Brown algae

[Themako1]

So my tanks about 8 months old now, have about 6 fish and a couple corals. My alk was around 5 so I started bionic about 2 weeks ago now it's at about 9. The problem is I am getting a brown algae bloom and was wondering if it's maybe an effect of the bionic. Some of my other parameters are
Nitrate-5
Po4- 9
ca- 430
1.026

 

[Crabs McJones]

So my tanks about 8 months old now, have about 6 fish and a couple corals. My alk was around 5 so I started bionic about 2 weeks ago now it's at about 9. The problem is I am getting a brown algae bloom and was wondering if it's maybe an effect of the bionic. Some of my other parameters are
Nitrate-5
Po4- 9
ca- 430
1.026

Your Phosphate is up, how much are you feeding and are you using RO/DI water? How much and how often are you doing water changes?

 

[Themako1]

Half cube mysis half brine twice a day, rodi, 15% weekly

 

[Crabs McJones]

Half cube mysis half brine twice a day, rodi, 15% weekly

So I understand this correctly, 1/2 cube mysis and 1/2 cube brine shrimp twice a day, so almost two full cubes a day?

 

[Themako1]

Yea of total food, I used to feed once then got a couple of anthias, so stepped up the feeding

 

[Themako1]

I'm running gfo, carbon, and biopellets

 

[Crabs McJones]

Two full cubes a day may be a bit much...I had 5 fish, and they got 1/2 a cube a day.

 

[Themako1]

Ok I'll reduce feeding, I just asked the question cause this algae started basically when I started the bionic

 

[zachxlutz]

PO4 is 9 or .9 or .09? 9 is HUGE.

 

[Themako1]

09

 

[zachxlutz]

Bionic doesn't add any nutrients to the system so it's likely not that causing any sort of bloom.

Ok, that's a big difference between .09 to 9. That's a little high but not incredibly high. I'd target .03 or so and see if that limits the growth of the algae. Have you looked at the dino thread? It may be dinos which wouldn't respond well to lowering the nutrients. Try and poke around in the algae forums and see if you can help self identify the stuff. Or... post a photo?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So my tanks about 8 months old now, have about 6 fish and a couple corals. My alk was around 5 so I started bionic about 2 weeks ago now it's at about 9. The problem is I am getting a brown algae bloom and was wondering if it's maybe an effect of the bionic. Some of my other parameters are
Nitrate-5
Po4- 9
ca- 430
1.026

It's not the B-ionic, assuming you mean the ESV two part calcium and alkalinity system.

Where is the algae growing, and what does it look like?

Do you use tap water?

 

[Themako1]

No tap water, it's on the sand and rocks, it's almost like brown hair algae, the Tricia's snails and urchin eat it, just want to solve the problem and not get a bunch more snails

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I hate to say it, but it may not be easily controlled chemically. You'd need to lower either the nitrate or the phosphate quite a bit to limit algae growth.

 

[Dom]

Two full cubes a day may be a bit much...

+1

 

[Dom]

No tap water, it's on the sand and rocks, it's almost like brown hair algae, the Tricia's snails and urchin eat it, just want to solve the problem and not get a bunch more snails

Nutrient export. Do you run a refugium?