Does flow reduction cause brown algae to grow ?

[greeno1645]

Greetings!

My tank is a 30 gal that I set up 6 1/2 weeks ago. Up until last week, the tank has always been crystal clear, nice green micro algae growth on rock, and no brown algae. Zero ammonia &nitrites, and nitrates and phosphate were in safe parameters.

Around the 4th week, I added a chemical phosphate remover and activated carbon, and a 30 micron pleated filter around that time. Tank also has a small in-tank refugium… the whole tank is full of copis.

Now, nitrates and phosphates are really declining.

However, for the first time, brown algae is growing in a few spots on the sand, but mostly on the rocks near the filter return from the refugium.

Before week 4 (when there was no brown algae) the filter return had a higher rate of return because I was using an unobstructed pump. Now, I have a micron pleat attached to the pump, which cleans the water really well, but slows the flow.

Could the reduction in flow be the cause of the brown algae?

Thanks.

 

[I never finish anythi]

If it's a new tank it's probably diatoms. But if you bottom out the nutrients that could lead to Dino's which you don't want to do . Post some pics

 

[Reefahholic]

It’s not the flow.

Low nutrients is the problem. Especially phosphate. Increase the phosphate level and you’ll see the brown algae die out. Also make sure the NO3 is at least 2 ppm and not sitting at zero.

Hold the PO4 remover, pull the actived Carbon, and the 30 micron filter. Anything that threatens nutrients needs to go.

 

[greeno1645]

It’s not the flow.

Low nutrients is the problem. Especially phosphate. Increase the phosphate level and you’ll see the brown algae die out. Also make sure the NO3 is at least 2 ppm and not sitting at zero.

Hold the PO4 remover, pull the actived Carbon, and the 30 micron filter. Anything that threatens nutrients needs to go.

Pull PO4 and carbon - got it! Why the micron filter? How would that effect water chemistry ? Thanks

 

[greeno1645]

If it's a new tank it's probably diatoms. But if you bottom out the nutrients that could lead to Dino's which you don't want to do . Post some pics

Sorry about the bad photo- the front glass hasn’t been cleaned for a few days.

But, I circled the area where the algae has turned a bit brown. That area is right above a return on the bottom of my tank (hidden) that comes from the pump in my mini refugium.

It’s the only spot that has any brown algae EXCEPT some sand near the 2nd return, also hidden, on the right bottom of my tank (there’s no rock near that return, sonn no it seems to be growing on the surrounding sand).

 

[I never finish anythi]

I'd just get some snails to take care of that . The tank is very young so you will get some ugly stages . I had a similar thing when i first set up mine . Got a few various snails and all is now good . Also I got a conch for the sand bed which done a good job , but my Halloween hermit crab killed him.

 

[I never finish anythi]

I don't see any power heads in the tank . Do you have any ?

 

[WallyTime7]

It’s not the flow.

Low nutrients is the problem. Especially phosphate. Increase the phosphate level and you’ll see the brown algae die out. Also make sure the NO3 is at least 2 ppm and not sitting at zero.

Hold the PO4 remover, pull the actived Carbon, and the 30 micron filter. Anything that threatens nutrients needs to go.

How do you increase phosphate level without dosing phosphates?

 

[EricR]

How do you increase phosphate level without dosing phosphates?

Are you testing phosphate (and nitrate)? If so, with what testers? (I think I missed that part)

Theoretically, feeding more is an option but, depending on the situation, I feel like that rarely actually works (for really low levels).

 

[greeno1645]

I don't see any power heads in the tank . Do you have any ?

Yes, there are actually 3 small power heads, but you can't see them because of some modifications I made to the filter/pumps - I'm working on a modification of a drop in filter design - top secret

Flow in this tank consists of top flow from left to right of about 265gpm
Bottom/intank flow consists of two directional flows that cause the water to move through the tank in a clockwise manner at an additional rate of 350gpm

The water is perfectly clear, but the light seems to play tricks on my phone that causes these bluish halo effect in my pics.

Here's a few more photos, including a top view so you can see how clear the water actually is... take a look.

BTW.... the white spots on the glass are all copis... week 3, I added a pint that I ordered... population has grown into the millions! I credit them for not having out of control algae or a massive brown algae bloom (so far).

I have to clean every day if I want pefectly clear glass, but I don't mind... I clean about every 3 days.... my cleaner shrimp loves the copis!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Greetings!

My tank is a 30 gal that I set up 6 1/2 weeks ago. Up until last week, the tank has always been crystal clear, nice green micro algae growth on rock, and no brown algae. Zero ammonia &nitrites, and nitrates and phosphate were in safe parameters.

Around the 4th week, I added a chemical phosphate remover and activated carbon, and a 30 micron pleated filter around that time. Tank also has a small in-tank refugium… the whole tank is full of copis.

Now, nitrates and phosphates are really declining.

However, for the first time, brown algae is growing in a few spots on the sand, but mostly on the rocks near the filter return from the refugium.

Before week 4 (when there was no brown algae) the filter return had a higher rate of return because I was using an unobstructed pump. Now, I have a micron pleat attached to the pump, which cleans the water really well, but slows the flow.

Could the reduction in flow be the cause of the brown algae?

Thanks.

