Brown Algae

[jerryk1199]

32 Gallon Biocube - I use filter floss, purigen and Chemipure Blue.

Looking for advice on what to do next. I had my tank running for almost over a year. Things were really good and healthy. 7 fish, hermit crabs, snails, and flourishing coral. Then out of no where I started to get brown algae. I assumed it to be diatoms based on what I've read on other threads even though my tank had been established for some time. It's been a complete downward spiral since and I've been dealing with it for months. It got to a point where I did a complete blackout of the tank for 3 days. The coral didn't survive and it seemed like the brown algae was gone but came back relatively quickly. I've done multiple 50% water changes. It helps clear it up but it always comes back. It's just not on the sand/rocks but also suspended in the water. I've tested the water and nitrate/nitrite et al.. all are ok.

The entire process has stressed the fish out and I'm down to 3 fish. I tried BIO-Spira - that didn't seem to help. A week ago I did another multiday blackout for 4 days. The tank looked perfect. I did a water change and attached are pictures from 1 week later. Is there a point of no return and I should just clean out the entire tank and start over? I use Nature's Ocean Nutri-SeaWater Natural Live Ocean Aquarium Saltwater. Anyone have problems with that? The cost of water changes is starting to add up.

​

Thoughts? Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[TheBear78]

It looks like a bacterial bloom although I thought these generally sorted themselves out. However, the water changes etc. may just be resetting the problem.
Hopefully someone in the know can confirm this?

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Oh jeez
Sorry to see that.
Get a small rodi buddy. Your tanks small but I suggest a tds meter and start making your own saltwater.
A protein skimmer as well if you can.
-d

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Blow your rock off good with a turkey baster too next time you do a water change. Add a small powerhead/WaveMaker if you can

D

 

[Lavey29]

What are your complete tank parameters and age of the tank? If you have no corals keep lights off. Siphon up what you can . Why are you running purigen with Chem blue? There is already purigen in the Chem blue pack. Do you have a skimmer or filter sock?

 

[WWC Verified Sponsor]

What are the Tank Parameters right now? I would also shut the lights down for about 48 hours straight to start to help with that.

 

[killer2001]

This looks like a job for UV.

 

[Miami Reef]

@brandon429

 

[jerryk1199]

What are your complete tank parameters and age of the tank? If you have no corals keep lights off. Siphon up what you can . Why are you running purigen with Chem blue? There is already purigen in the Chem blue pack. Do you have a skimmer or filter sock?

Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5ppm
Phosphate - 0
Ammonia - .5 (was up higher due to fish that died is coming back down)

I was wondering the same about purigen/chem blue - I actually just followed advice from someone else on here for a Biocube setup. Welcome to other suggestions. No skimmer

 

[jerryk1199]

What are the Tank Parameters right now? I would also shut the lights down for about 48 hours straight to start to help with that.

Recently had the lights off for 4 days - cleared up the tank but the brown water returned in 3-4 days.

Parameters below.

 

[jerryk1199]

This looks like a job for UV.

I do have a Coralife BioCube Aquarium Mini Ultraviolet Sterilzer. Can these go bad or need replaced?

​

 

[vetteguy53081]

32 Gallon Biocube - I use filter floss, purigen and Chemipure Blue.

Looking for advice on what to do next. I had my tank running for almost over a year. Things were really good and healthy. 7 fish, hermit crabs, snails, and flourishing coral. Then out of no where I started to get brown algae. I assumed it to be diatoms based on what I've read on other threads even though my tank had been established for some time. It's been a complete downward spiral since and I've been dealing with it for months. It got to a point where I did a complete blackout of the tank for 3 days. The coral didn't survive and it seemed like the brown algae was gone but came back relatively quickly. I've done multiple 50% water changes. It helps clear it up but it always comes back. It's just not on the sand/rocks but also suspended in the water. I've tested the water and nitrate/nitrite et al.. all are ok.

The entire process has stressed the fish out and I'm down to 3 fish. I tried BIO-Spira - that didn't seem to help. A week ago I did another multiday blackout for 4 days. The tank looked perfect. I did a water change and attached are pictures from 1 week later. Is there a point of no return and I should just clean out the entire tank and start over? I use Nature's Ocean Nutri-SeaWater Natural Live Ocean Aquarium Saltwater. Anyone have problems with that? The cost of water changes is starting to add up.

​

Thoughts? Thanks in advance for the advice.

Looks like a combination of diatoms and film algae with an indication off too much lights and inorganics.
Is this tank at or near a window?
What light(s) are you using ?

I would start by wiping entire glass with a sponge. After, take a turkey baster and blwo this stuff loose and then net the free floating particles and then siphon tank well. Reduce white light intensity and even consider a three day blackout. Be prepared for this to re-establish itself quickly, as 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. If no skimmer, i'd add one.
Some cleaner crew to help control it are : Cerith snails, Nerite snails and Trochus snails and also Astraea snails are effective at removing diatoms.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Soft coral and macro algae will absorb excess nutrients but we gotta get the tank right for them 1st.
D

 

[Lavey29]

Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5ppm
Phosphate - 0
Ammonia - .5 (was up higher due to fish that died is coming back down)

I was wondering the same about purigen/chem blue - I actually just followed advice from someone else on here for a Biocube setup. Welcome to other suggestions. No skimmer

You want nitrates at 10 and phosphate. 05 to .1. Keep doing weekly water changes. Ditch the purigen. To much chemical filtration will strip nutrients and trace elements. Get PNS probio to dose once a week. Add pods to help eat your algae and dose phytoplankton for them

 

[Reef.]

You want nitrates at 10 and phosphate. 05 to .1. Keep doing weekly water changes. Ditch the purigen. To much chemical filtration will strip nutrients and trace elements. Get PNS probio to dose once a week. Add pods to help eat your algae and dose phytoplankton for them

Agree but not ditching the purigen, that helps with organics in the water, which you want to be removing.

 

[Lavey29]

Agree but not ditching the purigen, that helps with organics in the water, which you want to be removing.

But the chemipure blue already contains purigen in it so he is double using it.

 

[Reef.]

But the chemipure blue already contains purigen in it so he is double using it.

You can’t over dose purigen.

 

[Lavey29]

You can’t over dose purigen.

I agree, but like carbon if you use to much you start removing some of the good stuff with the bad and I'm a purigen proponent. Used it for years.

 

[Reef.]

I agree, but like carbon if you use to much you start removing some of the good stuff with the bad and I'm a purigen proponent. Used it for years.

I’m not a fan of chemi pure blue, it is expensive, is mixed so you have to remove it all at the same time, most would agree that carbon exhausts a lot sooner than purigen.
I would also be wanting to change carbon at least weekly if not more often when the tank has an issue.

If anything I would be dumping the chemi pure blue.

 

[Lavey29]

I’m not a fan of chemi pure blue, it is expensive, is mixed so you have to remove it all at the same time, most would agree that carbon exhausts a lot sooner than purigen.
I would also be wanting to change carbon at least weekly if not more often when the tank has an issue.

If anything I would be dumping the chemi pure blue.

I use it for 2 months not the stated 4. But it does more then just running purigen or carbon alone.