live rock problem

[spinefoot8]

i have 22ibs cured live rock in my 20gl long tank i run an aqua clear with de-nitrate filter medium a skilter 250 and undergravel filter powered by a power head and 50 pounds live sand there i have a marine glo anctic light and i run it 10 hours a day and i have brown algea all over my rock except on two pieces and it all over my tank walls my water parameters are in check ammonia 0 nitrites 0 nitrates 10 ph 8.3 alk 4.5 calcium 400 and strontium and iodine is in check i use purple up every day and nothing works any one have advice :help:

 

[snipe]

Well for one the skilter filter should be replaced with a better filter the undergravel filter needs to be removed period. What kinda water do you use and what are the phosphate levels in your tank?

 

[spinefoot8]

i use ordinary tap water and i have never tested phosphate what do you mean about the undergravel and why what kind of water other than city can i use
thanx for the advice

 

[exile415]

Remove that underwater filter. You can go to your LFS or Walmart or something to buy water. Some kind of Local Shop

 

[spinefoot8]

what is wrong with an undergravel

 

[it's_fishy]

the brown algae is probably diatom algae which is going to remain in your tank as long as you keep using tap water. i would suggest buying ready made salt water Or make your own mix but use RO water from wal-mart. they come in the green capped bottles and only cost around 55 cents a gallon.

 

[annanymous]

well if you are expecting for coraline algae to just spring up in a new set-up, you will be dissapointed. it takes some time for the tank to esttablish, and besides you need to have at least a little bit of coraline growth on the rock to speed up the process. in my tank it took almost a year untill it started spreading, and even now it is very slow so far. be patient, you'll have it soon enough. :jumping:

 

[snipe]

Mine is spreading but slowly 3 months in and about .3% of the tank covered lol.
The undergravel filter will cause problems it will suck stuff to the bottom of the tank like excess food or fish waste and you dont want that. You want water to blow on the sand "with out disturbing it" to keep the stuff from settling on the bottom. If it settles it causes amonia nitrite and nitrate problems. Its best to get read of the undergravel filter and avoid the headache! PLus the undergravel filter will suck up sand that will make the tank stay cloudy.