Uhhhhhh just got home from work and my LR is a mess.....

[Doan]

Hello all, Could someone please explain to me real quick what exactly a brown algae bloom looks like cause I think I might be having one already.. My rock is all turning brown... I am a little confused cause the sand and the glass are fine.. Also confused I have almost no ammonia.. does it dip as well as spike.. 2 days ago mine was 5 now it says none.. But that can't be right can it? It's been like 3 days..

If one of you guys could let me know that would be great..

thanks

Doan

 

[Electrobes]

well did you just get the LR, often when you get base rock and tryign to turn it into LR it goes from white to brown (the algae is forming on it), and then eventually it'll turn pink or purple.. depending on the chemistry of your water. But if you already have cured live rock and all then I am not sure what it is...

 

[fishfreek]

This is a new setup right?

Its more than likly an algae bloom from the cycle process. Can you describe the algae. Is it like sheets covering the rock or is it more firmly attached to the rocks?

 

[Doan]

Yes this is a new set up.. Well hmmm It really just looks more like brown and fuzzy and I would say It seems from looking pretty well attached.

Here I should also admit that I didn't follow your advice to a T. Just coming clean to help you guys diagnose.. I had my 48" coralife aqualight running for a few hours last night.. both blues and whites. Had a glass of wine and watched the Penguin game enjoying the washed out greens and reds on the rock.. Sorry.. Couldn't resist.. It will never happen again..

Doan

 

[fishfreek]

HOnestly there should not have been a problem for having the lights on for a few hours. Did you forget to turn them off? Usually when cycling rocks its good to have a reduced photo period but a shorter period is ok in my book.

 

[Doan]

Nope not real long I would say about 4hrs.. hmmmmmmmmm

 

[sumphead]

I think i read an earlier post where you left 'em on all night night before last yeah? Sorry to be a snitch!!! Hehehe. It is probably just a little algea. Have you noticed any little critters on your rock yet? -back to subject- Since you were having a little ammonia spike anyway I suggest mixing a small batch of SW in a tub or bucket and remove the rocks rinse and lightly brush each each piece in the bucket and put it back in the tank. This will not only remove the brown stuff. If it's the kind i have in mind and sorta looks like the dust bunny farted in your tank. It will also export the excessive nutrients from your tank. AND NO MORE SLACKIN' WITH THE MAINTENENCE MR.!!! All is well in the little world o' salt.

R-

 

[Doan]

No you did catch me.. I was told by my LFS guy to run um to help the rock come back. Then I was told here not to.. so I didn't for a night.. Then well, what was I to do there was hockey and beer and my dark dark tank... I gave in.. But reefnewb is right the first night I left the blues on all night before you guys told me not to..

and as a little note to reefnewb... I was not slackin on the maitnence I did just do a 50% water change.. I will take any excuse to get in there and play with it.. If you want I will come and do your maitnence ... It is like knowing where my parents kept the christmas presents...and not looking...this is hard... I would love to find another reason to play with it..anyof it..honestly I can't wait to do some maitnence and have something other than dust bunny fart in there..

Doan

 

[sumphead]

LOL, just hackin' at you man. I know the feeling. Just wait until life starts to explode off your rocks. I have a 65" Scenium HDTV that hasn't been on since finding Nemo came out! (Yeah man I really got it for my daughter....riiiiigggghht) Tanks are the greatest and like many of us your wife will grow to hate you! Actually the tanks grow on them too. Giving you someplace to point your nose for years to come, the REEF is just great!

R-

 

[Doan]

That actually would be cool if I could get her on board with the tank.. No I know your just hackin chief... and yeah I know the Nemo feeling.. There I was the day it came out on DVD at the video store in front of like 9 mothers and kids, first in line... The checkout lady was like ... is this for your son or daughter.. No I don't have kids... LoL...

 

[sumphead]

Oh but you will have children. Children with different species and genus, mouthful scientific names, and pictures readily available.

 

[An t-iasg]

Reefnewb,
How true!
I have pictures of my 2 bettas (now in fishy heaven) laminated and in my wallet!

 

[Doan]

LOL I could see that judging from my current fascination with just a pile of rocks in a big wet box..

