Brown algae

[Cb24]

How do you get rid of brown algae that covers the sand bed

 

[Mark The Kidd]

Is your tank new?

 

[Cb24]

Well I just transferred to a bigger tank so it's been up for a couple months now

 

[tonedogz]

Almost everyone goes through that with a new setup. It should start to go away as the tank cycles and the water quality gets better

 

[Ingy]

Check diatoms. If it is, it isn't water quality. Its the silicates in the turned old sand or new sand added during upgrade. Once the bacteria (not algae) consume the silicates it will go away. Many of the cleaner crew will eat the bacteria.

 

[tonedogz]

Silicates are a contributor but not the sole contrbutor. Water quality such as ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and fish waste are also a factor as well as a low light conditions.

 

[Ingy]

Silicates are a contributor but not the sole contrbutor. Water quality such as ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and fish waste are also a factor as well as a low light conditions.

If you're referring to diatoms , silica is mandatory for their survival. The cell walls are made of silicon. No silicon, no cell walls, no diatoms. Diatoms can and do carbon fixation, but they cannot survive without silicon. Once they consume the silicon, diatoms will disappear.
If you do have nitrate issues, it CAN lend to the reproduction of diatoms as long as silicates are present. But even if you have perfectly clean nitrogenous free water but silicates are present, you will still have diatoms.
Therefore silicates are the 1 constant issue for diatoms.

 

[Aneata]

If you're referring to diatoms , silica is mandatory for their survival. The cell walls are made of silicon. No silicon, no cell walls, no diatoms. Diatoms can and do carbon fixation, but they cannot survive without silicon. Once they consume the silicon, diatoms will disappear.
If you do have nitrate issues, it CAN lend to the reproduction of diatoms as long as silicates are present. But even if you have perfectly clean nitrogenous free water but silicates are present, you will still have diatoms.
Therefore silicates are the 1 constant issue for diatoms.

I have a diatom issue too. My tank has been running since January. RO water used. Nitrite, ammonia and nitrate all at 0. How do you remove silica?

 

[Ingy]

Phosguard in a reactor will help remove silica from the water column. But it won't help the silica loosely bonded in your sand. For that the diatoms are the remover. Then the silica laced diatoms are eaten by snails and crabs and even corals. The silica then becomes part of the eater and forms part of their shells or Stoney parts which over times does and becomes part of the coral based sand where it began. Of course some is pooped out and hopefully the skimmer removes it.