Thick brown algae in high flow areas

[BigJohnny]

I currently have been seeing an increase in the thickness of a thick brown algae (mostly flat and dusty like diatoms) in areas of high flow in my tank. Concentrated on powerheads and the rocks that are getting the most flow from them. It has ebbed and flowed in density over the last month or two (tanks only been up 3 months) and I don't believe it to be diatoms because I had those for a short time prior on rock and sand and they went away. They were also not concentrated in high flow areas like this is. Params are steady at:

Temp: 78
pH: 8.0
Salinity: 35ppt
Alkalinity: 9.1 dkH
Calcium: 440 ppm
Magnesium: 1400 ppm
Phosphate: .03 ppm
Nitrate: 2 ppm

Params have not fluctuated much at all as I keep everything very stable. The algae does seem to increase a day or so after feeding mysis then retreats gradually, but overall I have seen an increase.

Thoughts? Is this just some intertidal species of algae that clings to rock and likes high flow? My snails and hermits do eat it occasionally (although not nearly enough so i need to buy more ha) and I do still get patches of thing brown film on the glass daily (which is likely related). Lighting does not seem to effect it as I have changed my photoperiod several times in order to acclimate new frags and there is no coorelation even with large differences.

Excuse the crappy cell phone pics. These pics were also not all taken at the same time:

Film on frag rack is new-

Most recent shots-

Some slightly older:

 

[BigJohnny]

It is not snotty or stringy, although I do have a very small few pieces of snot in the tank (normal as all tanks have some dinoflagellates I was told). Definitely different than what I am talking about here however and not in the same locations.

Forgot to mention I use RO/DI and originally used red sea blue bucket but now use hw marinemix reefer. There has been no coorelation since the switch.

I perform weekly 10-15% water changes.

 

[BigJohnny]

Here are some pics from today where it looks the worst yet:

And here is a video so you can see how it moves:

https://vimeo.com/140705251

 

[emcmilla]

How long have you had your tank up?

 

[BigJohnny]

How long have you had your tank up?

About 3 months, I said that....ha

 

[CStrickland]

It just looks like diatoms to me.

 

[BigJohnny]

It just looks like diatoms to me.

I agree except if it is just diatoms why is it picking up 3 months in and also only focused in high flow areas?

 

[oseymour]

It looks like diatoms to me. My tank is about 7 months old and has about 40% corraline coverage, I added a new piece of rock that in a high flow area about a week ago and I'm seeing the same thing.

 

[Grkgod36]

what high flow have to do with it ?

 

[BigJohnny]

It looks like diatoms to me. My tank is about 7 months old and has about 40% corraline coverage, I added a new piece of rock that in a high flow area about a week ago and I'm seeing the same thing.

Sounds similar except I'm 3 months in and this is growing in intensity, diatoms are early and start quickly. No new rock for me

 

[BigJohnny]

what high flow have to do with it ?

Are you asking me? I said that it is concentrated in high flow areas.

 

[Grkgod36]

Yea I'm just curious as to why it's growing in high flow areas , does it encourage algae to grow more,?

 

[tharkins]

I have exact same thing in my tank which is 3 months old. I do believe it's diatoms.

 

[zachfishman]

(tanks only been up 3 months)

^^^This. Your rocks are very clean. Lots of different waves of algae still coming your way. I would seed your system with a piece or two of LR from fellow hobbyists to encourage a more diverse algal assemblage.

 

[BigJohnny]

Yea I'm just curious as to why it's growing in high flow areas , does it encourage algae to grow more,?

Some types of algae prefer high flow, others low flow. In general high flow is less likely to encourage algae growth. In this instance however, it's most dense in high flow areas. That is not something usually consistent with diatoms, and that is why I am trying to determine what it is.

 

[BigJohnny]

I have exact same thing in my tank which is 3 months old. I do believe it's diatoms.

Cool our tanks are the same age, maybe they should have a play date.[emoji106]

 

[BigJohnny]

^^^This. Your rocks are very clean. Lots of different waves of algae still coming your way. I would seed your system with a piece or two of LR from fellow hobbyists to encourage a more diverse algal assemblage.

I am aware that my rocks are very clean (except for the algae were discussing) and that new tanks go through many different phases of algae growth, but I am trying to determine what type of algae this is. I am not interested in seeding my system with live rock for more algae haha. I also used dry rock for a reason and don't put anything in my tank without dip and/or quarantine. Any thoughts on what this algae is?

 

[CStrickland]

Some types of algae prefer high flow, others low flow. In general high flow is less likely to encourage algae growth. In this instance however, it's most dense in high flow areas. That is not something usually consistent with diatoms, and that is why I am trying to determine what it is.

in my tank diatoms grew great in high flow. cyanobacteria is a diff story

 

[skp]

I have a little bit of what looks to be the same thing. I'm around three months in too. I started with rock that was once live but out of the water but remained moist for 3 years, live sand and a bottle of Microbacter 7. I don't think it is diatoms. I had the diatom bloom and pods were all over it. Did you have your explosion of pods yet? My pods don't seem to be eating this stuff and so I thought it might be a form of bacteria. It wipes off easily off of my mp40 but not so easily off of the rocks. Also, my filter socks started to clog within a few days after cleaning since this stuff appeared. I've been fighting cyano after a power outage and so I added a couple bags of chemipure blue and it has helped the cyano but it didn't do anything about this brown stuff. How long have you had it for? Have you tried increasing your water changes?

 

[BigJohnny]

in my tank diatoms grew great in high flow. cyanobacteria is a diff story

Interesting, if they were diatoms that is [emoji6] . I also had diatoms and they went away, then this came and is definitely different. Thicker and darker as well as longer. My diatoms had no height what so ever. It's possible these are different diatoms, but I don't know.