Brown algae that keeps coming back ?????

[reefyredfish]

Alright enough is enough!

This nuiscance algae keeps coming back after a good cleaning and water change.
It starts on the substrate withing a day or two of water change then slolwly will
disapear within 2 weeks, but by that time it's on the glass. I was using well water
but have switched to good bought filter RO water and have done 6 or so 10g water
changes over a couple months. I use a little charcoal in drip tray and canister filter. Using skimmer. Using Curerent Satelite PC lighting 7 to 8hours per day. This stuff just keeps coming back right after wc and slowly goes away, but leaves the glass covered within days. Is it normal to have clean front glass every couple days?

Ca 425
phosphates 0
Nitrates 0
Ph 8.2
Kh 10

Could this be from silicates still from well water? I did have it tested at one point (0).
What to do????

 

[graveyardworm]

Cleaning the glass couple times per week is pretty normal. Is that a DSB? What do you have for sand bed cleaners?

 

[JByrd]

If your aquarium is located near a window this will cause a good growth of brown alge. Try to determine what time of day the sun shines through the window and hits the tank and close the blind or shade. I had to do this and after a few days the brown alge disappeared and have not seen any since.

 

[reefyredfish]

Not sure what a DSB is??? 1/2" of live sand. basement with very small window on opposite side of room.

 

[graveyardworm]

DSB = Deep Sand Bed. Do you have any sand bed cleaning critters?

 

[reefyredfish]

All I have is 3 small blue legged crabs an emerald crad and 6 medium snails and 3 small
margarita snails. I'd like to add maybe a red linkia starfish??? or brittle? What do you
think graveyardworm? Also I'm not getting anything (other snails and
critters) off the LR I have ..... would like to add more soon. I am watching the sunlight thru the one window carefully. I cleaned glass and the SB a little in areas I can reach, but this stuff is stuborn and will be right back. It's so ugly Gold brown strtingy!
Thanks!

 

[graveyardworm]

I would stay away from the red linkia, very poor survivability in aquariums. The brittle is probably an OK choice although mine enjoyed digging under my LR and was destructive with sand bed infauna ( not good for a DSB ). So I've banished him to my sump, you have a shallow sand bed so it wouldnt be too much of an issue. Although the brittle may require extra feeding. Cerith snails will help clean you sand bed, florida fighting conch ( make sure its not a queen conch, they get too big and arent really appropriate unless you have a large tank with alot of sand bed area ). Also a sand sifting cuke like a tiger tail would help.

Of course getting a decent filtration system for your top off water would help as well.

 

[reefyredfish]

Still looking for sand sifting critters from LFS's. Let me present you guys with
another potential factor. Did I mention that after this tank was about 4 mths old
and doing well I went on vacation to come back to a tank full of algae and dead snails.
I lost a lot then and have regained some after the last several mths. But I switched
from using inconsistent well water to good bought water. I was doing a lot of 10 gal.
water changes. This solved many problems I had back then, but at that time I did
RINSE MY LIVE SAND IN FRESHWATER. Did I kill everything in the sand? If I got any
of the sand sifters mentioned by graveyardworm, would they starve? At this point should I just add a few pounds of live sand on top and many more blue legged crabs?
Still dazed and confused!
Thanks again.

 

[graveyardworm]

Rinsing the sand with freshwater would kill most satwater creatures that were living in it.

I'm curious where you are getting your water, and how do you know its good low nutrient water. It should be tested with a TDS meter this will tell you how pure it is. If your getting an algae bloom after water change then it would seem as though nutrients are being introduced at that time.

The blue legged crabs will eat the life right out of your sand bed, so to maintain a healthy sand bed they should go.

Just a side note, the live sand you want is stuff which comes from a healthy living system, not the stuff you buy bagged at the LFS. That stuff contains nothing more than bacteria which you allready have.

Adding some fresh live rock will also help to populate your sand with a nice diversity. Just make sure to cure it well in a seperate tank or container.

 

[reefyredfish]

The sand that I rinsed in freshwater was bagged. This weekend I'm adding a few
pounds of real live sand and some more large live rock. As for the water source,
it is a reliable filtered sorce from local Clearwater Systems. Many aquarist I know
have used it for years. I really feel I'm slowly ridding the tank of an old problem,
steming from a combination of overfeeding and poor water (well water).
Adding the proper clean up crew is important. So get rid of the blue legs?
I did notice all of the clean up packs sold by Dr. Fosters not one has a blue leg, funny.
Do you still think that the sifters you recomended will starve with what I have?
Some of those packs have a lot of snails, crabs, etc. Do you really need all of these?
And how many to add at once?

 

[graveyardworm]

I would avoid crabs of any kind if you want a live sand bed. The ceriths and a fighting conch would be okay. Not sure what size tank you have, cause cukes need enough sand bed to feed on. Nassarius snails are good cleaners and will help to stir the surface of the sand bed. The liverock will provide various worms and other creatures which will migrate to your sand bed.

 

[reefyredfish]

75gal. Thanks Gravey, I think I've beat this dead horse enough.