converted from a 10 gallon. When I converted I transferred rock with brown brush algae to the new tank. I tried to brush it off to no avail and the algae persisted in the new tank. Recently I've decided to turn off the brighter daylight bulbs and kept the blue bulbs lit. The tank has mechanical filtration with Chemi-Pure Blue, a small skimmer and a media reactor with Phosphate Out. The brush algae seems to be morphing into a slime like substance that coats the rock, glass and substrate. I try to remove as much as I can periodically with a toothbrush. It comes off in sheets but it persists. Does anyone know what this stuff is?

11/13/2017, 05:09 PM	#2
TexChuck Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Texas Posts: 107	Can you send a pic? Here is a good thread with links to help you ID http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1031289 How often are you doing WC's? Have you tested for nitrates and phosphate? I'm a newbie myself, and recently went through another nuisance algae bloom... The only long term fix I've found is to fix the root problem -- excess nutrients. And the best way I've found is to increase WC frequency and decrease feeding.

11/13/2017, 09:03 PM	#3
FisheyVetTech Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: VA Posts: 15	Has the reduction in light helped? What are you light cycles (how long on/off)? Also we need to know parameters, really just phosphate and nitrate. I know you have phos-out and chemi pure blue (good stuff, I use it too) but it is still good to test. What is you live stock? What do you feed? How often do you feed? Also, what type of light bulbs do you have and how old are they? I'd also be interested in how your flow is in the tank (powerheads, etc.) and what type of water you use. Pics would def help, possibly could be diatoms or cyano or something. But +1 w/ TexChuck on upping WC's (at least for now) and decrease feeding.. and keeping those lights low. "blow it off with a turkey baster...if it disintegrates its dinoflagellates, if it comes off in mats then its cyano" -Info I ran across on Google

11/15/2017, 02:47 PM	#6
frankfast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 9	Just completed three days of total blackout of tank. The brown slime seems to be completely gone. I reintroduced actinic lighting only for a few hours. I believe that the daylight bulbs were part of the problem and my soft corals don't suffer under the reduced lighting. My parameters of nitrates and phosphates are good and I use distilled water only. We shall see if the slime comes back. From what I've researched, it is dino.

11/15/2017, 02:52 PM	#7
frankfast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 9	I forgot to mention that I have only two small fish - a Green Chromis and a Six Line Wrasse (What a mistake!). I also probably feed them too much. Have to cut back.

11/20/2017, 08:40 AM	#9
Small Heavens In Memoriam Join Date: Sep 2017 Posts: 246	Great job. If you do not do so already, begin dropping some liquid carbon to the water column daily. Your tank already has all the needed anaerobic bacteria that can rinse out Phosphates and Nitrates, they are just depended on the access to carbon to do so.

11/23/2017, 06:15 AM	#10
frankfast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 9	It's been more than a week now since I've removed the blackout material from the tank. The brown slime algae is gone and the brush algae has decreased. The soft corals show no ill affects and the two small fish are fine. As a matter of fact, my tank has never looked this good. I'm using only actinic lighting.