Brown algae on acrylic in mature reef

[willdabo]

I have a 250g reef. Mostly soft corals and 6 healthy fish. 12 years running.. 4 of the fish were the first 4 introduced.

Recently I'm getting brown algae on the glass.. it starts in small spots then expands... It feels like month 3 of a reef startup! It's so tough to get off the acrylic too. I spent 3 hours with my mag shark getting the acrylic clean.

The water is topped off with 5 chamber filtered water.. 35g sump, protein skimmer, dose nopox, water changes

Any ideas?
I want to get a carpet anemone for my breeding clowns and a couple of hard corals but I'm too busy just keeping the algae at bay.

 

[glb]

I have a 250g reef. Mostly soft corals and 6 healthy fish. 12 years running.. 4 of the fish were the first 4 introduced.

Recently I'm getting brown algae on the glass.. it starts in small spots then expands... It feels like month 3 of a reef startup! It's so tough to get off the acrylic too. I spent 3 hours with my mag shark getting the acrylic clean.

The water is topped off with 5 chamber filtered water.. 35g sump, protein skimmer, dose nopox, water changes

Any ideas?
I want to get a carpet anemone for my breeding clowns and a couple of hard corals but I'm too busy just keeping the algae at bay.

Could you post a pic? Also, what are your test parameters (no3, po4, etc)

 

[vetteguy53081]

While pics under white alighting always helps, your description suggests diatoms. After cycling, what would make them return?
- low light intensity
- overfeeding
- silicates if any new rock was added
- expired RODI catridges especially DI resin

 

[willdabo]

Could you post a pic? Also, what are your test parameters (no3, po4, etc)

Here's some left that I couldn't reach at the very bottom.
I'll check the chemistry next

 

[willdabo]

I have a 250g reef. Mostly soft corals and 6 healthy fish. 12 years running.. 4 of the fish were the first 4 introduced.

Recently I'm getting brown algae on the glass.. it starts in small spots then expands... It feels like month 3 of a reef startup! It's so tough to get off the acrylic too. I spent 3 hours with my mag shark getting the acrylic clean.

The water is topped off with 5 chamber filtered water.. 35g sump, protein skimmer, dose nopox, water changes

Any ideas?
I want to get a carpet anemone for my breeding clowns and a couple of hard corals but I'm too busy just keeping the algae at bay.

Also any thoughts on adding a UV to my sump? Thx!

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Here's some left that I couldn't reach at the very bottom.
I'll check the chemistry next

Not sure but to me it looks like coraline

 

[vetteguy53081]

Algae spores and typically seem to favor acrylic surfaces. Is your tank glass or acrylic ?

 

[DeniseAndy]

I get those too. I have acrylic tank. I use the Mighty Magnet and it takes care of things nicely. I have less lately though. I get them on my glass tanks too though. They are harder to scrape than just the film algae.

Do you run a algae scrubber at all? It could be a benefit to the system.

 

[willdabo]

Could you post a pic? Also, what are your test parameters (no3, po4, etc)

No3: 0
Po4: 0
Ca2: 280ppm (low! Glad you made me check. Increasing with reef advantage)
Mg: 1200ppm (slightly low, will increase with the reef advantage)
Ph: 5.23 (adding reef buffer). My meter may need calibration though. A strip test says 7.5.. not as accurate, but just saying

 

[willdabo]

I get those too. I have acrylic tank. I use the Mighty Magnet and it takes care of things nicely. I have less lately though. I get them on my glass tanks too though. They are harder to scrape than just the film algae.

Do you run a algae scrubber at all? It could be a benefit to the system.

I never have run an algae scrubber. I'm not familiar with it but I just looked it up. What do you think about that vs a UV filter in my sump and dosing phytoplankton?

 

[DeniseAndy]

I dose phyto regularly (I grow my own) and it will help. I do not use UV on my large systems and in my smaller ones, not sure I have seen much of a difference after 6 months.
UAS (UpFlow Algae Scrubbers) are super easy to make with a few cheap items and are effective, they just take time to work. Months, not days to have full effect. Lots of cleaning to get them up to speed. Once there, fantastic little effort cleaners.

 

[glb]

No3: 0
Po4: 0
Ca2: 280ppm (low! Glad you made me check. Increasing with reef advantage)
Mg: 1200ppm (slightly low, will increase with the reef advantage)
Ph: 5.23 (adding reef buffer). My meter may need calibration though. A strip test says 7.5.. not as accurate, but just saying

I don’t think your ph could possibly be right. What meter do you use? You’re right that the ca and mg are low but I don’t think that would cause the algae problem. Also, what’s your alk? When no3 and po4 bottom out it can cause as many problems as when they get too high. Could you let me know what test kits you use?

 

[vetteguy53081]

No3: 0
Po4: 0
Ca2: 280ppm (low! Glad you made me check. Increasing with reef advantage)
Mg: 1200ppm (slightly low, will increase with the reef advantage)
Ph: 5.23 (adding reef buffer). My meter may need calibration though. A strip test says 7.5.. not as accurate, but just saying

What test kits are you running?
Tank should be haywire to a degree.