Brown algae

[adamsfour]

Having an issue with brown algae on gravel. Tank is many years old. It definitely disappears when lights. I thought it was Cyro but chemiclean really didn’t help. I did discovered I had a bad cartridge in my RO/DI system and my top off water was full of silicate. I am using phosbond to remove but has had little effect. Any recommendations is appreciated. My nitrates and phosphate are very low.

 

[Doctorgori]

what is “very low”?

 

[adamsfour]

Having an issue with brown algae on gravel. Tank is many years old. It definitely disappears when lights. I thought it was Cyro but chemiclean really didn’t help. I did discovered I had a bad cartridge in my RO/DI system and my top off water was full of silicate. I am using phosbond to remove but has had little effect. Any recommendations is appreciated. My nitrates and phosphate are very low.

Phosphate .03 mg/l and nitrate 5.48 mg/l

 

[adamsfour]

Phosphate .03 mg/l and nitrate 5.48 mg/l

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I've never had it myself, but sounds like you are describing dinoflagellates. Google pics of it, or post a pic here for ID

 

[adamsfour]

Will post a picture when I get home. Out of town. But although I do see similarities it’s not strings and not really on the rocks.

 

[Subsea]

Having an issue with brown algae on gravel. Tank is many years old. It definitely disappears when lights. I thought it was Cyro but chemiclean really didn’t help. I did discovered I had a bad cartridge in my RO/DI system and my top off water was full of silicate. I am using phosbond to remove but has had little effect. Any recommendations is appreciated. My nitrates and phosphate are very low.

Diatoms​

Almost sure to appear in a new system, diatoms are some of the most abundant organisms on earth. They usually surface in the aquarium as a brown powdery like substance, within a week or so after a tank finishes its cycle. Diatoms feed on available silicates in your system and will run their course in time. Similarly, because they feed on silicates, anytime you add new sand, rock or something plastic they can pop up.

 

[adamsfour]

Thanks. Certainly nothing like the picture. But as mentioned I have a RO/DI cartridge fail. So I guessing it silicates that I know need to get out