Brown algae

[ZANYMASTER]

Even with the RO/DI,I still get brown algae on the rock.Certain ones,not all.It's not the covering kind but the bubbling clinging type that extend upward.A eyesore!Tried Rowaphos,I think it may be the live sand leeching something.I have T-5 lighting and I have it timed at 12 hours.Was thinking about lowering it to 8 but the lights are about 7 months old and perhaps need replacement?They say to increase the light but 12 is more than enough.I have no coral in the tank and fish don't care about it but I do.Any suggestions?

 

[Harif87]

It could be that silicates are finding their way into your water. Silicates are usually what cause the diatom brown algae blooms in more mature tanks. Brown algae is also associated with low water flow. My advice would be to manually remove the brown algae (or get a diatom filter) and increase water flow.

 

[Chiefmcfuz]

Run carbon, increase flow and post your test readings.

 

[yeahcheetah]

I got brown algae at the beginning, but after I toothbrushed them away, several times, the rocks are now mint Of course with improved water quality.
Don't laugh at me, I adopted my tank from a friend, and at the time I got it, the nitrate was 200ppm!!!

 

[simike]

Did you say it ws bubbling????? its cyano then

 

[dreko]

I have the same exact brown algae...
it's been driving me nuts trying to figure out exactly why it is suddenly
thriving in my tank..

I do use a RO/DI unit, and have tested with a cheapo TDS meter...
Getting a 0 reading... will swap all filters soon

The tank is about a year old, 30 gallon cube
I do have reef ceramics back wall and pillar, some agrocrete rocks , LR plus
one piece of strange very porous brown rock that I bought at a PetLands.
I think it's meant for fresh water, but I never found any threads about
not using this artificial rock in a salt setup

Any of the above similar in your tank???

Andre

 

[dreko]

forgot to mention, the algae is very stringy, right??

 

[bad coffee]

Post some pictures and we can help!

 

[ZANYMASTER]

It doesn't photograph well.It was stringy.Driving me nuts too.Going to get me tunze power head and see if flow is the problem.Should of kept the hang on refugium.My DI hasn't changed color and everything else has been changed.

 

[dreko]

What RO/DI unit do you have?

 

[ZANYMASTER]

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