Non-Stop Algae

[KreativJustin]

Ok, so my tank is about 2 months old - give or take a week. My tank has been going relatively well, and is gaining nice attractive features. However, one that seems to be a very ugly feature - brown algae!

I literally just cleaned the tank last night due to the algae starting to take over, and scrubbed the front & sides of the tank. I also ran the vacuum over the sand to clean it off of there.

It always looks beautiful for the first day, but here I am again, with brown algae creeping up over the sand, and starting to run up the glass of the tank.

Why is this algae still maintaining to be a problem? Is it because I'm still 'cycling' the tank? I took test results, and I know my 'nitrates' are high, but would it cause algae to grow rapid?

Salinity: 1.024
PH: 8.2-8.4
Ammonia: 0 > .25
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 40

*If there is 2 values for 1, its because I use the API Marine Test Kit, and it goes by color*

I do not have the 'Reef' kit, but will be looking into filling in the gaps on my test kit as I go.

I've been using primer to detoxify nitrates, but I don't know how often I can use it. Is there any other great method besides doing water changes all of the time?



-- Edit --

Aquariums Specs might be nice lol

55gallon
Lighting: Custom 4 Strip T5 - 2x10k - 2xActinic (two 80mm fans)
Filter(s): 350canister, 350hob (both marineland)
Heater: 80 Fahrenheit
30lb rock on sand bed. Handful of shells.

[bribo12]

Simple answer, your tank is going thought the "uglies" as it cycles. The high nitrates plus available silicates and phosphates present in new tanks is feeding the algae. It sounds like diatom algae which goes away on it's own over time. My 1.5 year old reef still gets a slight buildup on the glass every few days

[KreativJustin]

Thanks Bribo, is there any way to keep lowering nitrates over time, or to "help" it?

[bribo12]

Water changes do that. Doing small weekly wc keeps them down. Basically when your tank finishes cycling do a large-40-50% wc to bring nitrates down. Then keep up on weekly 10-20% changes

[KreativJustin]

Originally Posted by bribo12

... Basically when your tank finishes cycling do a large-40-50% wc to bring nitrates down. ...

How do you know when the tank is done 'cycling' and this won't hurt my frags or clean-up crew at all?

[bribo12]

Wait do you already have livestock? Are you sure there is 0.2 ammonia? No wc are good it keeps the tank clean

[KreativJustin]

On the test it was between 0 and .25

I would say it was majorly closer to 0. It just had a slightly darker tint than zero but not anywhere really close to .25

The livestock I have is in my signature. There is nothing less and nothing more than what I have listed in my signature

[bribo12]

Ah gotcha, if all that's doing fine your ammonia is probably 0. Those tests can be a pain to read. Just keep up on wc and those nitrates will come down. You don't have much bioload so it should come down over a couple wc

[KreativJustin]

Well I'm a 3rd shifter, and I just woke up and my sand bed is 90% covered in brown algae. There is little to no algae on the front or sides, but the bed is just horrific. This is very frustrating lol!

Could I possibly be overfeeding? I feed about half a cube worth at the moment, and snow every couple of days.

Is there any actual swimming fish hardy enough not to kill and put in the tank, to help eat the food and cause less waste? I was looking into damsels, but the LFS girl told me they can be semi-aggressive and my wife would be super angry if her blenny was attacked. <<-- I didn't notice, but the blenny isn't in my signature, sorry I made a liar of myself :/

Thanks you for all of your help! Hopefully that was the last set of questions

--Edit--

This is going to be a clown tank when done, my LFS has a great trade in program, so I could always trade the fish in at a lesser to equal value down the road.

[PB_Smith]

Funny, my little 30 gal is just at the end of cycling and when I saw the brown spots of algae starting to grow the other day, I was .

It means all is going well and according to schedule.