Brown slime infection in my tank?

[ReefRocker]

I should first begin by mentioning that my tank is fairly new and is probably still going through its cycling stages. The tank is 67g and has been running with 300ml of BRS Biopellets and MB7 for 10 weeks now. For the first two weeks of starting up the tank, I followed the directions on the MB7 bottle and dosed 2 caps everyday. After the those two weeks, I began dosing 1.5 caps once a week and am now at 1 cap/week.

Around the 8th week, I began noticing little specs of brown algae growing on the sand and rocks. Within a week all the rocks were lightly covered in this algae. I brushed it off and it has not come back since then, but now have this brown slime growing on the rocks and sand. I have one blue milli frag that is doing alright and not seeing any polyp retraction to indicate the slime bothering it at all. Certain parts of the glass will get some of the brown slime, but most will grow a light coating of white film.

I can easily take it off with a turkey baster, but am not sure if doing so is a good idea.

I just tested the parameters and they are as follows:

pH - 7.9
NO2 - 0ppm
NO3 - 1ppm
NH3 - 0
Ca+ - 500ppm
Alk - 6.0 DKH
Mg - 1500
PO4 - Hanna reagents are expired! Not sure if it's alright to test anyway.

The light I am using is Maxspect G2 -170w and the blue leds are on for 9 hrs while the mid-days are on for 7.5 hrs and daylights for 6hrs.

Here are some pictures of what I have on the rocks:

I am not sure what my next steps should be from here on. Any tips?

 

[toyencounters]

Do you have a clean up crew snails,crabs,etc?? also your dkh in my opinion is very low it should be at around 9!

 

[chris 67]

i have the same situation as you
brown slime :cry:

my tank is new to, and i have biopellets running also

i still have no responses on the tread i posted

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I HATE THIS STUFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[toyencounters]

Also are you doing enough water changes?

 

[ReefRocker]

Hi, I have not done any water changes yet because I wanted to allow the biopellets to adjust to the tank before making any changes. I am planning on changing out 10g a week, does that sound like enough? Also, I don't have a cleanup crew yet, but will go out and buy some today. Any suggestions on what will do best with this kind of algae?

 

[slice]

There is a lot in your post that deserves stern discussion, like having a millie in a tank that "is fairly new and is probably still going through its cycling stages" but to answer your "brown algae" question, it is probably diatoms. Diatoms are very common in new tanks and will come and go.

 

[toyencounters]

My turbo snails do a great Job! I also hermit crabs help I think once you get a good clean up crew it will help you very much!

 

[CJO]

Diatoms.. Water changes, skimming, lowering the amount of food can all help. However, the best help is.... TIME! It takes time for your tank to mature and build its base of beneficial microbes. Personally, I wouldn't add an SPS and wouldn't start biopellets until the tank has matured. LPS would love the current environment.

CJ

 

[chris 67]

the ones i have are stringy i think there a type of cyano bacteria is that the biopellets doing that

 

[Troylee]

Most likely bacteria blooms from the pellets...I see this almost daily now people cyclin tanks with np pellets where did this come from and who or what recommended it???? Mb7 sure but not pellets for a cycle that's crazy IMHO..:sad:

 

[ReefRocker]

I've added the BP at the beginning based on what I've read on other forums and other peoples experiences in doing so. The tank is new however, not so new that it cannot sustain life and the millipora is doing well, polyps extended and growing.

So what I've done is went out and bought 5 cerith snails and will do a 10g water change every week from now on and give the tank time. Is there anything else I should be doing?

Thanks to everyone whose given their input! These replies are coming in quicker than the other forum I've tried.