Brown Algae

[jk65]

I just setup my first salt water tank. I use live sand to setup the tank and had all chemicals balanced and settled for about 3 weeks. I then added in 6 Damsels to the tank. After about 2 days, one started to die, on its side breathing hard, so I removed it. After about another 3 days added about 5lbs of live rock (With growth already on it). The whole time, since about the second day I have started to build up brown algae on the glass walls, sand and decorative coral in the tank.
All the chemicals are balanced as they should be and have not changed much since the fish and LR was added. The Brown Algae seems to spread with the more time the light is on. I am running my light only about 2 hours a day at this point, and getting slow growth in the algae.
The algae looks like a brown slime and not like the other types of algae people are talking about. The LFS said it was a red slime and gave me a chemical to treat the tank with (not harmful to the fish) and a chemical to put in the filter in a mesh bag.
This did not seem to help. Any suggestions.

 

[stacyt]

What are the parameters of the water? What size is the tank? How much LR, and LS? What type of filtration?
Most tanks go through this stage, and most consider it normal. I would be concerened with adding 6 damsels at ounce. Thats probable to much for a newly cycled tank.
Also was the LR that you added cured? If not it could cause the tank to recycle?
Also have you done any water changes? Most recommend that when the cycle is completed that you perform a 25% change before adding anything.
What do you have for water circulation? This is another factor with slime algae. Insufficient water flow can cause this.
Also do you have a cleanup crew yet? This woill help with algae as well.

 

[jk65]

I am at work, but here is what I can tell you from memory.
1 Power Head 301
Hang on the back wet dry Filter (Amiracle SL-15)
55 Gal Tank
About 25lbs live Sand
App 20Live Rock (3 Pieces)
PH 8.3
Temp 80
1.023
Amonia 0
Nitrate .01
Can't remember the rest will post later.
No Cleaners in the tank since I wanted to give it at least 3 weeks with fish and LR before anything else goes in.

 

[beaslbob]

Brown algae at about 3-4 weeks is extremely normal and expected. Brown feeds off of phosphates and will die off and be replace with green algae as the phosphates are consumed.
Your damsel dieing is probably due to the fact that tank is cycling. I would have not feed the fish until nitrItes had returned to 0.0. I suspect ammonia spiked and then nitrItes.
Your live rock is probably building up algaes which will help. To prevent more ugly algaes you need to add desirable plant life. Plant life of any kind will comsume carbon dioxide, ammonia, nitrAtes and phosphates plus filter out heavy ions and generally balance out and stabilize the system.