Brown algae----need help

[Dragon5jt]

I have developed brown algae, and is quick growing. 72 gal bow front, sump setup with live rock and sand operating around 9 months. Two lawnmower blennies,hippo tang, foxface, and clarki. I also have 2 emerald crabs, two hermit crabs, and on very small star. I did a 10 gal water change last week, today I'm dong 5 gal change.


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[Dragon5jt]

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[Sniperhank]

What you are seeing is pointing to parameter issues. How often are you feeding and how much? How often are your water changes? The water changes that you listed just aren't really large enough to be keeping up with the slowly building up nitrates over time, probably leading to what you have on your hands now. I would suggest larger water changes with ro/di water and cut back feeding if possible. During these water changes, I would siphon out as much of this build up as possible.
To understand how water changes lowers nitrates, for example, if your nitrates are at 40 and you do a 50% water change, you will still be left with 20. Thats why sometimes when parameters get out of control one must do several large water changes to get things back under control. Even when you do the water changes, you still feed your fish and they still poop which continues the process of your nitrates rising.
BTW, is it slimy?

 

[Dragon5jt]

Not really I would say its like fur.


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[Dragon5jt]

Also nitrate is about 3ppm


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[BigRedsReefs10]

What you are seeing is pointing to parameter issues. How often are you feeding and how much? How often are your water changes?

?? And with that much of an outbreak you'll be getting false numbers on your tests


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[Sniperhank]

Like Bigred said, you won't get an accurate reading on your parameters. I'd suggest large water changes with ro/di water, cut back on feeding, siphoning out any algae if possible. Algae battles are usually long and drawn out. There are two articles in my signature that help address algae issues in the aquarium. You may also have to pull the rock out to scrub it off, which you could do in old tank water from your water changes.

 

[Dragon5jt]

I have cut back on feeding, as much as I can. I am using ro/ di should I test to water for nitrates? I started preparing water for large change. 20 gal? On a 72 gal tank.


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[Dragon5jt]

I have run both salifert and API nitrate test, both pint to 2ppm phosphate test I believe to be high I am going to get hi 713 to test. I have a big cleanup ahead back walls and rock to clean. Any hints?


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[mr_X]

How much have you cut back on feeding? What is your typical feeding regimen?
I feed a tank I maintain 2 times a week and none of the fish are thin or malnourished. Feeding consists of 1 whole sheet of nori and what would equal about 2 cubes of frozen food (I make my own frozen food). This tank has 2 medium (4+") sized tangs, a medium sized foxface rabbit, and a large maroon clown.

 

[Fire]

I'm new to saltwater aquariums. Just start my 55gal tank this past October. I had the same problem with brown algae. I increased water changes and watched over feeding. That still didn't help. I did some research and purchased seachem denitrate and phosguard. I purchased a 4 stage uv canister for $80 and made my own media canister filter. After 1 week the algae started to go away. I also purchased 6 snails and I haven't had to scrub my tank at all. My tank readings have been very consistent now.
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
PH 8.0


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[mr_X]

So what you are saying if I'm reading correctly is that you had nitrate and phosphate issues, and these are what fueled your algae problem. If you started an aquarium in October, I would imagine your tank went through the same ugly stage as every tank on the planet. It's a normal thing to have a diatom bloom come pretty quickly and then disappear once it's food source is depleted.
Something like this happening a year in is a different story. Overfeeding and insufficient nutrient export is usually the culprit, but it can also be brought on by poor source water, impurities in your salt mix... etc.
A UV light is not going to help with this.
Phosphate and nitrate reducing media may remove the symptoms of the issue, but I suggest correcting the problem instead of just being happy with zeroes on your test kits. A healthy tank has no need of nitrate/phosphate reducing media.

 

[Fire]

I now have it under control with more frequent water changes and a better feeding cycle. I went into panic mode because of the diatoms. [
ATTACH]259971[/ATTACH]


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[Dragon5jt]

Congrats looks great, I thought about adding a canister filter with media control to augment the sump. I think you made up my mind.


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[theninja]

This is awesome I am having the same problem and it is driving me crazy.

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[Dragon5jt]

I have done water changes, tested water for bot phosphate and nitrate levels. Both are very very low and the growth seems to have slowed down but still creeping up on me. I have also taken out thr rock out and scrubbed off algae in the change water. So at this point I am looking at my RODI water, maybe that is my issue?


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