help! brown algea!

[aly]

i have a ton of brown algea in my 55. it is all over the sand and LR. i think that there might be too much natureal light in the area for the tank, could this be spuring the growth? do i need more filtration or cleaners? the tank is fairly new, so it is going through that phase, i just need to get out of it.
thanks!

 

[a&m aggie 04']

since the tank is fairly new, it could be due to the end of the cycle. Most ppl get this on a new tank. Too much sunlight could also be a contributor to the problem, as well as poor circulation.
How much circulation do you have??
How long has your tank been up???
What kind of lighting on your tank??

 

[aly]

the tank has been up for about 2 months, i have a fluval 304 and two large power heads. the lighting is just standard flor. i forgot my test kit so i don't know if my levels are up, doesn't amonia or phosphates cause problems?

 

[thomas712]

Very common for a new tank during the cycle, so if you think that you are done with your cycle you may not be. Or there is just somthing wrong with your water.
They are called diatoms and are normally brown in color, though it is possable to have green as well. They are caused by silicates and silicic acid. One of the biggest dangers of diatoms is that it can lower the oxygen levels of the tank when they die off. To remove the silicates and silicic acid you need to find a silicate removing compound and place it directly in the water flow of your tank ie...in the wet/dry, or saddle filter or canister; depends on your setup but the water must flow through it in order to work.
You may need to have your water checked as well as your top off water for silicates.
Thomas

 

[aly]

thanks a bunch, is there an additive or something that i can put in the tank to kill the silicates? what can i do for now? just keep cleaning it? about how long to cycle?

 

[thomas712]

I know that Coralife makes a silicate remover, I do not have experience with the products, but you could do a web search for it, as well as looking up diatoms should give you a wealth of information on how to clean them out of your system. Like was stated before this is common for a cycling tank. If you still have this problem months down the road then you are more than likely adding them yourself with your water or additives that might contain silicates. You need to stop the silicates off at the source.
Thomas