Brown Algae (yet another post about it)

AccioClownFish · Oct 18, 2018

Hi Everyone!

I have been reading lots about Diatom algae and found some good info but still have a few questions that you can hopefully answer.

First off, my tank info:
13.5 Fluval EVO Sea
Been running for 4 months
Protein skimmer and ChemiPure Elite and Purigen in InTank Media basket with filter floss
AI Prime light
R/O water
1 gal weekly water change
Red Sea Reef salt mix
Inhabitants: 2 fish, 2 blue leg hermits, halloween hermit, emeral crab, 4 snails. 8 or so LSP and soft corals (growing great!)

Amonia: 0
Nitrates: 0
Ph: 8.2

I started seeing the brown algae back in August and have been dealing with it ever since but it is definitely at its worst now. Within hours after scrubbing the rocks and vacuuming the algae it's back in force.
This past weekend i was away so decided to do a blackout (friday to monday) because i was scared of what the tank would have turned into. Since the blackout the diatoms have come back in a slimy/stringy format. I used to have to the clean the glass twice a day but now its not growing on the glass, the slime is just everywhere else. Little air bubbles get attached to it as well.

Is this just part of regular tank maturation? it been going on awhile, 2-3 months now...

My question is, should i be constantly scrubbing the rocks? Also, i stir up the gravel to get the slime to float away/bury it. Should i be doing this?

Is there anything i can put in my media basket that will help? Any supplements?

I'm a clean freak so this is really killing me... any words of comfort or wisdom would be appreciated

THANK YOU!

Bdrake · Oct 18, 2018

AccioClownFish said:
the diatoms have come back in a slimy/stringy format

Sounds like you may have dinoflagellates and not diatoms. A little reading material to help you: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/dinoflagellates-–-are-you-tired-of-battling-altogether.293318/

Cthulukelele · Oct 18, 2018

The slimy stringy format makes me think it is dinoflagellates and not diatoms. Diatoms are typically just almost a fine rust colored powder.

KrisReef · Oct 18, 2018

Welcome to R2R.

New tanks are often less than neat, but with time and maintenance it will come around.

I'm wondering what your Phosphate level is? & Kh & magnesium?

AccioClownFish · Oct 19, 2018

Thanks for the info! I didn't realise this pokey got posted, I posted another thread as well when I thought this had been deleted! Ooops!
Here's a pic of my tank.
I don't have tests kits to test for phos or kh unfortunately.

AccioClownFish · Oct 19, 2018

Here's another pic of the gross stuff that is ruining my life!

Cthulukelele · Oct 19, 2018

100% dinos. Check out the link the original guy posted.

IslandLifeReef · Oct 19, 2018

Welcome to R2R!

You have definitely come to the right place to help with this problem. It looks like dino's to me. Read the link that @Bdrake posted.

AccioClownFish · Oct 19, 2018

Thanks you guys! I'll read everything I can on this now I know what it is !;Cat

AccioClownFish · Oct 23, 2018

Been doing lots of reading on Dino and am starting to implement some of the suggestions to get rid of this stuff. I have to say reading about it was pretty disheartening seeing as many people had to tear down their tanks because they couldn't get rid of it. I feel pretty overwhelmed being a newbie and having to deal with this just as my tank was really starting to get going.

I've been adding hydrogen peroxide and scrubbing my rocks daily as well as sifting the stuff out with a net lined with paper towel.
Today i took out most of my sand and really scrubbed everything down (unfortunately i have to add new water because what i took out lowered my water level significantly)

I plan on not doing any water changes for awhile (pretty sure i was just keeping my tank too clean; doing 1Gal water changes weekly and had a protein skimmer on my little 14G with a low bioload), keeping up with the peroxide and shortening my lighting schedule. I don't want to do another blackout, my corals have not recovered from the last one and seeing them all shrink up makes me sad

- but i'll do another one if i have to.

I'd love to add copepodes but i'm in a remote location and can't get them. I will have to find tie to make a trip to the not-so-local LFS

Here are some questions i have:
-What should be in my media basket? Currently it's filter floss, chemi pure elite and purigen
-If i stop doing water changes will i need to supplement my corals (4 LPS and softies)? they wont be getting new minerals from the salt
-I read a lot about dosing with nitrates but i dont really understand what people are using? Also, people were dosing silicates?
-does any one know how to add a filter sock to a Fluval Sea EVO? I dont know where i would attach it.
-also, anything else i should be doing?

I hope my corals and livestock (and I) survive this! My 6 line wrasse seems very stressed out and i feel so bad about that! He didn't eat today and he is usually constantly begging for food.

Thanks for the help and support!