How can I get rid of brown algae/diatoms???

[cbrynolf]

Tank cycled. Brown mess. won't go away. 55 gallon tank FOWLS.
live sand
3 damsels
2 clowns
was using well water from faucet...now using RO water and just bought an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Tap Water Purifier to use instead. Our RO unit seems to only output about 2 gallons at a time before coming to a drip. Fine for make up water but terrible for water changes.
Will using this type of water stop the brown stuff???
Thinking about getting a small clean up crew to clean, sift and areate sand.
Chris

 

[thomas712]

RO water will help
A cleanup crew will help
Time will also help.
Are you saying that your RO cartridges are getting full after a short time trying to process well water?
Thomas

 

[michelle13]

Those water purifiers are crap. I also have well water and mine would only make a gallon before the cartridges were bad. I invested in a good RO/DI system and I still have to change the cartridges about twice a year.

 

[beaslbob]

Most new tanks to have a brown algae bloom when first set up. Usually at about the 3-4 week point. From what i hear the browns consume phosphates. the algae will turn green as phosphates are removed from the system. The greens consume more the nitrAtes.
In order to prevent all of that you need to add or establish plant life you like. In that way the extremely beneficial plant action can continue. And you will have plant life you like to look at.
The algaes can be removed with cleaner crews or even manually cleaning everything. Unless there is plant life like macros, true marine plants, or even corraline algae consuming the nitrates, ammonia, phosphates and carbon dioxide, the previous plant life will just return or high nitrates, phosphates and carbon dioxide will result.
So my advice is to add plant life and protect that plant life. I first cultured myin because my fish ate the plant life. Now I have intank and external refugiums to help also. But whatever you do my advice is that you take care of the plant life and the plant life will take care of your system.

 

[cbrynolf]

What about using Kent Marine Phosphate sponge and a product called Phos-Zorb. Both say thay will remove phospates and silicates. I cleaned the tank on Sunday refilled 10 gallons with RO water...It's now Thursday night and its coming back. Will this end????
Chris

 

[jwhiteuwc]

Test for phosphates.
Are you running Carbon? If so, what brand?
Running a Phosphate sponge like Kent will work great. Just remember to take it out after a 2 days max or phosphate will begin to leach back into your system.
How long are your lights on?
Brown algea thrive on Phosphates and light.
Cut down on both and you'll cut down on brown algea.
Snails also help

 

[shrimp134]

What would you recommend having a 175w Mh Pendant with a 10k ushio gas hamilton bulb on over a 30" 29g tank? Like 8-10hrs or what?:happy:

 

[jwhiteuwc]

shrimp you following me???
Change in water might help.
Getting a Phosphate reading is a start.
If those are high, then you'll need to get those down (water changes or Phosphate sponge...kent makes a great one).
They say Coralline algea thrive on 14hrs per day. soooo....keaping it around or under 14 hours is probably a good thing.
I have mine running like the day and night schedule here.
9-10hrs on - rest off.
mimk mother nature.

 

[shrimp134]

Me following you...Lol..I think it is the other way around..Lol..ok thanks for the advice!

 

[sailfin]

Here is what I did. I left my lights off for a couple of days, I know it is hard not being able to see your inhabitants but it is worth it. Used a phosphate sponge during this time. Doing this kills two birds with one stone. No light and reduces phophate. You can still fed and such by just the room lights. I did this for a couple of days. Turned lights back on and tank looked better. Did it again for a couple of more days and the tank was almost clear. Got some snails and fighting conches and I have never had diatoms again!!
I hope this helps.

 

[dreeves]

An effective alternative to the RO is a pure DI unit either DIY or like the Kent DI unit. Wont produce any waste water either...have to stay on top of the charcoal canister in front of the resins though...possibly even add a second one.

 

[cbrynolf]

Well, I have been using Kent phosphate sponge and phos Zorb for the last couple of days and so far it seems to be doing wonders to keep the diatoms from growing. Actually each day the sand looks more and more white as the diatoms are actually be removed. Also I am using the Tap Water Purified by Aquarium pharmaceuticals.
Cool...didn't know if I was going to win the diatom battle. Enemy is retreating!
Chris

 

[beaslbob]

Originally posted by cbrynolf
Cool...didn't know if I was going to win the diatom battle. Enemy is retreating!
Chris
Good. Now the greens will show up. Again unless you have other plant life you will get plant life. Can't be helped anytime you have ammonia, nitrate, phosphates along with carbon dioxide and light. removing phosphates will not remove the others. using different input water will not touch the ammonia, nitrates, and phosphated that come from the bioload. And the bioload will be the main source.
So breath easy for now, but expect the greens to still come anyway.

 

[cbrynolf]

Please explain further.
I have near 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites, ph 8.2, phosphates are being lowered as we speak. Brown diatoms going away but have not gone away completely. Further tank maintenance to the glass and substrate will help remove them further. So now you are saying green will come? IF so I better get that cleanup crew soon.
Chris

 

[bdhough]

Green will come but not like the flood of brown you had. It will grow much slower and if you control the nutrient sources in the tank it won't be a problem at all.
Your whole problem was providing the algae with a source of food IE your tap water. Get rid of the source of food and it goes away. Get a clean up crew and you should have no problems.
I didn't see anything on how much you feed but you shouldn't feed more than once a day. If you get some live rock that can be cut back to 3 times a week if you'd like. I have corals and feed once a day still, so its up to you, just remember not to feed to much.

 

[cbrynolf]

Actually I feed twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. The fish act like they want to eat. When I get near the tank the head straight to the feeding area. And the two clowns I have are pigs. The damsels and clowns actually act like they have been given there last meal. If this is bad I will try to ween them down to less feedings but they seem to want them.
Chris

 

[bdhough]

Definitely. Try and stick to once a day and try and drop enough so it all disappears. Fish will eventually associate you with food. Looks like they already do. I know they do for me. If you are not having algae problems in the future you could up this but keep in mind what gets left in the tank will become nutrients for algae blooms.