Algea - HELP

[bushwacker]

I have been battling a problem with brown algae on my sand bed for a couple months now and now I am starting to get green hair algae on my rocks. The local shops have exhausted all their ideas and so have I. I am hoping some of you may have some new ideas. I do 20% water changes every other week and my water quality is perfect. My tank has been running for about 2 years. Here is what I got.
55 gal reef
~80lbs live rock
30 turbo snails
25 hermit grabs
3 Queen Conchs
7 brittle stars. They have been breading!!!
7 fish with largest ~4"
Water:
SG 1.023
Nitrate 0
Phosphate 0
PH 8.3
Alk 5 meg/L
Cal. 400
So what can this algea be living on?? Thanks for any help

 

[who dey]

when ur testing for phosphates, there are 2 types. You may be testing zero but ur not lacking phosphates. Get this

 

[imerk]

I know you don't want to hear it, but the answer is Nitrates. What?? Your readings for nitrates are low?? I know, but you are reading the nitrate level in the water. Get a cup and dip it into your substrate and bring it out with enough water to test. You will probably find it higher than you think. The solution is to stir up your substrate and do a water change. In a 55 gal, 30% should do well. Google search Brown Algae Bloom (it's actually diatoms, not algae.)

 

[bushwacker]

I use that. It is how I keep my Phosphates at 0. How would you test for the other Phosphate? I have what the local LFS tells me is the best Phosphate test kit on the market.

 

[who dey]

how long did u use it. I run it constantly changing it out once a month and haven't had a problem since

 

[who dey]

what kind of lighting and how old??

 

[bushwacker]

I will try that. Thanks. I do a 20% water change every other week and I do a deep sand bed vauum every time so the sand been is getting well stirred. Do you think if i do a 20% weekly for a while It will get control of it? My Queen conchs have been all over it and they have gown rapidly since the Diatoms showed up but they are not keeping up with it.

 

[bushwacker]

I have been running that stuff for a long time. Well over one year. I change it when my test shows any Phosphate > 0. I test every week.

 

[bushwacker]

I am runing 260w of power PC. They are ready to be changed. They are about 8 months old. I just got new bulbs in last week but have not installed them yet.

 

[who dey]

Originally Posted by Bushwacker
I will try that. Thanks. I do a 20% water change every other week and I do a deep sand bed vauum every time so the sand been is getting well stirred. Do you think if i do a 20% weekly for a while It will get control of it? My Queen conchs have been all over it and they have gown rapidly since the Diatoms showed up but they are not keeping up with it.
i was growing every type of algae known to man during tank neglect from boating season and stopped it all with phosban, 20%changes every 1 and 15th of every month, cut lighting back to 7hrs on and i got one of these cool freakin lawnmowers

 

[bushwacker]

I just ordered a LMB, more blue leg hermits and a Fox face. They will be in on Wed. Strange thing that just might be a coincidence is the brown algae started when it got cold enough for my water heat to start cycling.

 

[who dey]

Originally Posted by Bushwacker
I just ordered a LMB, more blue leg hermits and a Fox face. They will be in on Wed. Strange thing that just might be a coincidence is the brown algae started when it got cold enough for my water heat to start cycling.
u got a pic of the algae

 

[bushwacker]

No I don't. I had the same problem when I first started the tank but it cleared after the tank cycled. That was bought two years ago. I think I will try a 20% water cange weekly for a while to see if that helps. The LFS told me they did not think that would help but it is worth a try.

 

[who dey]

siphon as much of it out of ur tank during changes as you can