Brown Algae

[igadget56]

I am newTo saltwater tank, I think I have the basics down. Like live sand live rock, cycling the tank. I started out with about 1 inch of life sand and 25 pounds of live rock and one damsel. I'm monitored the ammonia nitrite and nitrates. After ammonia spike I had zero on all three. Everything was fine. Then I found live rock on craigslist and checked it out, it was a 50 gallon Tank with 100 pounds of live rock. Still set up, all look really nice covered coralline algae, I bought it for $100. So now I have 125 pounds live rock. Well a week later I found some more and other hundred dollars for 100 pounds, so now I am up to 225 pounds. It all looked good for about a week now everything is covered in brown algae and my nitrate is 20 ppm ammonia and nitrite still zero. I have 250 Wats half actinic and half 10,000 K which I have set on a timer 12 hours on 12 hours off. I had and ehiem canister filter that I used on my freshwater set up I was advised not to use it. I also have four or five corals, that is why I leave the light on so long. I am not running a filter but I am running a skimmer. Amazingly the water is crystral clear. I added a clown fish and they seem very very healthy, very good appetites. I have 2 1400 GPH pumps running for water circulation. Two questions, what kind of filter should I be running and will the brown algae in time turn to coraline algae. I hope I have enough details for someone to answer thank you in advance, I know I'm going to need more help him down the road

[joy13]

Sounds like diatoms it is a natural part of the starting a tank. Anytime you add rock or sand it can cause it to reoccur. You might want to back your lights down to about 6 hours. Depending on the corals you can do a day or two without any light.

Diatoms will not turn into coraline.

For a filter we will need to know how big the tank is and do you have room for a sump? Before starting I would have gotten the tank drilled and a sump or fuge.

[igadget56]

Thanks for the reply. Forgot the most Important part, the tank
is 125 Gallons. Is there any other way to lower nitrates than a water change

[igadget56]

Yes I do have room for a sump. Would a 30 gallon long old aquarium work and would I need lights on it? The aquarium is built in to my living room wall and behind it there is a bedroom,. so I have lots of room but I really would like lights in their