Brown Algae in Well Lit Areas?

[Kasey Grohowski]

Some of this stuff is on my rocks, it appeared a day after I broadcast fed reef roids and it has been spreading. It covers quite a bit of my rocks, but isnt on my sandbed much at all. Also I read diatoms grow in poorly lit areas, but this stuff is only growing in the well lit areas. It doesn't have any bubbles in it, I doubt it's dino's.

 

[road_runner]

Some more details of your system would help.
System age?
System parameters no3 po4 alk ca salinity?
System filtration?
System equipments(sump, skimmer. Lights, reactors)?
Do you use gfo and carbon?

Without understanding your system any advice will be a shot im the dark.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Some more details of your system would help.
System age?
System parameters no3 po4 alk ca salinity?
System filtration?
System equipments(sump, skimmer. Lights, reactors)?
Do you use gfo and carbon?

Without understanding your system any advice will be a shot im the dark.

Sorry, tank is 5 months old
Nitrates 25, Phosphate 0 (this algae is probably using the phosphate up), Alk 7, Cal 460.
Protein skimmer BM Curve 9
Biopellet reactor (new)
55-watt UV sterilizer
Filter sock with phosguard and purigen
Current USA reef lights 72"
No GFO or carbon.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

SG is 1.025

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Also a week or 2 before the algae started I added cycled dry rock (50 lbs).

 

[road_runner]

I believe this is diatom. The only problem in this theory is your 0 po4..are you sure your po4 is zero? What kit are you using?
Having such high no3 and 0 po4(if true) is not s good thing.
But since you are not using gfo, I cannot imagin how it can be to have such a high no3 and low po4.
My suspension is that you po4 is not zero. If that's the case diatom make sense.

Diatom will go away once system mature and your nutrients level go down and balance itself.

Can you double check your po4 please.

 

[road_runner]

Also a week or 2 before the algae started I added cycled dry rock (50 lbs).

Then this is diatom.
When you add new rocks you introduce a mini cycle. Until the new rocks cycled you will deal with diatom then green algae then things will settle.

 

[road_runner]

Still in would check my po4 if am you..

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Then this is diatom.
When you add new rocks you introduce a mini cycle. Until the new rocks cycled you will deal with diatom then green algae then things will settle.

I cycled the rocks in a seperate tank for 6 weeks

 

[road_runner]

I cycled the rocks in a seperate tank for 6 weeks

Is the diatom on the new rocks?
Describe the seprate tank status that you cycled the rocks in?
6 weeks is not be enough to cycle dry rocks...

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Is the diatom on the new rocks?
Describe the seprate tank status that you cycled the rocks in?
6 weeks is not be enough to cycle dry rocks...

Yes mostly on those rocks, but i added bacteria to their tank and ghost fed ammonia.

 

[road_runner]

Yes mostly on those rocks, but i added bacteria to their tank and ghost fed ammonia.

Diatom
Since rocks are dry it will take time until its fully cycled.
Just be patient. It will pass. Do not try to treat it with chemicals that's the best advice I can give you.
Check your po4 and no3
Weekly water changes
Hood husbandry and vacume the sand when you do water change if you can.
It will pass

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Diatom
Since rocks are dry it will take time until its fully cycled.
Just be patient. It will pass. Do not try to treat it with chemicals that's the best advice I can give you.
Check your po4 and no3
Weekly water changes
Hood husbandry and vacume the sand when you do water change if you can.
It will pass

Never use chemicals in DT. Thank you for the help.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

I would assume my skimmer is working double time because of die off?