Help!! Brown Algae Problem!?

Question

I have a semi-established salt water aquarium and have lots of live rock.

I recently purchased a power compact for my tank (29gl) and have experienced a brown algae super bloom!!! I don't think my phosphates are high, so what should I do??

I have four very lazy turbo snails too.

And my phosphate level is very low. .25 or lower.

Answer 1

You actually have "high" phosphates. It doesn't sound like a lot, but phosphate is the limiting factor for most algaes - it the one nutrient that should be in short supply, so algae, plants, etc. snatches it up as soon as possible. The fact that you detect it means there's potential for more algae growth, since there's more in the tank than the algae is currently using.

If you use tapwater, this may be your phosphate source - some water companies add phosphate to reduce corrosion in pipes. You just may never have had a problem before you upgraded the lighting and allowed the algae to take advantage of the phosphate that was there. If the source is your tapwater, you'll either need to use a phosphate pad on a constant basis (and change them as they'll become saturatedand stop absorbing more), or switch to reverse osmosis water. You can buy a filter or hope use, or buy the water (supermarkets and super WalMarts carry it). You can also use macroalgae (Caulerpa, Chaetomorpha) to compete with the brown algae for the nutrients. Be careful of the caulerpa if you use that - it has a tendency to try and overgrow the tank! If the tapwater is your nutrient source, merely doing water changes won't solve your problem - you'll just be adding new "fertilizer" for the algae each time you do a water change.

Answer 2

You don't want to turn your lights out. You may want to test your nitrate levels in your tap or supply water. Water companies are allowed to have up to 60 ppm of nitrates in public water sources. It may be the nitrates that are causing the bloom (and it is normal for a new tank, so don't worry)

Do you also have live rock in the tank? Sometimes the die off of the live rock and/or sand will cause the nitrates to also boom (after the ammonia and nitrite burn off) Still nothing to worry about. However algae loves nitrates.

Have you done a water change? Keeping the nitrates lower will help with the brown algae. Do not expect snails at this time to clean up the mess. They will have trouble on their own adjusting to the low levels of bacteria forming in the tank and adding more to the biofilter now will really send the nitrates from the ammonia spikes out the window. When you say semi established, how long has the tank been running and what else is in the tank?

Have you actually tested for phosphates? Most salt water aquarists don't. It is easily controlled with phosphate pads added to the filter. You can also add nitrate pads as well however simple water changes will keep them down. Simply wipe off the algae. It will slow once the die off of the rock and the biofilter stabalizes.

Answer 3

Brown algae problems come from high Nitrates. I don't know how old your tank is.. Or if you cycled your tank yet.. But you can control the brown algae if you do a small water change and turn your lights off for most of the day. Keep them on about 4 - 6 hours. That should control the problem. You want to do a small water change to lower the Nitrate levels in your tank..

Answer 4

Turbo Snail

Answer 5

Try Bionetix UK's Aquaclean, it removes algae and blanket weed though bacteria digestion.

www.bionetix.co.uk