Brown Algae in new reef

[Jon532]

Set up a new tank, it's been running about 4 months, however I just added lights to the tank. I'm having a brown algae bloom.. Looking like diatoms from what I have seen online. Everyone seems to say this is normal but my question is this..
Is their anything I need to do to correct this issue... I have some snails and they seem to be putting in work on it but I think the algae is too much for the CUC I have in the tank currently. The tank has live rock and sand and four small fish but no corals yet.


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[Nanobros]

Get some crabs. They help a lot. You may have high nitrate or phosphate levels. A water change will probably do the trick.

 

[Potatohead]

Probably diatoms. They will generally go away on their own in about 2 - 3 weeks unless you are somehow adding silica to the tank.

 

[Jon532]

I have a few (tiny) blue leg hermit crabs and two emerald crabs... What others would you recommend. Also I use RODI water, my nitrate levels have been low... I'll do a 25% water change today and another on Friday (my day off) and see how that goes...


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[mcgyvr]

yes totally normal.. and it will go away on its own even without a CUC..
just keep up with the water changes.. FWIW.. I do 20% every 2 weeks now and it keeps the levels in check.
Sounds like you are on your way..

 

[Jon532]

Great thanks!!


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[Bl4ckDr4g0n]

How much flow does your tank have? My diatom bloom persisted a bit too long due to low flow

 

[jam.jo]

Get a low range phosphate hanna checker. You will want to keep phosphate below .03 ppm. If it is high.. get a media reactor and run GFO to get the phosphates down. A good skimmer helps if you don't already have one. Turbo snails are really good as well. Although diatoms are normal in the beginning.. you will still want to control them.

 

[ozreef88]

Going through this at the moment. Ive been told that its all part of an early tanks life cycle. My CUC is getting it off the sand, ive been keeping it off the glass. From what ive read its feeding off silicates in the sand primarily so once that source of nutrition is used up its going clear up. Just ride it out.