Why am I getting this?

xnaz · Mar 1, 2021

Does anyone know the reason why I’m getting brown algae.

my parameters
Phosphate 0
Nitrate 2
Alk 12.5
Calcium 425
Magnesium (don’t have a test kit yet getting one this week).

Jekyl · Mar 1, 2021

What test kits and how old is the tank? 0 phosphate could be the issue

xnaz · Mar 1, 2021

Jekyl said:
What test kits and how old is the tank? 0 phosphate could be the issue

All salifert. And near 7 months now.

Jekyl · Mar 1, 2021

I'd guess 0 phosphate could be the issue. However my tank was still going through the uglies at 7 months.
Let's get some experts involved though to make sure I'm not just blowing smoke.
#reefsquad

xnaz · Mar 1, 2021

Jekyl said:
I'd guess 0 phosphate could be the issue. However my tank was still going through the uglies at 7 months.
Let's get some experts involved though to make sure I'm not just blowing smoke.
#reefsquad

Yeah zero phosphates is what I was thinking as well but I’m just not sure. Thanks.

Idoc · Mar 1, 2021

I'd try to get the phosphates up... take your chaeto offline for awhile if you have it, or reduce skimming, or if you're running gfo then stop. You can also dose it as well... or feed a lot more.

I can't make out what I'm looking at in the first pic. But the other 2 pics are normal sand beds to me. Some brown buried along the edge of the glass isn't that abnormal. Now if the rest of your sand bed is covered by brown algae on the surface, then that's a possible issue. There's going to be algae in every tank.

xnaz · Mar 1, 2021

Idoc said:
I'd try to get the phosphates up... take your chaeto offline for awhile if you have it, or reduce skimming, or if you're running gfo then stop. You can also dose it as well... or feed a lot more.

I can't make out what I'm looking at in the first pic. But the other 2 pics are normal sand beds to me. Some brown buried along the edge of the glass isn't that abnormal. Now if the test of your sand bed is covered by brown algae on the surface, then that's a possible issue. There's going to be algae in every tank.

I don’t have chaeto and I don’t have a skimmer. I’m now going to feeding a cube of my mysis a day. I was only feeding half a cube before. I’m thinking maybe adding another fish cause I only have two clowns and a firefish. It’s a 20 gallon cube. I don’t really want to disrupt the fish I have in there already so if you think heavy feeding is better I would rather do that. And what do you mean by the test of your sand bed? Thanks.

Edit: I am running chemi pure though

Idoc · Mar 1, 2021

xnaz said:
I don’t have chaeto and I don’t have a skimmer. I’m now going to feeding a cube of my mysis a day. I was only feeding half a cube before. I’m thinking maybe adding another fish cause I only have two clowns and a firefish. It’s a 20 gallon cube. I don’t really want to disrupt the fish I have in there already so if you think heavy feeding is better I would rather do that. And what do you mean by the test of your sand bed? Thanks.

Attempting to feed more will raise the phosphates.

Sorry...i edited my post..."test" should have been "rest". I didn't catch that typo.

xnaz · Mar 1, 2021

Idoc said:
Attempting to feed more will raise the phosphates.

Sorry...i edited my post..."test" should have been "rest". I didn't catch that typo.

Oh ok thanks.

Jekyl · Mar 1, 2021

xnaz said:
I don’t have chaeto and I don’t have a skimmer. I’m now going to feeding a cube of my mysis a day. I was only feeding half a cube before. I’m thinking maybe adding another fish cause I only have two clowns and a firefish. It’s a 20 gallon cube. I don’t really want to disrupt the fish I have in there already so if you think heavy feeding is better I would rather do that. And what do you mean by the test of your sand bed? Thanks.

You sure about the readings? That's plenty of fish and plenty of food for a tank that size. Add in not having any sort of nutrient export I'd double check your readings.

xnaz · Mar 1, 2021

Jekyl said:
You sure about the readings? That's plenty of fish and plenty of food for a tank that size. Add in not having any sort of nutrient export I'd double check your readings.

I just edited that I am running chemi pure. I’m guessing that might be the problem. I think I’m going to upgrade to the Hannah checker for phosphate though because I heard that’s the best for phosphate.