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- Thread starter saltytom2
- Start date
shrkbait
Member
Where is the brown algae growing?
To answer your question..."yes" the brown stuff is part of the initial cycles of a new tank and should go away in a month or so. If you feed your tank too much, your nutrient levels will go up and cause an algae bloom. Also, your replacement water and top off water should be free of nitrates, phosphates and silicates. You can purchase tests for these if you want to know the levels. They can be quite pricey though. Use r/o d/i water and good replacement salt water and you shouldnt have to worry. IF you have a bio-wheel or bio-ball setup, you will have high nitrate problems. Get rid of them if you have a reef tank. If you just have fish and perhaps rock you shouldnt have to worry much as fish dont mind a moderatley high amount of nitrates. HTH.
To answer your question..."yes" the brown stuff is part of the initial cycles of a new tank and should go away in a month or so. If you feed your tank too much, your nutrient levels will go up and cause an algae bloom. Also, your replacement water and top off water should be free of nitrates, phosphates and silicates. You can purchase tests for these if you want to know the levels. They can be quite pricey though. Use r/o d/i water and good replacement salt water and you shouldnt have to worry. IF you have a bio-wheel or bio-ball setup, you will have high nitrate problems. Get rid of them if you have a reef tank. If you just have fish and perhaps rock you shouldnt have to worry much as fish dont mind a moderatley high amount of nitrates. HTH.
salty cheese
Active Member
Sounds like diatoms, from what I understand it is not uncommon for a new tank to have that problem.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthre...hlight=diatoms
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/vb/showthre...hlight=diatoms
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
Your tank is forming brown algae from the phosphates in newly established systems. It should turn to green as phosphates are consumed.
the reason you are getting either algae is to consume ammonia, nitrates, phosphates and carbon dioxide. Just as with any plant life. And in the process plant life also filters out toxins adn even heavy metals.
to balance out and stabilize your tank, I encourage you to get a thriving plant growth, even the ugly algaes.
If you do not like the algae then establish some plant life you do like such as macros or marine plants. Protect those in a refugium if you must but get the plant life thriving.
that will make the entire system much easier to maintain, and the fish will be much healthier.
the reason you are getting either algae is to consume ammonia, nitrates, phosphates and carbon dioxide. Just as with any plant life. And in the process plant life also filters out toxins adn even heavy metals.
to balance out and stabilize your tank, I encourage you to get a thriving plant growth, even the ugly algaes.
If you do not like the algae then establish some plant life you do like such as macros or marine plants. Protect those in a refugium if you must but get the plant life thriving.
that will make the entire system much easier to maintain, and the fish will be much healthier.
birdy
Active Member
Diatoms are not necessarily an algae, they are a single-cell organism, that feed primarily off of silica in your tank, once they exhaust their food supply then they will die off. But if you continue to use a water source which feeds them or you do nothing for nutrient export then they will continue to multiply. The best way to prevent diatoms is to use RO/DI water, I also recommend a refugium.