Ultra low nutrients and still this clear brown algae...Silicates? Old sand?

[chevegan]

So I ammonia cycled a new nano tank using reef saver rock and 1 cera pure rock. That was a little over 2 months ago. I've been doing this for 13 years and still made the stupid mistake of using old sand that came with the tank on craigslist :debi:. At first was doing 25% water changes weekly while still scrubbing the rock. Started getting even more diligent regarding nutrients. Thing is my nitrates always read zero with 2 different test kits. I'm not surprised since I have light bio load light feedings a skimmer, algae scrubber and that marine pure rock. Still ran a phosphate sponge to get po4 near zero (softies not happy) and still no success. One thing left I'm now thinking is silica leaching from my old sand I used. ANyone else experience this?

Also I have to clean the glass daily and new carbon only works to get the clear for 2 days then gets back to what you see below.

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All the snails pick at eat, the 2 astrea love it and the nerite likes it but is very very lazy.

 

[chevegan]

Also I should mention it doesn't seem to bother the corals at all but what coraline I had developing all died back.

 

[tkeracer619]

Hard to tell but looks like it could be diatoms.

 

[chevegan]

No slime or bubbles. I was thinking it could be Dino's but again not sure

 

[DarkSkyForever]

That looks exactly like chrysophytes. I delt with it for eight months before getting rid of it. It thrives in ULN situations, and its photosynthetic.

I eventually beat it by;

1. Feeding until I had 10ppm NO3, 0.02 PO4
2. Manual removal of it as much as possible followed by
3. 3 day lights out period, wrap the tank so no light gets in (any light will keep it going).

Check here: https://www.google.com/search?q=chr...ysophytes,+AKA+Golden+Algae+-+How+to+identify (first result)

 

[chevegan]

I think you're right. The only other thing that seems to work 100% of the time is the product algae fix. Though I am afraid to use it. How do you feed the fish during the 3 days lights out?

 

[chevegan]

I'm also really curious if my algae scrubber can take care of it. Although if it IS primarily photosynthetic then there is no chance.

 

[elbowdeep29]

Following!! I have the same issue but just white looking as of now.

 

[chevegan]

I ordered the algae fix. Honestly it wouldn't bother me if not for the constant cleaning of the glass. It's ridiculous, I seriously have to clean it 2 times per day.

 

[chevegan]

Ok so after about 7-8 doses total (not consecutive as I went on vacation) All of it died with me brushing every couple days. Order of events

chrysophytes - GHA - cyano

As one died the other started. I've lowered the leds to 1% for 3 days to give the algae scrubber a fighting chance before I dose nopox to finish off this cyano

 

[chevegan]

Also worth noting that as soon as the gha died green coraline started growing almost everywhere, purple re crusting snails

 

[jda]

Phosphate is unbinding from your dry/dead rock. The stuff will grow on it and use it before it hits the water column. It should be over in about a year... keep changing water, using GFO and maybe some organic carbon.

It will likely come back on the rocks before long. Have a plan for when it does - you cannot use the AlgaeFix forever - many have experienced coral damage with continued use.

 

[ratherBreefing]

Hi chevegan, so the algae fix worked for you with no side effects? I am having brown algae issues and trying solutions. One unique thing I see is it has grass/threds on my glass.