 

[fishfreek]

Dont lose hope Doan. By christmas your tank should be over this rut of brown algae.

Are you using RO water for your tank or are you using tap water? If your using tap water do you have access to a phosophate test kit? In your inital post you said no ammonia but did not mention the other permaiters like nitrite and nitrate.

All three of those can be fuel for algae.

 

[Boxster]

Get some turbo snails and place them on the LR. They will clean it up in no time. Also, agressive Skimming is the way to go. If possible, check your phosphate and silicate reading. Add polyfilter will also help.
I had the same Diatoms bloom in my tank a month ago, and it is spreading to my LR and sand. Since adding the Snails, the LR look great. My polyfilter, Hermit crabs and my Remora is slowly making my sand turn white again. As of yesterday, only a small portion of the sand has some brown algae.
Also wait for the Macro Algae to grow to compete against it. As you see more and more of the Corraline Algae, you will see less nuisance algae.

 

[Doan]

Thanks for the help guys. unfortunately I am stuck using treated tap water. There is just no way I am gonna be able to hook up a RO system in my kitchen.. Lack of space and everything else. I also have only one bathroom so I am a little stuck.. Do you think If I threw in a Turbo snail or 3 and maybe an emerald crab it would help. Also more importantly would they live. With the Rock and all the LFS guy said that cycling would take 2 weeks so I figure it is about half done but I have made the commitment that I Will not kill anything knowingly.. I think that I would really be doing a disservice to not only the snails and the crab but to all of you who are helping me and love not only the hobby but also the ocean. I think taking something out of the ocean and killing it because I am bored would just make me someone who should not be in this hobby. That being said picking up snails and mabye a crab would sure make this more fun off the bat. As for fish Not until Dec 29th when I get back from my Christmas trip at the earliest..and honestly before the fish I really want 2 cleaners and 2 pepperment shrimp or blood red shrimp.. Somhow I got into the hobby because of the fish and coral and currently am all about the inverts.. Strange hunh?

As for other levels my ph is 8.2 and my nitrates are closer to 2.5 the nitrites however are .25 Salt I am very proud of .023 (it's all that I can really figure out at this point )

I dunno what do you guys think??
honestly I will not do it if you guys think it would be death sentence, but if you think they might be ok I MIGHT put them in. I dunno I have to say I am little distraught that I got no cool criters with my rock.. I thought for sure 50lbs would have something..but like I said I couldn't just send critters off to a little Doan Auschwitz because I am bored..(mabye excited would be a better word than bored)
Doan

 

[Boxster]

If your tank is not cycle, then don't put any livestock in there. Do you have a good skimmer? Do water change more frequently to export the nutrients out. Add a polyfilter and activated carbon will help. And lastly just wait and wait.

 

[Doan]

ok Thanks for the advice

 

[BillyZ]

actually if you are still cycling you should NOT do water changes. Water changes, because you only have access to tap water, only adds more phosphates and nutrients to the water for the algae to feed off of. Doing water changes even with RO water will prolong the cycle as the high levels of the other elements are whats needed for the cycle to progress. You mentioned you also did a rather large water change... the same day as the hockey game? I'm thinking the water change just preceding the longer lighting that the tank was acustomed to is what caused your bloom.

here's my suggestions:

no more water changes until your ammonia = 0 and nitrites = 0. At this point your nitrates will still be high but those are the slowest to come down and this is the last stage of the cycle, which is when you should do your first water change.

do you have access to a large super market? if so, they often sell distilled or RO water by the gallon. check out the cost and see if it's feasible for you. If so, I would highly recomend using that over tap water. You can also check with your LFS, they often sell RO water rather cheaply.

Put your lights on a timer so they are on for a couple hours when you are typicaly in the room. This will give you some peekaboo time while ensuring they're not on too long.

 

[An t-iasg]

do you have access to a large super market? if so, they often sell distilled or RO water by the gallon. check out the cost and see if it's feasible for you.

Doan, I see you're from Pittsburgh too

Our Shop 'n Save has a RO machine. It's 79 cents a gallon if you use their container, and 39 cents a gallon if you bring your own container or refill the one you purchased at 79 cents again. If your tank is real big this may be inconvenient, but just wanted to let you know!