Brown Algae

[thuynh37]

Hi,

My system is one month old & it's showing brown algae everywhere in 80g tank. I checked the water parameter this afternoon:

NH3 = 0
NO2 (Nitrite) = 0
NO3 (Nitrate)= 12.5
pH = 9.8

However, I have a skimmer & activate carbon (just replaced new one) in wet/dry, 50 hermit crabs & 20 snails. Usually I use to top off water by drink water.

Please help

 

[steve-s]

No help needed

It's pretty natural for this period in your tanks developement. The brown algae is called diatoms is is part and parcel of a new tank. Once the silcates fueling the algae growth are burned up and no new sources are added, it will crash on it's own. There will be a few algae stages to come yet and you can limit how bad by limiting nutrient intake and keeping the bioload small for the first few months as the tank matures.

Who is "drink water" or are you refering to tap water?

Cheers
Steve

 

[moortim]

Welcome to RF thuynh37!!
This is one of the most frustrating parts of being a reef tank owner, just when you think you have everything stabilized POW!! on to the next type of nusiance algae. Always remember that time is your friend, you can endure through this! Also, in my opinion when SteveS gives you advice do exactly as he says and everything will be happy.

Don't forget patience.

Tim

 

[Sk8r]

Best at this early stage to correct the problems and wait for it to die back. If it occurs later after the tank is well-populated, there are emergency fixes for it (Chemi-clean: file that one away for a later problem: it's a large, messy fix that you probably don't need unless you have corals in danger)---but it really is better at this stage to skim and net and 'export' the problem to the refuse pile. Your tank will be healthier for it, as it's part of a range of micro-organisms that will live there in balance.

 

[steve-s]

Sk8r, I'm not sure I understand your comment? Chemiclean is an oxidizing agent primarily targeted for cyanobacteria. It will have little if any effect on diatoms. Their only fuel source is silicates, without them they cannot form cell walls. As long as no additional sources of silicates (primarily tap/Non DI water) are added, the silicates will abate quite quickly on their own.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Krish]

Welcome to RF! As the others stated, it's all a part of cycling. It will subside eventually so just keep the faith

 

[thuynh37]

The top off water that I buy from albertsons or some store that they sell pure drinking water, is it matter? Again, thank you for your everything.

 

[Krish]

The top off water that I buy from albertsons or some store that they sell pure drinking water, is it matter

I use drinking water for my tank that I buy from one of the water plants here. The water is nitrate and phosphate free ro/di water. Same thing as anyone would get from an ro/di unit.

 

[Sk8r]

Steve-S, thank you for your clarifying post; I was making the (unwarranted) assumption that the brown algae isn't algae or diatoms, and that certainly deserves a check. Indeed if it is algae (and we've seen some samples of genuine brown algae lately) or if diatoms, that's a different fix. If it is cyano, then the chemi-clean.

thuynh37, that water shouldn't be a problem, but sometimes is. If you find no other source of the outbreak, you might take a closer look at the water. Sometimes the stores don't maintain their equipment as they should.

 

[thuynh37]

Thanks, Sk8r. Actually, I really want to set up RO/DI system but I don't spare room for it.

 

[moortim]

Thanks, Sk8r. Actually, I really want to set up RO/DI system but I don't spare room for it.

Yeah, I don't have room for one either so I buy water from a store as well. It can get old after doing it for a long time but my tank is worth it. I like to measure the water parameters of the water I am buying every once in a while just to make sure it is what it's supposed to be.

Tim

 

[Sk8r]

Thunyh, I use a portable ro/di that can be hooked up to my apartment sink (via an adapter) or my washing machine cold water spigot---I made a Y connection to that, and it sits on the washing machine when used, which absorbs any leaks. This ro/di unit is because I live on the 3rd floor a good long hike from my car, and my knees couldn't stand lugging all those gallons upstairs. But yes, good water from a store is good water.

Re the algae, one thing to watch is windows. As seasons change (and while you're at work) a stray sunbeam can reach your tank and cause a bloom of algae, usually green, but that's no guarantee.

Maintaining a lot of snails is good, and a variety of them: they tend to specialize.

 

[james734]

I too just have a small protable RO/DI unit works great. Getting one might be cheaper in than running to the store to get water at today's gas prices.

 

[thuynh37]

I too just have a small protable RO/DI unit works great. Getting one might be cheaper in than running to the store to get water at today's gas prices.

How do you get it? Is it online or local store? And how do you set it up?

Thanks

 

[Sk8r]

I got mine from the lfs. It has the di unit horizontal, with a pressure gauge, and it has 3 vertical columns, a particulate and chemical and something I'm not sure of. It has blue and yellow tubing plus one screw-on tap with a push-in connection for the blue inflow, and a yellow waste line which will dispose of excess water. I split my washer cold faucet with a brass (ok, in this one instance) Y connector, screwed the push-in connector onto that, pushed in the blue tubing to that connector, shoved the yellow waste line down the drain chute for the washing machine, and turned it on. The alternative was a small silver adapter for the kitchen sink tap for the blue line, and sending the yellow waste line down the sink drain. You need a bucket on the floor to catch the good water, which comes slowly (about 2 gallons every hour). There are fast units you pay more for; slow ones that cost less or units that are ro only, no di, which cost less. Max you'll pay is about 200. Some are going on e-bay for 100. If I had any means to reduce my pictures for this site I'd post one, but I'm sure someone will have one. But if you're paying 69 cents a bottle for ro/di at the store, plus driving after it, that adds up after a year of 10-20% water changes and half a gallon a day topoffs. In a few months mine (it cost 200) will be paid for, not to mention my knees!

 

[moortim]

How do you get it? Is it online or local store? And how do you set it up?

Thanks

check out www.airwaterice.com and www.thefilterguys.biz

 

[loohunter]

How Come Did No One Comment On The Ph?

 

[moortim]

How Come Did No One Comment On The Ph?

Um.........yeah, and watch your ph

 

[Sk8r]

Ow. That is a high ph.

 

[james734]

How do you get it? Is it online or local store? And how do you set it up?

Thanks

Bought it a the local LFS. You can order them online also from Prem Aquatics (Sponsor) or Marine Depot

I just hook mine up to a outside garden hose valve on the side of my house. Let the waste water run down the street and good water goes in a Rubber Maid Garbage can. Not the most elborate system but it works for me