Is my skimmer causing the algae in my tank???

[bennyK]

I set up a small 30gal reef tank about 5 weeks ago, got 2 x small damels, 20lb live rock and a fluvel 304 canister, everything fine. Ammonia & nitrite =0, nitrate about 15ppm and falling, Oxygen,Ph,phosphate & salinity are all fine. Lights only running on two tubes at the mo but soon to change 8)

Last night I installed a skimmer to the tank (a prizm. hang on)
got home from work today to find brown algae over the rock and sand, not loads but a bit. Could installing the skimmer cause this by increasing oxygen in the water? that the only thing i can think of! made no other change to the tank. What do you think???

 

[tangir1]

you need to test your water parameter, and maybe change your bulbs that you are going to do anyway. Install a skimmer or better circulation or better oxygeniation does not cause brown algae.

 

[Unarce]

You can expect algae blooms around this time. Your tank's only 5 weeks old. Probably had nothing to do with the skimmer. Brown algae can indicate traces of phosphate, so check your source water.

 

[Big Fishy]

Prizm skimmers are a piece of junk in IMO. Ihave had one on a 30 gal and it was sorry. Bite the bullet and spend 50 bucks more to get something decent. Trust me it will save some time money and effort in the end.

 

[vair]

If the skimmer is new just clean it up and return it and say you want to upgrade should not be a big deal. That skimmer is more like a bad toy not a good tool.

Dave

 

[elpescado]

It is not your skimmer causing algae. It is a new system. Algae is a plant, and plants need certain things to survive. They need light, food (nitrates, phosphates, ammonia, nitrites, iron, iodine, carbon dioxide, disolved organics, etc.), the correct pH, and water hardness.
Your tank is most likely at the stage where the nutrient levels had become high enough to cause a bloom. Don't worry, it will go away (starve itself out).
There is another possibility which I guess would involve the Protein skimmer. For nitrifying bacteria to "oxidize" ammonia and nitrite into nitrate they need oxygen, and a protein skimmer greatly increases the dissolved oxygen levels in the tank. The higher the oxygen concentration, the faster the nitrate is produced, so the quicker it is available to algae to utilize. Bing Bang Boom!

 

[Ben1]

You can expect algae blooms around this time. Your tank's only 5 weeks old. Probably had nothing to do with the skimmer. Brown algae can indicate traces of phosphate, so check your source water

Depends on what kind of "brown algea" it is. If it is Diatoms it is from silicates.

WHy do you use a fluval? I think they are more trouble then help and most tanks are better with out them. I havent used one for years. If I did it would be for the occasional carbon once a month or something. I would look there for the problem first. They can build up detritus and cause PO2, NO2 problems.

Everyone is right in saying its normal for the age of your system.