Brown algae

[Dave12678]

I am trying to fight this problem. I do use tap which is part of the problem but I don't have the money for RO/DI and haven't really read into them enough to understand them. My flow right now is 1250 from power heads and 400+, so about 1700 GPH. I just added the 400GPH pump and a 10g refugium. I run the fuge light 12 hours and the MH from 9:30am - 5pm and actinic until 8pm. The fuge is starting to get really bad and I need to stop this problem soon. My nitrates are 15-20, the trates are my only chemical problem that I know of right now. I don't have mg and copper test yet. The problem started when I got my light so I think that is what causing this problem. How long should I run my light and what else should I look into?

thanks guys

[bertoni]

High nitrate problems can be difficult to tackle. This article covers a lot of ground:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...t2003/chem.htm

Those lighting times sound reasonable to me. What's in the refugium, and what's the problem with it?

[Billybeau1]

I would concentrate on PO4 (phosphates).

If you have brown algae, you have elevated phosphates.

Try testing for that. If you have more than .03ppm, that could be your problem.

You need to get them nitrates under control as well. The article Bertoni posted is a good start.

[drummereef]

I agree there is a nutrient problem. Do you think the brown algae is diatoms or dinoflagellates? Two very different animals. With the tap water you are probably introducing silica which is feeding the diatoms. I never beat them totally until I started using RO/DI water.

[PPi]

Just a thought, cut back the lighting to 6 hours and throw a turbo snail in your fuge. Those things will eat almost anything. I put 2 in my cycled 46. I had a bad algae breakout and withing 3 days the rock was bare. I did have help from the cutting back of the light and have crabs working on it as well.

[Dave12678]

I just cut back the light I am going to setup a timer. As far as PO4, mine are 0. The only thing I have problems with is the nitrates. Could it be anything else besides tap water?

[Billybeau1]

What test kit are you using for PO4 ? I still think you have elevated phosphates.

[bertoni]

The phosphate often measures zero with algae problems because the alga (or other photosynthetic pests) consume the PO4 as quickly as it is released.

Is this brown algae a film, or does it have structure more like a plant? Does it occur only in the refugium?

[Dave12678]

Its a brown algea film. Whats the best way to fight this problem?

[bertoni]

Okay, the films can often (but not always) be beaten by getting the macroalgae to grow more strongly, or via a phosphate reactor. What is in the refugium, and how is it lit? If there's a macroalga, how much is being harvested, and how often?

In the short term, removing the brown film will help export nutrients. It's not important to get all of it, just the easy stuff.

[Dave12678]

I just installed the refugium 2 weeks ago. I have a lot of cheato in there now but I haven't cut any back yet. I have a 6100k light on the cheato. I think its growing but I just added the large amount on Monday. Should I add any other algae?

[bertoni]

Caulerpa sometimes works better than Chaetomorpha, although it's nasty if it gets into the display tank. You might be fine with either, but the refugium might take a few weeks to get going.

[Dave12678]

Would a light cycle help at all? I read that turning out the lights kills this, I think its only temporary. What do you guys think?

[bertoni]

Algae and photosynthetic organsms sometimes surprise me with their reactions to light, but I wouldn't count on turning out the lights to be very useful over the long run for this kind of issue. Reinfection is very easy.

[Dave12678]

Little update here. Since I was off work today I decided to wait until noon to turn on the light. When I turned the light on the tank was clear, kind of weird but I didn't have to see the brown film on the glass. Its not really that bad yet, I notice the film when I come home from work. The film is little spots not completely covered. Now the fuge is full of the film, that where I am concerned the most I will post a pic of what I am talking about later on today. Thanks for all of your help guys I will try to tackle this problem, I will be doing a water change today.

[Dave12678]

Here are my results are water change:
PH 8.3
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 10-15
CA 440
PO4 0
KH 10
What do you guys think? I know my nitrates are high.

[Thunder1ips]

Cut light back 4 hours on each halide and pc. Before the red slime starts to breakout from your new light. Increase light by one hour each week till you hit your original light time. Also give the bulbs a burn in time.

[Thunder1ips]

Also put on timer asap one for halide and one for pcs.