brown hair algae and bubble algae

[Charles]

Any advice on how I can get rid of brown hair algae and bubble algae that's growing on my tank? Thanks.

[Matt_b]

Hi Charles, theres a few reasons why algae is in the tank, it would be best to list your equipment and what type of water you use, also how long the tank has been set up for you to get some good answers
I've been there myself and solved the problem with help from TRT

Good Luck

[Charles]

My reef tank is almost two years now. Last year these algae started to grow (forgot the dates) I got a sump, with skimmer and a uv sterilizer. I also got a chiller. The brown hair algae grows on the rock and the background styropor, while the bubble algae grows on the rock. I am worried because I saw some bubble algae on the tip of my acros, is this bad? will my acros eventually die because of these algae? What do I need to do? Any commercially available solutions to drop to kill them?

[Matt_b]

To be honest Charles my tank is not long into it's second year and fingers crossed i've seen the back of the brown algae, from the equipment you have and the time the reef has been running i'm not sure why the dredded algae is back?? I'm sure one of the pro's will reply soon and ask a few more questions. If i had to make a guess i'd question flow but like i said i'm a newbie just throwing a stone in a lake!

Its a bump to the top anyway!!

Matt

[hng]

Bubble algae is bad and will quickly grow over corals if you are not careful. I recommend removing the rocks with bubble algae and remove them using a tweezer (they usually just "pop" right off) and then rinse the rock with some salt water (to remove any spores) before replacing the rock into your display tank. You also need to check your phosphates since high levels of phosphate will promote outbreaks of bubble algae. Brown algae is more from silicates, usually in the substrate or the water. Do you use ro/di water? If not,that might be something you would want to invest in to help both your problems - phosphate and silicate. HTH

[Charles]

I am using purified/distilled water bought from water stores, is this considered ro/di water? What is silicates? How do you get rid of it?
As to phosphate, in case my phosphate is high what are the things that I must do to lower phosphate?

[Loverotties]

Good size Water Changes with good water will br ing down the Phosphate and Nitrates that are feeding it.A good skimmer will help too!

[tims]

good morning Charles,
the bubble aglae may have come in on something you placed in the tank. ahhng said removingthe the LR and substrate to cleanit off is one of the best ways to do.
the Brwon algae... question, is it a "dust" covering the substrate? can you get a picture?. the "dust" is usally what they call a diaton bloom, doing a good water change is the best way to battle that, some clean up crews will also go after it ( including Bubble alga)
the question of silicates.. it ias a mineral, a combo of air(o2) and silicon. if you are talking about Silica , that is a little differnt silica ( silicon Dioxide) SiO2 does not have an neg. charge like the above one does, this is also a natural occuring mineral. By having a RO/DI system for the water you will have a filter on it to "catch " the silica and not have it go in to your water. the store brand maybe RO water or not, you willhave look and and even ask the manufacture that.most times it is a filters spring water ( unless the lable says different) the filters spring water shoudl be haevy in minerals.. this coulc lead to a have problem and head acke in the display tank.

HTH

[Hardhead Cat]

Phosphates are a killer, mine were off the scale at one time and I had algae every where, all types. The corals also don't like high phosphates. It comes from tap water, live rock, live sand, overfeeding, etc. and not efficient skimming.

I run powerphos (a phosphate remover) in my tank now and also do water changes twice a month at least, about 25% of the tank volume. I only use RO/DI water I've tested myself ---

There are tons of phosphate removers on the market, but I warn you, they can be pricey.

Good luck!
HHC