You may want to remove phos remover temporarily. I agree you are likely seeing diatoms. Diatoms are a brown algae that typically appear in a reef tank that has just completed its cycle but they can also appear in an established reef tank. They can cover sand, rock, pumps, glass, you name it. Diatoms look ugly but in most cases they are harmless so the key is to not panic when they appear.
Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires.
Diatoms are typically harmless to a captive reef and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the end to the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass.

For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have exponential growth rates.
To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.

Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

 

[greeno1645]

Are you testing phosphate (and nitrate)? If so, with what testers? (I think I missed that part)

Theoretically, feeding more is an option but, depending on the situation, I feel like that rarely actually works (for really low levels).

API test kits and my LFS just to be sure.

 

[EricR]

API test kits and my LFS just to be sure.

Did you mention what levels you're testing at?
*got confused on how we got from phosphate remover to dosing phosphate, sorry

 

[greeno1645]

Did you mention what levels you're testing at?
*got confused on how we got from phosphate remover to dosing phosphate, sorry

Oh... I don't dose anything at this point... the tank is only 6 1/2 weeks and I have only a few softies. I think someone who responded suggested overfeeding as a way to bump up phospates.

In fact, I've got carbon and phospate removing media in the tank which I'm pulling out today.

Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate (just this week) are at zero.
Phospate is at .25ppm but it's dropping...last week was .5ppm.

My micro algae has always been a bright green, very pretty and healthy looking, and tight to the rocks... nothing stringy.
Here's a photo from a week ago... perhaps just a few spots of brown starting to show up.

My earlier photos posted in this thread show how it is now.... a bit more brown, and the green appears to be dissapearing a bit. Maybe my snails and crabs are doing too good a job?

I've been hoping to see coraline algae replace the green algae, but I'd like to fix the brown that I'm starting to see ASAP.

Thanks.

 

[greeno1645]

You may want to remove phos remover temporarily. I agree you are likely seeing diatoms. Diatoms are a brown algae that typically appear in a reef tank that has just completed its cycle but they can also appear in an established reef tank. They can cover sand, rock, pumps, glass, you name it. Diatoms look ugly but in most cases they are harmless so the key is to not panic when they appear.
Diatoms feed mainly off of silicates but also consume dissolved organic compounds, phosphate and nitrates. Unfiltered tap water can contain silicates and is a good way to jump start a bloom if you use it to mix salt or to replace water that evaporated from the tank. The best way to prevent this from happening is to filter water through a RODI unit, although you can still get a diatom bloom when using RODI if the cartridge that removes silicates expires.
Diatoms are typically harmless to a captive reef and can be beaten once their food source expires. Once you put the end to the source, the outbreak should last a couple of weeks so just be patient and it will pass.

For major outbreaks you may want to consider the three day blackout. Diatoms are easily wiped from the glass with a mag float, a turkey baster or a toothbrush can access other areas of the tank. Be prepared for them to re-establish themselves quickly, they are likely to be able to resettle and have exponential growth rates.
To prevent their return, practice good aquarium husbandry by doing regular water changes, keep the substrate clean, don’t overfeed the fish, ensure your skimmer is running at an optimal level and rinse out filter socks and sponges on a regular basis.

Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

Is it strange to see diatoms come after green micro algae has established itself? I always had the experience (decades ago when I was dealing with fish only tanks) that the brown comes first, followed by green. Just coincidence?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is it strange to see diatoms come after green micro algae has established itself? I always had the experience (decades ago when I was dealing with fish only tanks) that the brown comes first, followed by green. Just coincidence?

generally brown comes first But with right nutrients, green macro will be dominant

 

[Lavey29]

You are going to get a variety of algae growth over the course of the first year. One will come and then get out competed by another. If things go right eventually coralline will outcompete the others. Just part of tank maturity process and your biome developing biodiversity and microfauna. Focus on basic husbandry now with weekly water changes. Avoid adding chemicals which will slow the process. Keep parameters in good ranges and get a diverse cleaner crew.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Yes, there are actually 3 small power heads, but you can't see them because of some modifications I made to the filter/pumps - I'm working on a modification of a drop in filter design - top secret

Flow in this tank consists of top flow from left to right of about 265gpm
Bottom/intank flow consists of two directional flows that cause the water to move through the tank in a clockwise manner at an additional rate of 350gpm

The water is perfectly clear, but the light seems to play tricks on my phone that causes these bluish halo effect in my pics.

Here's a few more photos, including a top view so you can see how clear the water actually is... take a look.

BTW.... the white spots on the glass are all copis... week 3, I added a pint that I ordered... population has grown into the millions! I credit them for not having out of control algae or a massive brown algae bloom (so far).

I have to clean every day if I want pefectly clear glass, but I don't mind... I clean about every 3 days.... my cleaner shrimp loves the copis!

Surface and film algae. A cleanup crew as mentioned plus a few Caribbean blue leg hermits and a pencil urchin will clear this up

 

[greeno1645]

generally brown comes first But with right nutrients, green macro will be dominant

Right.. that's what I thought, too. I skipped entirely over the brown... I think because I kept the lights on full power, and I added copis and clean up crew week 3... as soon as some green starting showing on the rocks.

The only difference in nutrients is that I have less nitrate and phosphate... So, I'm pulling the carbon and phospate remover.

I'll give it a week...see if the brown goes away and/or the green algae bounces back, and if not, I'll try 'over' feeding to get my phosphates up??? Dosing?

 

[greeno1645]

Just trying out the video feature... let's see if this works...