Brown disgusting alagae!!

[Ant8689]

I have a 110 gal tank with 30 gal refuge I'm running 2 al vega LEDs all my levels are good. I do not h e a phosphate tester. I run lights on auto setting at 65 percent. Everyday I come home to a lot of brown algae on the glass. Any suggestions of hat I'm doin wrong??? Tanks been running 6 months

 

[Tonyscoots84]

What are your good levels?
What is your phosphate level?
Are you using rodi water?
Did you start off the tank with rodi water?
What is your lighting schedule?
Do you have a good skimmer?
How many fish do you have in the tank and what are they?
Do you have good water circulation, what are you using?

Just a few questions off the top of my head....

 

[Ant8689]

Lol 0 ammonia 0 nitrites 0 nitrate. Phosphate I do not know skimmers been off due to I had to treat tank for ich

 

[Ant8689]

Always ro water about 9 small fish. Lights a full strength at 1130 and they start dying down round 7

 

[strgazr27]

What did you use to treat the tank for the Ich? This is a Fish Only tank? I'm hoping you didn't use a copper based treatment if the tank is a reef tank.

 

[Ant8689]

It's a reef tank. Herbtana makes something to treat ich in reef tank. Didn't work. Def no copper

 

[vio]

i will try more Flow,flow flow (water flow).

 

[Ant8689]

I have an mp40 and a smaller power head opposite the wavemaker

 

[basiab]

Tanks go through stages, it doesn't mean anything is 'wrong'. But you can help things out. Are you sure you have good test result. Zero nitrates is pretty hard to get (and in some cases you don't want zero). What is your maintenance schedule for water changes? If you are doing 10% a week then I would do another 5% (on another day) till things improve.

 

[Ant8689]

Yeah 10 percent a week. Nitrates may be slightly higher the API color test always throws me off with nitrates

 

[bhazard451]

I get it too, but I overfeed and am slightly overstocked to keep fat, happy fish. Still can grow SPS despite that however.

Less feeding and more water changes. Sounds like a phosphate issue. Add chaeto/GFO if you haven't already.

 

[peteyboyny]

How long has the tank been running? How often do you do water changes?

 

[Ant8689]

6 months. I do have chaeto and also callupra (prob destroyed the spelling on tht). How should I bring phosphates down? Once a week usually I do water change

 

[peteyboyny]

When's the last time you trimmed the caulerpas? You need to trim them to "export" the nutrients they absorb.
Also, how deep is your sandbed? A deep sandbed can trap waste and uneaten food which will breakdown and cause nutrient spikes.

 

[Ant8689]

Off hand I'd say 2-3 inches. I haven't trimmed at all

 

[Ant8689]

I also keep fuge light on 24/7. Should I only keep on when lights r off? Would that cause it? I know it may mess with ph levels. Lol I think

 

[peteyboyny]

I also keep fuge light on 24/7. Should I only keep on when lights r off? Would that cause it? I know it may mess with ph levels. Lol I think

Yes. I leave mine on 24/7. Keeps the Caulerpas from going sexual as well.
Sandbed isn't too deep, but it may still be trapping waste. I wouldn't disturb the sandbed.
If you dont already have them, I would pickup some nassarius snails. They will help by naturally cleaning and aerate the sandbed. Bristle worms do this too, just dont handle them without gloves...they sting. Some people dont like bristle worms...im okay with them. IMO, they help keep things clean.

 

[Ant8689]

I have a bunch of those snails and 2 sifting starfish but no worms

 

[peteyboyny]

How long have the sand sifting starfish been in the tank, and are you sure they're still alive? They dont do well in captivity. Its usually a death sentence for them.
I know these ha e been asked before but, GFO? Carbon? How stocked are you with fish? You may need to increase amount and frequency of water changes.

 

[peteyboyny]

Any pics of the algae? It may also be a diatom bloom.