Help with 65 reef

[fishe3]

I have an established 65g reef that I have had for 8 years. I just recently started putting small corals in again. I have a huge brown algae problem. My tank test good no problems with ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph etc. what is causing this algae and how can I get rid of it?

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[fishe3]

 

[trev-salt55]

It most likely looks like coral line aglea but the red is red slime aglea you can wave your hand ober it and it will come iff the rick and it could be your whit bulb it could be bad if you have leds then the sunlight or posably your leds are going to s*%#

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by FishE3 http:///t/397458/help-with-65-reef#post_3542501
I have an established 65g reef that I have had for 8 years. I just recently started putting small corals in again. I have a huge brown algae problem. My tank test good no problems with ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, ph etc. what is causing this algae and how can I get rid of it?

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Trev, coralline isn't fuzzy brown or gray. The picture just isn't very good.

FishE3, check your phosphate levels, no way can brown algae get a foot hold without phosphates, it feeds on it. Once you get that down to 0, the brown will disappear.

If it's not algae and the rocks just look brown and nasty.... during a water change, blasting the rocks should help. You might have to increase the water flow, your power heads may be getting tired after 8 years and not putting out as much as they used to, allowing stuff to settle on the rocks.

 

[fishe3]

I will try to get better pictures. The LEDs are brand new. They are evergrow it2080. And I have more than enough water flow I replaced all the power heads. I need to check the phosphates hopefully that is it. It is not coralline algae it is brown and grows everywhere and is killing some corals. Thanks for the advice

 

[fishe3]

I just checked and phosphate is 0. Any other ideas?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Algae is eating the nitrate and phosphate. You won't see accurate test results.
Use GFO and do a few more water changes. Starve it out.

 

[fishe3]

Ok I think this picture is a little better. This stuff is all over my tank and killing all my corals. I added a phosphate remover today so hopefully that helps. I tested the water coming out if my ro/di unit and it tested between 0 and 0.5. I don't think that would be causing this much algae. I'm going to do ab50% water change tomorrow. Any other ideas as to what is causing this much build up of algae?

 

[snakeblitz33]

Test your RO water for TDS, it's a much more accurate reading.
You should also test it for ammonia. Sometimes ammonia in the top off water can cause those types of problems. Run plenty of carbon as well.
If starving it out by light doesn't work it could be non-photosynthetic dinoflagellates - which there is no true "cure" for besides nuking the tank and cooking the rocks.
Run some tests. I would take a small rock out and put it in a blacked out container with a small pump and see if it dies in a week. If it doesn't, it's bad news.