Algae Problem - Need Help

[Jereli]

so as you can see by the picture the algae problem that i am having...i have not added nothing new recently..the tank has been up for about 1 year and 3 months.. all my parameters are looking good.. nitrate is at zero possibly because of the the algae? my phosphates is hard to tell from the card whether is at 0 or .25, looks closer to 0 but maybe cause of the algae?

i feed once a day and only what is consumed..i have a skimmer in a sump with chaeto in a fuge...i have always had this problem it comes and goes often..any ideas...my top off water is from the water store near my house

 

[Clownfish767]

Hmmmm do you ever leave the lights on(off) to long?? Or do you use a timer?

 

[Jereli]

they are on a timer...i only have them on for about 5 hours a day..and the moon lights for like 2 hours after my lights shut off..so most of the time the lights are off

 

[Jereli]

it actually seems more visible while the lights are off during the day...once the lights are on for couple hours its not as noticable...

 

[Clownfish767]

Brown algae is often because of not enough light, Phosphorus, or too much nitrogen... Maybe not enough light??

 

[nxb161]

when is the last time you changed your bulbs?

 

[melosu58]

Usually cyano will start off brown and like that. Read our article on cyano in the SW articles.

 

[Jereli]

oh i didnt know not enough light will cause brown algae...

too much nitrogen?

 

[Jereli]

the bulbs are basically new...less then 2 months..like month and week old.. i will read on cyano

 

[Jereli]

i tried searching cyano in SW articles but came up with no results

 

[joy13]

Maybe this will help
ReefCleaners.org | Clean Up Crews and Macro Algae - Nuisance Algae ID Guide
It early look like the early stages of cyano.