Just like most new tanks, algea problem

[Wes888]

From what I've read in here and everywhere else, sounds like we're feeding too much and the light is on for too long (10 hours on the Actinic Blue and 8 hours on the HQI)? I also read that it may not have enough flow, but there are some radiating pattern that some algea are on the back glass where the return water comes out.

Some close up on a LR:

On the sand:

Seems like this is normal for a new tank, but just want to be sure.

Here are the water parameters:

Temp: 80F
SG: 1.024
pH: 8.47 (it has been between 8.34-8.56 in the last few weeks)
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate 10

 

[yote]

That my friend,is diatoms.
EVERY new tank gets those.Just keep your water quality high,increase flow,and use a turkey baster to blow em off the rock.

 

[Smitty]

+1 Yote, everyone get those...It'll go away after while

 

[ndepratt]

diatoms tend to occur due to excess silicates in your water. how/what is your water source?

unless you're actually stocking the tank, there is no reason to even run the lights much if any at all... so save the electricity/algae scraping and leave it in the dark a bit more :P

on another note, nice pics! i wish all algae problem pics were like those!

 

[Wes888]

hehe, thank you. :D

I use a Coralife Pure-Flo II RO Units to make RO water. I just got a 7 stage RO/DI one but too lazy to change it out yet. Does it matter with the RO/DI vs just RO water?

I was afriad that my CUC would have nothing to eat, that's why I turn on the light. Just 2 days after I had the lights on, the algae came in full force and the entire CUC was busy crawling all around working on the algae.

 

[yote]

RO/DI,completely strips everything out of the water.Regular RO will leave some TDS,but not a lot.

 

[ndepratt]

hook up that RO/DI, then you shouldn't have diatoms.

 

[Wes888]

When I use the RO/DI, i need to put in those Kent stuff, right?

 

[dcantucson]

I still get some of the brown stuff on my glass after over a year. I know I have my lights are on way too much.

 

[yote]

When I use the RO/DI, i need to put in those Kent stuff, right?

Just put in the salt.
But it'd still be a good idea to test the water to make sure the parameters are right before actually using it for a water change.

 

[Wes888]

Just 1 day and all the brown algae is gone! Rock, sand, glass, everywhere, completely gone! I saw a few turbo was camping at the highest rock working on them all day long. A few other smaller snails climbed on the glass and work on the brown ones. They completely avoid the green algae though. Why is that? See all the green dots that's left on the glass? The brown ones are all completely gone.

 

[dcantucson]

:D Get some "vegetarian only" snails. Biff will probably know more about these! :D

 

[Markiis]

Ive got the same problem right now, so what did you do just water changes and wait it out?

 

[Wes888]

After the brown algae were gone, I got a few more test kit to test the water. Not sure what some of the water parameters were while the brown algae were around, but everything looks very good. I don't see the need to do more water change.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
pH 8.40
Temp: 80
sg: 1.024
dKH: 12 (KH: 214ppm)
Phosphate: 0
Calcium: 360ppm

The numerous green dots in the back wall was a bit too ugly. I scraped them off, except those that are in tight spaces (with little clearance between the rocks and the glass). After there were no more brown algae, the turbo snail and those long and pointy type of snails (forgot their names) worked on the green algae. The turbo mostly still just camp on the rocks all day long while the pointy ones only come out at night and work on those leftover algae. Overall, no more brown algae and green algae are very manageable by the snails.