Brown dusting

kevin_e · Feb 17, 2019

I get a brown dusting on most everything. From time to time it is worse than other times. I need to clean my glass ever 2 days it seems. When I last measured my phosphate it was 0.11 ppm. I'm assuming this is the root of the issue. Is nitrate usually a factor in this brown dusting of algae too?

DLHDesign · Feb 17, 2019

How old is the tank? Got any pictures?

kevin_e · Feb 17, 2019

DLHDesign said:
How old is the tank? Got any pictures?

1.5 years. I just wiped the glass. I'll see if I can get a good representative pic of the sand and rock.

kevin_e · Feb 17, 2019

DLHDesign said:
How old is the tank? Got any pictures?

Here's what my frag rack and back wall look like. I dont clean them. It's not hair algea, but there is a slight filamentous nature to it.

DLHDesign · Feb 18, 2019

Looks like algae growth of some kind; though I'm not sure exactly what, myself. Perhaps someone on the #reefsquad can id better, but I think the solution is going to be the same - reduce nutrients (feed less and/or clean filters more, possibly chemically reduce with something like Red Sea NoPox) and/or add something that will out-compete it for the nutrients that are there (eg; add a refugium with chaeto if you don't already have one, or increase the photoperiod of it if you do).

Ron Reefman · Feb 18, 2019

Kevin, do you have a refugium? How about a sump?

I've seen growth like you have on the back of one of my tanks that didn't have a refugium. I think it's algae/diatom growth that has gone unchecked (not cleaned off the glass). I don't think it's a huge problem and what Dave offered should be your first course of action.

If you run a sump but not a refugium, even a small one with macroalgae in it will help remove those nutrients.

GoVols · Feb 18, 2019

If it comes off like dust, when you wave your hand.
Then I'm leaning diatom's too.

Are you checking the TDS on your RO/DI water?

___________________________________________________________
Edit:
If you feel like it's phosphates, and it could be.

I've been tumbling Rowaphos in it's own reactor for years, and love GFO.
Be sure to start off at about 1/4 of a cup to bring things down slow.

If you drop too fast it can shock an entire reef...

kevin_e · Feb 19, 2019

DLHDesign said:
Looks like algae growth of some kind; though I'm not sure exactly what, myself. Perhaps someone on the #reefsquad can id better, but I think the solution is going to be the same - reduce nutrients (feed less and/or clean filters more, possibly chemically reduce with something like Red Sea NoPox) and/or add something that will out-compete it for the nutrients that are there (eg; add a refugium with chaeto if you don't already have one, or increase the photoperiod of it if you do).

I think this will be more course of action once I gamet my nitrate test on Friday and can get a number. Adding a refugium may help assist my skimmer and buffer my pH.

kevin_e · Feb 19, 2019

Ron Reefman said:
Kevin, do you have a refugium? How about a sump?

I've seen growth like you have on the back of one of my tanks that didn't have a refugium. I think it's algae/diatom growth that has gone unchecked (not cleaned off the glass). I don't think it's a huge problem and what Dave offered should be your first course of action.

If you run a sump but not a refugium, even a small one with macroalgae in it will help remove those nutrients.

I have a sump, no refugium outside of live rock in a compartment down there. I have been considering a cheap refugium.

kevin_e · Feb 19, 2019

GoVols said:
If it comes off like dust, when you wave your hand.
Then I'm leaning diatom's too.

Are you checking the TDS on your RO/DI water?

___________________________________________________________
Edit:
If you feel like it's phosphates, and it could be.

I've been tumbling Rowaphos in it's own reactor for years, and love GFO.
Be sure to start off at about 1/4 of a cup to bring things down slow.

If you drop too fast it can shock an entire reef...

Yes, I would say it does blow off of a degree. My TDS is 3 coming out of membrane and 0 coming out of mixed bed DI resin. I flush before every use.

I want to see what my nitrate is on Friday before jumping to a refugium and or media.

Ron Reefman · Feb 20, 2019

Kevin, I think you are taking a very good approach to this. I look forward to your update. Good luck.

kevin_e · Feb 20, 2019

Ron Reefman said:
Kevin, I think you are taking a very good approach to this. I look forward to your update. Good luck.

Thanks. I'll have an update Friday on nitrates.

kevin_e · Feb 21, 2019

Nitrate came in at 1 ppm on two seperate tests with two different sets of eyes. Nyos test kit.

kevin_e · Mar 24, 2019

Nitrates checked in at 0 ppm and phosphate at 1 ppB (yes, ppb).

Samd still has spots of algae dusting and the back wall and frag rack has a whiteish filimentous algae about 1/4" long. I scraped it like a month ago and it came back.