brown alge all over

[tdksound2005]

can you guys plz help. i just set up a 150 g tank its been 3 weeks since its been set up with live rock. my lighting r flouresence 3 marine white and 1 blue which i leave on for 12 hours a day. is that the problem for the brown algea. i also leave the blue light on all night should this be turned off plz help . BROWN ALGEA IS A NIGHTMARE.

 

[MadReef]

Don't leave your blue lights on all night and cut your total light time to 7 hours. What do you have in your tank that needs light? If you just have fish and live rock, light is not that important.

Also, are you filtering your top water with RO/DI? If not, every time you do a water change you may just be giving your brown algae more food.

 

[jlehigh]

Good advice and questions MadReef.

tdk: The algae you are seeing is to be expected. It is really right on schedule with the nitrogen cycle! The algae bloom will take some time to go away but it will. As soon as your nitrates and Amonia levels reach zero add a clean-up crew and they will clean-up what is left of the algae. Cuttin back on the lighting will also inhibit growth.

Check out our resource library here for algae related topics and the nitrogen cycle!!

 

[TauntingTony]

You probably have to much silicone in your water. That mixed with 12 hours of light would cause an algea bloom. Also at night when all your lights are off some of the algea will come off by its self and a skimmer would filter it out of your tank.

 

[saltguy21]

more flow, skimming and 6-8 hours of lightwill do the trick.

 

[TauntingTony]

Yah Saltguy21 sumd it up :badgrin:

 

[NaH2O]

Good points made. Sounds like you are early on in the tank's life, so algae cycles are to be expected, as jlehigh pointed out. Some good questions asked....are you using RO/DI water? Are you skimming? What are your water parameters? What is currently in the tank?