Brown dusty looking algae

[dindi]

My tank is 1.5 years. recently I have had a brown looking algae on my sand. I have a 10,000 k light plus and actitce blue. i do add nutrients but my protien skimmer has no sludge. i have a mud system filter which uses calupra as it's mai n source of filtering can anyone suggest whats up?

 

[bang guy]

Possibly Diatoms. Most snails will eat them.

 

[gregzbobo]

Are your bulbs also 1.5 years old? If so, that MAY have contributed. If they are that old, you might change them. Perhaps a bulb a week till they are all new.

 

[dindi]

I have changed my bulbs 6 x since I have started. Can you suggest anything better?

 

[crabbypants]

Dindi,
Go to www.garf.com and look throught thier site. They have all sorts of info for algea control.
Crabbypants

 

[crabbypants]

www.garf.org sorry

 

[robn70]

Using RO/DI water helps too.

 

[fishkid1000]

I agree that they are diatoms. That is awkward to see in a year old tank.

 

[gregzbobo]

Sorry about only saying one suggestion. RO/DI water WILL help, silicates usually come in with tapwater as I understand it. Some snails eat the stuff too. Astreas I believe are one of them. I don't know anything about "mud" filters, but I think I have heard someplace that you are supposed to change the mud out on occasion, but no idea how often. But again, I don't even know if that would have anything to do with the diatom outbreak. Heck, the outbreak may even clear itself up if given a little time.