Brown Algae

frankandmaura · 09-20-2006, 04:59 PM

OK...

My 125 gal tank has been set up since the beginning of June.

All of a sudden I am getting this brown algae in the tank, everywhere...it blows off when I take the turkey baster to it, but almost every day when I get home from work, there it is again...I just did a water change this weekend...I do have an RO/DI system.

It also appears that I may have the beginnings of hair algae...very short right now, about 1/4 inch. I don't think it will show up in a picture...

Can anyone help me out here...I do not have a phosphate tester. But I am running PhosBan through the tank. Have been since the begniing of August.

Oh, also, I am getting a lot of green and brown growth on the back and sides of the tank. It scrapes off easy enough, but it almost comes off in sheets...

The water is crystal clear before I go and blow this crap everywhere...should I not be doing this? I am a little worried about leaving it on the rocks and glass...

Thanks everyone...

Frank

frankandmaura · 09-20-2006, 06:25 PM

anyone?!?

Geoff · 09-20-2006, 08:50 PM

you have cyano. it is a bacteria and not an algae. what kind of skimmer do you have? how much skimmate do you remove a day. i remove about a gallon of skimmate a day on my 125g tank. are you siphoning out detritus when you do water changes?

do a search for cyano. there will be a lot of threads about how to fix this. not an easy fix, but easily fixed. it may take a few months, but it will go away.

G~

tims · 09-20-2006, 08:53 PM

HI F&M,
Well it sounds like you have a mix of nice things happening in thetank.
the Brown Dust is a diaton bloom, that and the Blue /green algae ( cyano ( not really algae)) are part of the tanks break in periode.
yes even though thetank has been up for 3 months you can still have it. not to memtion it is always in the tank not matter what, we just dont let it show up as often..
a nice water change and cleaning will help it along, What and who do you have in the tank?

tims · 09-20-2006, 08:53 PM

gee geoff..thanks for posting faster then i type!

frankandmaura · 09-21-2006, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

you have cyano. it is a bacteria and not an algae. what kind of skimmer do you have? how much skimmate do you remove a day. I have an ASMG2 - I guess it may be a little small from what I am hearing on here (but when I bought it I was told it would be more than enough). I don't get that much out in a day...it is running pretty dry right now, and my tube is fully extended. I haven't figured a way to make it longer so I can run wetter. i remove about a gallon of skimmate a day on my 125g tank. are you siphoning out detritus when you do water changes? I haven't been, but I will start now...

do a search for cyano. there will be a lot of threads about how to fix this. not an easy fix, but easily fixed. ??? I am confused, is it an easy fix or not...haha!! it may take a few months, but it will go away.

G~

Thanks for your help...I am going to do a search now...

frankandmaura · 09-21-2006, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tims

HI F&M,
Well it sounds like you have a mix of nice things happening in thetank.
the Brown Dust is a diaton bloom, that and the Blue /green algae ( cyano ( not really algae)) are part of the tanks break in periode.
yes even though thetank has been up for 3 months you can still have it. not to memtion it is always in the tank not matter what, we just dont let it show up as often.. I am doing my best to hide it too...lol
a nice water change and cleaning will help it along, What and who do you have in the tank?

Right now, I only have a few things in the tank:
1 - 3" Foxface
2 - False Perc's
1 - Condi Anenome
1 - Yellow Watchman
1 - Cleaner Shrimp
few snails...I plan on ordering about 50 this week, plus some hermits. My clean-up crew is overwhelmed...haha

partobe · 09-21-2006, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

you have cyano. it is a bacteria and not an algae. what kind of skimmer do you have? how much skimmate do you remove a day. i remove about a gallon of skimmate a day on my 125g tank. are you siphoning out detritus when you do water changes?

do a search for cyano. there will be a lot of threads about how to fix this. not an easy fix, but easily fixed. it may take a few months, but it will go away.

G~

Sorry don't mean to hijack this thread but WOW a gallon a day! I get about a cup a week! Is something wrong?

frankandmaura · 09-21-2006, 08:21 AM

One thing I think I need to mention is, I have upped the time I have my lights on over the last 2 weeks from about 9 hours to 12 hours. Oh and I forgot to note that I only have the 2 corals...a creeping Xenia and a rock with Zoa's. I have a few shrooms, but they are not doing very well right now, they were in my tank when it cycled and I am not sure they ever recovered.

Thanks!

Geoff · 09-21-2006, 09:25 AM

sorry, i am typing faster than my brain can process sometimes.

i meant to say it is not a quick problem to fix, but a fairly easy one to correct.

it may take several months to actually get it completely gone.

sometimes you can raise the water level in the sump and it will also raise the water level in the skimmer just enough to get a bit wetter skimmate out.

partobe- my skimmate is a light tea coloured liquid it is not dark coloured at all. the wetter you run it the more organics you will remove.

G~

frankandmaura · 09-21-2006, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Geoff

sorry, i am typing faster than my brain can process sometimes.

i meant to say it is not a quick problem to fix, but a fairly easy one to correct.

it may take several months to actually get it completely gone.

sometimes you can raise the water level in the sump and it will also raise the water level in the skimmer just enough to get a bit wetter skimmate out.

I had thought of that, but I may need to buy a new sump becuse mine has the top-off drilled right into it at a specific height...probably no other way for me to change that (other than siliconing the hole)...My sump is only a rubermaid container anyway so I could stand to replace it.

partobe- my skimmate is a light tea coloured liquid it is not dark coloured at all. the wetter you run it the more organics you will remove.

G~

afbengochea · 09-21-2006, 11:23 AM

u can also add a gate valve to the output of the skimmer to control the height of the water in the skimmer.

frankandmaura · 09-21-2006, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afbengochea

u can also add a gate valve to the output of the skimmer to control the height of the water in the skimmer.

Not sure how to do that...where would the valve go?

afbengochea · 09-21-2006, 11:39 AM

heres a link that will help u get an idea http://www.asmskimmer.com/mod1.htm

afbengochea · 09-21-2006, 11:40 AM

when u close the valve it restricts the output of the skimmer which will raise the level of water in the skimmer