'Brown Algae'

[Stop_drop_adam]

I have a 7 gallon nano tank and it is generally new. About 3 weeks. I tested the water every week until it was at the levels I have now which according to the LFS were perfect. I developed that brown algae about a week later. I have 5lbs of live rock, a 50 gallon aqua clear filter, a solar flare 115 led. I kept the flow on low and was wondering if this was the cause of the brown algae. If someone could help with telling me if its unhealthy or harmful to my ocellaris clown and small long tentacle anemone in the tank and how to correct this problem. I added chemi pure media to the filter today.

 

[lmforbis]

It is probably diatoms. They are a normal part of cycling a new tank. They should go away on their own in a few weeks.

 

[ClaptonsGhost]

Good call on the chemipure. Anything you can do to cut out phospates and silicates will starve the brown diatoms. Also keep any indirect or direct sunlight off the tank.

 

[beaslbob]

brown algae (diatoms) bloom in new setups because there is the usual light, nitrients, co2 etc etc. Plus silicates which the diatoms use to make cells. Fortunately the silicates are temporary as opposed to the other stuff because they are not added with food, fish corals and what have you.

So the browns last a few weeks then die off.

you should eventually get green algae.

All the algaes cannot survive in darkness so what I do is kill the lights and stop feeding until they die off. then adjust both so macros, corraline, corals all thrive but the algae doesn't.

One thing to consider is a refugium with macro algaes do consume the nutrients.

my .02

 

[Stop_drop_adam]

I noticed green algae and the brown algae starting to die off. Is this good?

brown algae (diatoms) bloom in new setups because there is the usual light, nitrients, co2 etc etc. Plus silicates which the diatoms use to make cells. Fortunately the silicates are temporary as opposed to the other stuff because they are not added with food, fish corals and what have you.

So the browns last a few weeks then die off.

you should eventually get green algae.

All the algaes cannot survive in darkness so what I do is kill the lights and stop feeding until they die off. then adjust both so macros, corraline, corals all thrive but the algae doesn't.

One thing to consider is a refugium with macro algaes do consume the nutrients.

my .02

 

[lmforbis]

Yep. It is part of the process. Your tank is progressing. It takes a lot of time for things to stabilize. Try to be patient.

 

[beaslbob]

+1