Brown Algae

[pool_dude]

Is brown algae bad? Ever since I got stronger lighting, they started forming on the tank.

 

[RMPD109]

is it diatoms? what are your water perameters?

 

[Devilishturtles]

How long has the tank been set up? Likely diatoms, and a completely normal occurence for new tanks.

 

[pool_dude]

tank has been set up for four months. ammonia is .25 ppm and nitrates are about or in between 0 and 5.0 ppm.

 

[pool_dude]

what do diatoms do?

 

[midiman]

tank has been set up for four months. ammonia is .25 ppm and nitrates are about or in between 0 and 5.0 ppm.

That seems like a long time to still have ammonia readings, and isn't 0 to 5 a rather large range for nitrites (maybe I'm using a cheap test kit)? I'm on day 17 of my cycle and yesterday my ammonia dropped to very nearly 0 for the first time, but my nitrites are still high at about 5. They shoull both be at or near zero after the completion of a cycle, if I'm not mistaken. (I have cause to be concerned about my nitrites, as I discovered a blue mushroom hitchhiker on a piece of LR that I added on Saturday. I'm doing 2x daily 5 gal changes in a 30 gal tank to try to help it survive the tail end of my cycle.)

 

[steve-s]

Brown algae is from silicates getting into the system. Usually from tap water or RO only water without a DI attachment.

As far as your ammonia is concerned, many types of test kits will register a false possitive. Since you have only a 0.25 reading, no nitrite and only 5 ppm nitrate, I would lean towards finding a better grade of test kit.

How long have you had the new lights, what type did you get and what where the old ones? How old is the tank?

Cheers
Steve

 

[SeriousDude5]

Switching the lights caused a bloom in my tank. I would say thats te problem. If you want to get rid of it I would suggest a refugium.