brown algae

[sontdo]

I'm getting a thin layer of brown algae on the surface of coral sand every day. Also brown algae growing on the acrylic surface of the tank is so hard to scrub off. I use a white scrubbing pad. Any recommendation to use a scraper or anything else to clean off the algae.

[dsoz]

Is this a new tank? If it is, time will make the diatom bloom go away. Soon green algae will out compete the diatoms and then you will need to remove the green algae from the front.

 

Get a thing called a mag-float. I would recommend getting one a size LARGER than is rated for your tank. It is a pair of magnets, one goes inside the tank with a scrubber on it, the other goes outside the tank and you use it to move the inside one around. Make sure you get the acrylic safe, and DON'T get SAND in it! Depending on what size you get, it can put you out $20-$60.

 

dsoz

[andy]

For cleaning off coralline algae and the grunge that inevitably builds up in a narrow band on the glass just above the substrate I use a Kent scraper and lots of elbow grease.

[sontdo]

the tank is 4 month-old is fully cycled. I have a floating magnet which only cleans off the slime or acrylic surface. The brown algae needs a lot of scrubbing to get if off. I have to get a scraper to if this will help.

[Jay]

4 months old.......still you have about 8 months of algae to deal with. Do run carbon and change it every other week at least 1 cup.

Do run phosphate media such as phosban or phoslock.

Do do water changes once a month of 15 to 29% of system water with a quality salt brand such as Instant ocean or Oceanic.

Employ nassarious snails to sift and clean the sand.

Time Time Time....nothing beats a well seasond tank.

Do run with a refugium if possible. Cheato algae is very good and I have plenty if anyone needs some right now BTW

DSOZ also has good advise....keep the sand out of the magnets. I only use this down to about 2 inches from my sand bed.

 

 

 

This is just my opinions to keep it healthy and happy

 

Jay

[sontdo]

Thanks Jay. Just changed about 35G of water, Crystal Sea salt, from SeaHorse. I need to develop a better way to change water. I just have a 29G sump and protein skimmer, no calcium reactor. How do I add carbon, phospho, etc to the sump?

[Jay]

Thanks Jay. Just changed about 35G of water' date=' Crystal Sea salt, from SeaHorse. I need to develop a better way to change water. I just have a 29G sump and protein skimmer, no calcium reactor. How do I add carbon, phospho, etc to the sump?[/quote']

 

I have 2 of these Phosban reactors made by Two Little Fishes. They are a fluidized filter that has water that pumps from the bottom of the vessel through the carbon or phoslock up and back into your sump. Very easy to just unscrew the lid and dump/replace the media. The hoses are quick connect type fittings. I have 2 of these tied togather (thanks Izzypop) so one goes into the other utilising only 1 small pump for both. Some carbon containes phosphate and is released into your system when used so this is another reason to run the carbon ahead of the phoslock reactor so the phosphate from the carbon gets sucked out by the phoslock b4 entering your system. Works well for me. Just because a package of carbon says it will not leach back phosphate does not meen it will not. Even the best expensive brands will. If you are just keeping LPS and soft type corals then the phosphate levels are not so criticle as I ran my tanks for years without phoslock but when I started keeping sps corals and want the bright clean colors I struggled to acheive them until I started running it this way with phoslock. I still have browned out colonies of sps that are slowly turning back but the new bright sps corals I have added are staying very nice now. Whe knows if the old brown colonies will eventually come back? I am still waiting for this to happen for me .

 

Running a refugium with cheato algae or calupera will help a whole bunch in keeping your algae under control. The algae you grow out in your sump with a light will outcompete algae in your tank for nitrate and phosphates for food. You grow it in your sump then just trim it and throw it out. The cheato algae floats in the water like a big brillo pad and does not grow on the rock or glass so it is easy to remove every month or so. Keep in mind you are going to have diatoms ( the brown tiny cell algae on your glass ) and probably some green algae on your rock no matter what you do but the refugium will help a whole lot. Also makes plancton and other food like pods and mysid shrimp that get pumped back to your tank to keep your fish fed and happy.

 

Sorry to bend your ear with all this info if you already have read this but perhaps someone else will need to know this boring stuff also. If you want to see how all this works or see how to set all this up let me know and you can stop and see my tank sometime. I am in Vancouver not far from Camas. I am over near St Johns road and 49th street.

 

Wish I lived in Camas/Washougal.....its closer to the steelhead in the Washougal!!! fishon!!!

 

Jay

 

Phosban Reactor link : http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?idproduct=TL4311

 

BTW....wait to get a calcium reactor for now. You dont need one at this point. Just do water changes and dose manually for ALK and CAL. Test first of course.

[sontdo]

Thanks Jay. I'd love to come by your place to check out how you set up the system and tank. If you can PM your address and phone # and when is a good time to come by. Thanks for the detail reply. It's hard to grasp until I see the reactor in action. I have caulapera algae in a quarantine tank. I took it out of the sump because it was too messy. I'll put some back to the sump as you recommend. I'd like to get some cheata algae if you spare some.

[Jay]

oops almost posted all my address and phone # public. Had to edit the post.

 

Jay