Dkcav59
Community Member
Hi all! I have a Brown algae boom going on. My 55 is 6 week old. I have 4 Oscillarous clowns I added on week 3. The algae boom started last Friday 8/2. I checked my water, ammonia was at .025 and all other parameters were 0. I did 5 gallon water change.
Sunday morning the tank has a brown all over the hardscape, and the water was kind of cloudy. I did another 5 gallon water change, scrubbed brown algae off of the hard skape, and vacuumed the sand as best as I could.
Today is now Tuesday and the water still cloudy. I've been watching reefing videos on YouTube, and reading different forums, including this one, and I'm so confused! I currently have my lights on the 80% blue Spectrum. Before I had them on 100% blue Spectrum and 25% white. I have the timer set for 7:00 p.m. and a 2-hour sunset starting with 50% blue. I've read several things about the brown algae of not having any light on, having only white light on or having only blue light on! Currently I am running the blue light only. I turned on the white light for photo purposes. The water does not smell bad at all. I also have a powerhead opposite my filter, I have a Penguin bio-wheel filter suitable for 75 gallons. I have aimed the powerhead up to the surface of the water to get more oxygen movement.
The clowns are doing well, they are eating like little piggies! The only thing is with the blue light on now they're staying pretty much in their little corner under their little rock.
Of course I'm worried about my fish, they are the only inhabitants of my tank. I'm thinking about getting some cleanup crew critters this weekend. Would that help? Also how many water changes can I/should I do to help eradicate this brown algae?
One last thing, I kept aquariums back in the late seventies to the early 90s and I never remember brown algae in either tank. Does this happen because now our water is so much worse than what it used to be? Or is my brain failing me and I partied way too much when I was younger LOL!!
Thanks so much for y'all's help.
Sunday morning the tank has a brown all over the hardscape, and the water was kind of cloudy. I did another 5 gallon water change, scrubbed brown algae off of the hard skape, and vacuumed the sand as best as I could.
Today is now Tuesday and the water still cloudy. I've been watching reefing videos on YouTube, and reading different forums, including this one, and I'm so confused! I currently have my lights on the 80% blue Spectrum. Before I had them on 100% blue Spectrum and 25% white. I have the timer set for 7:00 p.m. and a 2-hour sunset starting with 50% blue. I've read several things about the brown algae of not having any light on, having only white light on or having only blue light on! Currently I am running the blue light only. I turned on the white light for photo purposes. The water does not smell bad at all. I also have a powerhead opposite my filter, I have a Penguin bio-wheel filter suitable for 75 gallons. I have aimed the powerhead up to the surface of the water to get more oxygen movement.
The clowns are doing well, they are eating like little piggies! The only thing is with the blue light on now they're staying pretty much in their little corner under their little rock.
Of course I'm worried about my fish, they are the only inhabitants of my tank. I'm thinking about getting some cleanup crew critters this weekend. Would that help? Also how many water changes can I/should I do to help eradicate this brown algae?
One last thing, I kept aquariums back in the late seventies to the early 90s and I never remember brown algae in either tank. Does this happen because now our water is so much worse than what it used to be? Or is my brain failing me and I partied way too much when I was younger LOL!!
Thanks so much for y'all's help.
