How to remove the brown Algae from the rocks and sands?

[2014FishKiller]

Any suggestion will be greatly appreciate.

 

[pegasus]

Algae doesn't normally grow in sand. Look at some pictures of dinoflagellates and see if this is what you have. It is very similar to cyanobacteria, but it's typically a brownish color rather than red.

 

[2014FishKiller]

No. I believe it costs by change use tap water to RO water.

 

[jorge garrido]

is your tank still cycling, how long have you had it setup ?

 

[2014FishKiller]

I have the tank setup since May 2014. The reason why I am having problem now is change from tap water to RO water, it looks like re-cycling itself. Other than Brown Algae, my tank is okay. Is brown algae good for the fish, my two new tangs are keep eating them.

 

[jorge garrido]

that's good that your tangs are eating it could be diatoms tangs snails love it , it should go allway within a few weeks

 

[2014FishKiller]

Testing

 

[pegasus]

It looks like diatoms in the last picture. As Jorge said, diatoms usually go away within a few weeks.

 

[honu808]

Going from tap to ro should not cause that. Its a cycle thing, unknown cause though, since ro water is way better than tap.

 

[2014FishKiller]

Thanks. According Pual Talbot's video, that is what happen. But I do have issue that my tank re-cycling once while. It seems to me my tank is stop re-cycling now. The rocks are getting white now, but again few weeks later, it will re-cycling again.

 

[honu808]

What kind of lights do you run? What is your lighting schedule? Water change routine?

 

[2014FishKiller]

I have new Current US 48-60 light, hours is 8 AM to 4 PM, 7PM to 10PM. Last time change water is last Tuesday 10% and planning every 10 day (10% water change).

 

[honu808]

Seems appropriate. I dont know. Are your parameters all inline?

 

[2014FishKiller]

All tests are perfect, except salinity is 1.026

 

[jorge garrido]

why are you running your lights at a different time schedule one from 8-4 and then 7-10? is the 7-10 actinic only ?? I run actinic one hour first then one hour after all in one cycle

 

[2014FishKiller]

I use preset schedule from 8 AM to 4 PM, after I went home at 7 PM, I feed the fish and kept the light on until 10 PM. I don't know what actinic mean, is it when the light went blue? Let me know your schedule, I could do the same way.

 

[Bryce E]

Lighting schedule is best to be kept as close to natural as possible (in my opinion) I've always followed the sun on the one... typically my lights are on from sun up to sundown. And then have some moonlight led's for lighting at night. The brown algae above certainly looks like diatoms from the picture which can be rather unsightly but a very good thing and doesn't need to be cleaned out or off the rocks and will disappear on it's own. Kind of odd that would happen on a tank that's been set up for that long. What do you mean that your tank is re-cycling? To my knowledge the cycle process, once started never stops and is always re-cycling. Food and waste from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate and phosphate. Regular water changes remove the nitrates and phosphates and the cycle starts all over again.

 

[2014FishKiller]

Lighting schedule is best to be kept as close to natural as possible (in my opinion) I've always followed the sun on the one... typically my lights are on from sun up to sundown. And then have some moonlight led's for lighting at night. The brown algae above certainly looks like diatoms from the picture which can be rather unsightly but a very good thing and doesn't need to be cleaned out or off the rocks and will disappear on it's own. Kind of odd that would happen on a tank that's been set up for that long. What do you mean that your tank is re-cycling? To my knowledge the cycle process, once started never stops and is always re-cycling. Food and waste from ammonia to nitrite to nitrate and phosphate. Regular water changes remove the nitrates and phosphates and the cycle starts all over again.

Since it is winter now, every time I add water (daily), change water or feeding food, the white powder (I believe from ceramic Rings) coming out from my Canister, I know the tank is re-cycling, and the rocks will get browner. If I understood you, I should program my lighting like 7 Am to 5:30 PM after that set it to the moon night after 5:30, but for HOW LONG?. Thanks for your help!

 

[pegasus]

Changing water does not trigger a cycle. Nitrifying bacteria lives in the rocks and sand, not in the water. Unless there is something in the water that is killing the bacteria, there should be no effect on the beneficial bacteria.

There should be NO white powder coming out of your canister filter. That may be where the problem is coming from. If the canister is releasing toxins back into the tank, it could be disrupting the biological filter by killing off beneficial bacteria. If this is the case, it would certainly cause "mini-cycles".

 

[pegasus]

The typical photoperiod for saltwater is 10 to 12 hours. I run my lights 13 hours, from 6:30am to 7:30pm. I set my moonlights to come on 6:00am, 30 minutes before the lights come on, and to stay on until 10:00pm, 2 1/2 hours after the lights turn off. I have 6 lamp fixtures, so only 3 of the lamps are on in the morning and afternoon. The other three come on at 10:00am, and go off at 2:00 to simulate mid-day sun.