Brown Algae

[jar05g]

Hey guys. I think I posted this thread but it got moved or something and I never found the response. Anyway, my tank is new...only about a month and a half old. I just bought a new light because I plan on having corals. Since I've added it I've gotten this nasty brown algae all over my sand...and recently in some spots it has started to creep up the side glass. Someone told me that it could be phosphates. I'm not sure because I don't have a phosphate test. My tank is still cycling and my LFS said it's just part of the cycle and it will go away and to not worry about it. I'm only feeding once ever other day to get my nitrites down and running the light six hours a day. In a previous thread I read something about Iron Oxide Hydroxide...would this be of any use in my situation?

[jvr1102]

Check in my pics, is it anything like mine? I am a little older tank than you have but I put a small powerhead on the bottom part of my tank to have better circulation, so far it looks like it took care of the problem

[jar05g]

No...it's not green or has hairy as that. Wouldn't putting the powerhead near the bottom stir up the sand?

[jvr1102]

It is stirring the sand a bit I need to mess with the placement to get it right

[jar05g]

Hmm...what if you put the powerhead at the top of the tank...but just aimed it towards the bottom...that way you would get a good flow aimed down...but it wouldn't necessarily stir up the sand.

[Duff Man]

It's diatoms, which is part of the cycling of the tank. It should go away soon.

[jvr1102]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11112480#post11112480 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jar05g
Hmm...what if you put the powerhead at the top of the tank...but just aimed it towards the bottom...that way you would get a good flow aimed down...but it wouldn't necessarily stir up the sand.

I will try that tomorrow see how it goes

[jar05g]

Diatoms...caused my what...high Nitrates? or Phosphates? or both?

[Duff Man]

I believe that they feed on silica, one of many reasons to use ro/di water.

[dickhordishay]

I had the same stuff (tank a little over a month old). It was kind of powdery and blew off the rocks easily.
It was all over the place.
It's now gone, and coralline algae starting to set in!

[jar05g]

Ok...well hopefully it will clear up soon because it's definitely ugly!