brown algae on sand?

[auqua man]

Brown algae grows on the sand in my 110 gal. It is not slimy or red and seems to appear in the same areas of the sand. I am not shure what I am doing wrong.

 

[Krish]

Sounds like diatoms. Any chance to get a pic? Also, how long has the tank been running for? Diatoms usually show up during cycling and not a sign at all you are doing something wrong. We all experience it and will subside with tank maturity

 

[auqua man]

My tank is 11 months old and it seems to go away at times? not a great pic but the sand was white.

 

[Krish]

Diatoms will come and go depending on what's available in the water for them to feed on. Is there any brown on the rocks and glass? Hard to tell from the pics, but is it definately algae or can it be detritus from your rocks shedding on the sand? Like I said, hard to tell by the pics

 

[auqua man]

Yes I get brown and green algae on the glass and no its not detritus from the rock it is only on the sand where the lights hit. I thought I could be over feeding. ALK ? sorry about poor pic

 

[Brenden]

Have you had the same bulbs for the 11 months you have had your tank? If so I bet that is your problem.

 

[Krish]

IF not detritus, then I'm still thinking diatoms then. What are your water parameters like now (specifically nitrates and phosphates) Also, what salt mix are you using and are you using ro/di water? There is probably an excess of nutrients in your tank which is fueling them...

 

[Krish]

Have you had the same bulbs for the 11 months you have had your tank? If so I bet that is your problem.

Thought of that as well...Do they disappear a bit when the lights have been off for the night and pop back up a while after the lights come back on?

 

[auqua man]

Thought of that as well...Do they disappear a bit when the lights have been off for the night and pop back up a while after the lights come back on?

Not shure about that I will have to watch, but I have had this prob on and off for 11 months.

 

[Brenden]

Never seen diatoms go away when lights are out. You use RO/DI?

 

[auqua man]

Have you had the same bulbs for the 11 months you have had your tank? If so I bet that is your problem.

yes I have had the bulbs 11 months I am waiting on boxing day sale lol.
Sometimes it goes away 1-2 weeks? It is only on the sand that has light a clear line from brown to white can be seen.Thanks for taking the time reply.

 

[auqua man]

Never seen diatoms go away when lights are out. You use RO/DI?

Yes RO watter

 

[Krish]

Never seen diatoms go away when lights are out. You use RO/DI?

LOL...Well, I remember having some sort of brown stuff on my sand when I first got into the hobby and it seemed to go away for the most part when the lights were off and come out more when the lights came on. Maybe I was seeing things back then(LOL)

 

[auqua man]

IF not detritus, then I'm still thinking diatoms then. What are your water parameters like now (specifically nitrates and phosphates) Also, what salt mix are you using and are you using ro/di water? There is probably an excess of nutrients in your tank which is fueling them...

0.3 ammonia,348 pm cal, 8.6 KH today and ph 8.15 lights on.Kent sea salt, I am not testing phosphates could you recommend some tests I should be doing?

 

[reeftank1]

Can you really test for PO4?

Do you run any GFO and what kind? If so, how do you have it in the flow?

Other types of nutrients that could be feeding it such as a clean overflow box or excess feeding? Do you rinse the food inputs in RO?

How is the TDS looking from your RO/DI unit?

HTH, I am sure others will agree it has to be a chemistry issue before lights.

 

[dnjan]

Have you had the same bulbs for the 11 months you have had your tank? If so I bet that is your problem.

That one, I believe, falls into the mythinformation category. The light intensity does not increase for any wavelength as lights age, so the only way that old bulbs could cause an increase in nuisance algae is if a decrease in a specific wavelength resulted in fewer nutrients being consumed by corals. Probably not a significant effect.

More likely a gradual increase of nutrients over time. Especially in a tank with a sandbed.

Try water changes and carbon.

 

[Krish]

That one, I believe, falls into the mythinformation category. The light intensity does not increase for any wavelength as lights age, so the only way that old bulbs could cause an increase in nuisance algae is if a decrease in a specific wavelength resulted in fewer nutrients being consumed by corals. Probably not a significant effect

Don... Read the part in bold I quoted below from this website ( http://www.kipsreef.com/algae.htm ) Not sure if that is just someones personal bias or fact...They did use the word "possible contributor" so I guess we need to get some lighting experts in here

Diatoms are usually the first “problem” a hobbyist notices in a new tank. Diatoms usually appear as a light dusting of brown/golden-brown particles on sand beds, rocks, equipment, and the aquarium walls. (click here for picture) Diatoms aren’t really algae at all, but they are derived from a micro-algal phytoplankton. These particular types of phyto use silicates to build exoskeletons. When in excess, these exoskeletons are shed and are seen as what we call diatoms. Adding new rock and/or sand to an aquarium is highly conducive to diatoms. Unless another problem exits in the tank, diatoms usually diminish in time and are considered just a phase of establishing a new tank. An ongoing problem is usually indicative of some imports into the system. Silicates and phosphates will fuel this problem and eliminating their sources is key to controlling a continual diatom problem. The most popular import of these fueling agents is the tank source water. Most new hobbyists see ongoing diatom problems because they’ve not heard about or understood the importance of RO/DI water and use tap water instead. Tap water is usually high in silicates and phosphates and eliminating its use transcends into diatom elimination. Other possible causes of an ongoing diatom problem are poor choices in substrate. Not choosing rock or sand specifically intended for saltwater aquarium use will prove to be a headache. Improper substrates will leach minerals into the water that will fuel diatoms and other nuisance algae. Another possible contributor to diatoms are using improper bulbs to light the aquarium as well as bulbs that have aged and need to be replaced due to spectral shift. If good tank husbandry is practiced, after going thru “new tank syndrome,” most hobbyists never see diatoms again unless they add new sand, rock, or rearrange the substrate.

 

[dnjan]

Hey Krish - spectrum shift is a gross statement used to describe the fact that the intensity of different wavelengths decreases at different rates. Since spectrum shift is not caused by an increase in intensity for any wavelength, it cannot be used to explain an increase in growth of nuisance algae/diatoms (unless a decrease in intensity has led to reduced nutrient consumption by corals).

Spectrum shift causing nuisance growth is probably one of the most widespread of the mythinformations.

 

[auqua man]

Wow lots of good info here I think I have some good ideas to try. I will post my results.

 

[Krish]

Hey Krish - spectrum shift is a gross statement used to describe the fact that the intensity of different wavelengths decreases at different rates. Since spectrum shift is not caused by an increase in intensity for any wavelength, it cannot be used to explain an increase in growth of nuisance algae/diatoms (unless a decrease in intensity has led to reduced nutrient consumption by corals).

Spectrum shift causing nuisance growth is probably one of the most widespread of the mythinformations.

Thanks Don, so in otherwards, when the spectrum shifts the wavelength just decreses and nothing more happens? I always thought say for instance a 10K bulb aging and loosing it's spectrum will make that bulb eventually more like a 6500K (rather than a 10Kfrom it's specctrum loss) which is why it would promote algae growth seeing plants/algae etc prefer that end of the scale compared to like a 20K bulb...