Brown turf like algae on glass only.

[coralcruze]

I'm sick of cleaning and scraping this stuff off my acrylic windows. I use bio pellets and have an extensive refugium and mangroves and occationally also use gfo TO KEEP pO4 IN CHECK. However, most readings on po4 is low and under .10 and I just dont get how to combat this stuff. this is mostly a turf like brown algae and some is even harder like coraline buta brown variety (not sure if that even exists but its definately harder than the turn algae. grows no where else but on my glass. Please assist with any advice. Nitrates are low at >5 and calcium and alk are all good and i get alot of coraline growth but the brown crap covers it in no time. what to do?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You may need to be quite a bit lower in phosphate to limit algae growth.

Also I assume you mean the nitrate is less than 5 (<5 ppm), but even 3 ppm may be more than enough for some types of algae.

What are the most recent measurements?

 

[coralcruze]

You may need to be quite a bit lower in phosphate to limit algae growth.

Also I assume you mean the nitrate is less than 5 (<5 ppm), but even 3 ppm may be more than enough for some types of algae.

What are the most recent measurements?

yes that was nitate at less than 5
10/30/2014
ph = 8.21
co2 ph = 6.5
temp = 79.6
salt = 34.5
orp = 405
cal = 550
alk = 9.1
mg = 1600
n03 = red sea= 4
po4 = hanna =.10


This brown stuff has a pungent smell. when I had a turf algae going it smelled the same. so thats why I was guessing turf algae. how much lower do I need to bring Po4 and nitrates to? I've heard guys bleaching out thier sps when they take it too low. is there anything else i can do?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Phosphate usually only becomes limiting to algae growth if the levels are below 0.03 ppm, and 0.01 -0.02 is an ok target if there is an algae problem.

 

[coralcruze]

Rand any suggestions on how Ican further lower it to those levels? I am currently using chaeto and mangroves... bio pellets and gfo (sometimes). what else can I do? vinegar dosing? could that be done in addition to bio pellets? I like bio pellets as they are least maintnence and fully automated at this point. no refilling anything.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How often do you replace the GFO?

 

[coralcruze]

I really dislike GFO and GAC. I've used the stuff almost exclusively and have found that its too efficient in stripping the water. I use simple filter socks (empty most of the time). Once in a blue moon I will throw in GFO. Thats only if Po4 is higher than .15-.2 which is rare. same goes for GAC. if I want to take something out that got into my system inadvertantly than and only than will I throw some GAC into my filter socks. I just think that skimmer and bio-pellet reactor (carbon dosing) works pretty well. Its just this brown turf like algae is a PITA to deal with and ugly too. If there is a way to at least reduce the frequency of scraping it that would be fine.

I did read some time ago your challenge in doing something similar with some algae on your glass. if I remember correctly you were aggressively (perhaps too aggressively) increasing carbon dosing to try and achieve this. I just don't remember the outcome or if this is something you recommend? Thanks

 

[Cory]

If your trying to kill a brown hair algae 3% hydrogen peroxide worked well for me. Use 1ml for every 10 gallons. You can even spot treat it. But as Rabdy posted in another thread this is 100x the nsw value for h2o2.

 

[coralcruze]

If your trying to kill a brown hair algae 3% hydrogen peroxide worked well for me. Use 1ml for every 10 gallons. You can even spot treat it. But as Rabdy posted in another thread this is 100x the nsw value for h2o2.

interesting... is there any side effects to the corals or inverts or fish in using hydrogen peroxide??? do you need a water change after the treatment? is there a thread or info on this?

 

[Cory]

interesting... is there any side effects to the corals or inverts or fish in using hydrogen peroxide??? do you need a water change after the treatment? is there a thread or info on this?

Yes just search on Google. I'd be careful with corals but most don't have problems. But if your worries spot treatment is better. It may turn white and die off. I would also use po4 remover that's passive like GFO or a slow drip lanthunm chloride but I'm not a fan of lanthunm because of the potential to drop alk.

 

[coralcruze]

how do you spot treat in a tank without hetting it in the water?

 

[Cory]

You will get some in the water. But it ends up as oxygen and water after a few hours to up to a week. If it's on rocks you can take it out and drizzle it on the hair algae. Apparently zoanthids are normal after a washing of peroxide. But other corals may suffer if spot treated. Some corals will produce h2o2. I'd suspect to kill surrounding algae. But ultimately this is a nutrient issue. I've cleaned my tank completely with 16 turbo snails in 25 gallons. And I now use phosphate remover I change every week or two. Tanks nice and clean. I don't have sand though fwiw.