CookieRdReef
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What do I have here? Diatoms, dinos, cyano? Tank is now 1 year old and I'm still not good at identifying algae. PO4 .09, NO3 5ppm.
Brown algae taking over :(
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Jonify
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Looks like diatoms--cyano is more red/purple and it typically forms a mat that covers everything. Have you done anything to your tank recently? And if you're using RO/DI, have you tested it recently to check for 0 TDS?
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CookieRdReef
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I added a new piece of dry rock to the tank about a month and a half ago. Other than nothing new. I have had an issue with this algae for most of the first year (along with dinos I believe at one point.) TDS is usually 1. I suspect I may have silicates in my water still? Just hoping it goes away if it's diatoms but it seems to be bothering some corals now.
Dkmoo
Valuable Member
They tend to show up when your tank is out of balance. Happens more often in younger tanks but really anytime when conditions are right they pop up as a mechanism to bring your tank back to balance.
A lot of things could trigger an imbalance, or maybe even your tank has now reached a point of nutrient saturation and excess no3/po4 is leeching back out of sand/rock.
Keep up with husbandry and manual removal. Monitor your params daily for a few weeks to get a handle on how ur system is processing nutrients and they will go away on their own as the rest of your biomass (algae, bacteria, coral, fish, etc..) reestablish equilibrium
A lot of things could trigger an imbalance, or maybe even your tank has now reached a point of nutrient saturation and excess no3/po4 is leeching back out of sand/rock.
Keep up with husbandry and manual removal. Monitor your params daily for a few weeks to get a handle on how ur system is processing nutrients and they will go away on their own as the rest of your biomass (algae, bacteria, coral, fish, etc..) reestablish equilibrium
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CookieRdReef
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Maybe I will go with some GFO and syphon out during my next water change. My nutrients have been low since the tank started. I have been dosing nitrate sometimes to keep it above 0.
Jonify
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1 TDS is 1 too much 
Replace your RO/DI media as a first stop, but your nitrates are perhaps just a hair too high--and since your phosphates are, too, you can reduce feeding and pick up the water change frequency, and it should go away on its own in a few weeks. As you get into your 2nd year, you'll probably find your tank can sustain a higher nitrate level, so you won't deal with this as much.
Replace your RO/DI media as a first stop, but your nitrates are perhaps just a hair too high--and since your phosphates are, too, you can reduce feeding and pick up the water change frequency, and it should go away on its own in a few weeks. As you get into your 2nd year, you'll probably find your tank can sustain a higher nitrate level, so you won't deal with this as much.
Jonify
Well-Known Member
I would not add any GFO, that will drop your phosphates quickly, quicker than you can test. And you do not want to bottom out your phosphates or nitrates. Water changes and reducing feeding is a less risky option.
