How to treat brown algae ?

[Picoflreefer.]

I’m battling a small amount of brown algae diatom in my 7 gallon nano reef tank. I’ve vacuumed it out multiple times, changed filter, did big water changes , and still is growing slowly. After the 4th day of vacuuming it’s back again. What can I do to treat this??? I went out of town and a friend fed my tank way to much which caused the breakout
Sand bottom, no skimmer, feed mysis shrimp. Have snails and hermits. Cut back on feeding since this happened.

 

[shwareefer]

If they are actually diatoms they will die out naturally without any intervention. If it's dinos, that's a whole other story but I don't see any of the tell-tale air bubbles in your pictures.

 

[Idaho Lone Wolf]

Two things I would recommend. First, get a skimmer. It will help get dissolved organics out of the water which is feeding your brown algae. Second, dosing a bacteria supplement will also help. I have used the bacteria and it removed the brown algae. I've used Brightwell and Dr. Tim's. Follow directions very closely on the bacteria. Hopefully you are doing your weekly 10% water changes and using RO or RODI water for mixing your salt.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

IMO, it is important to know if it is diatoms (use silicate free top off and they will go away) or dinos (vary hard to get rid of) or cyanobacteria (middling issue).

 

[Picoflreefer.]

If they are actually diatoms they will die out naturally without any intervention. If it's dinos, that's a whole other story but I don't see any of the tell-tale air bubbles in your pictures.

No air bubbles. No high phosphate levels or nitrates.

 

[Picoflreefer.]

Two things I would recommend. First, get a skimmer. It will help get dissolved organics out of the water which is feeding your brown algae. Second, dosing a bacteria supplement will also help. I have used the bacteria and it removed the brown algae. I've used Brightwell and Dr. Tim's. Follow directions very closely on the bacteria. Hopefully you are doing your weekly 10% water changes and using RO or RODI water for mixing your salt.

I do weekly changes religiously. Ro water for top off.

 

[Picoflreefer.]

IMO, it is important to know if it is diatoms (use silicate free top off and they will go away) or dinos (vary hard to get rid of) or cyanobacteria (middling issue).

I will get a silicate test and test my ro water. It comes from lfs.

 

[Picoflreefer.]

IMO, it is important to know if it is diatoms (use silicate free top off and they will go away) or dinos (vary hard to get rid of) or cyanobacteria (middling issue).

It’s either diatoms or cyano. My nitrates and phosphates are not high in my tank though.

 

[smorrow]

I have the same problem in my tank

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Welcome to reef2Reef.

is this a new tank or an established tank? Picture of it?