help needed on brown "algae"

[Yapster]

hi guys, recently my 3ft fish only tank started to grow brown "algae" on some of the live rocks. it also started to spread slowly to neighbouring rocks and also seen on substrate.

interestingly, they only start to appear when the light is on.

don't see them in mornings & afternoons.

i notice i start to have this brown thing forming slowly on my rocks after i change from flourescent (2x white, 2x blue) to t5 lights (same combo).

light timing no change. food no change (mysis & ocean nutrition). fish no change, no new fish. water change freq & % no change.

is this algae?

thks & rgds,

daryl

[angelfishlover]

Yes it's algae.It is called diatoms.It will disappear about three weeks.

[hammy]

hi guys, recently my 3ft fish only tank started to grow brown "algae" on some of the live rocks. it also started to spread slowly to neighbouring rocks and also seen on substrate.

interestingly, they only start to appear when the light is on.

don't see them in mornings & afternoons.

i notice i start to have this brown thing forming slowly on my rocks after i change from flourescent (2x white, 2x blue) to t5 lights (same combo).

light timing no change. food no change (mysis & ocean nutrition). fish no change, no new fish. water change freq & % no change.

is this algae?

thks & rgds,

daryl

The diatoms will thrieve better in conditions with stronger lighter because afterall they are still plant. Higher lighting give them better chance to photosynthesize.

Some ways to control ur algae is to control ur phosphate level. change water to lower ur nitrate, control ur feeding and increase current flow =)

[angelfishlover]

No!!!!Phosphorous not that important to them.Silicate is.

[Kalib]

Sounds to me that you have dinoflagalletes rather than a diatom problem since you mentioned they appear only when the light is on. Controlling the nutrient level in the tank should do the trick in bringing this infestation under control.

Mainly bring down nitrate,phosphates and silicates.

Some ways would be:

- Avoid overfeeding

- Top-up with RO/DI water instead of tapwater

- Do regular water changes using RO/DI water ideally

- Use chemical media to remove phosphates/silicates chemically, if possible use it in a fluidized reactor for best results

[Yapster]

Sounds to me that you have dinoflagalletes rather than a diatom problem since you mentioned they appear only when the light is on. Controlling the nutrient level in the tank should do the trick in bringing this infestation under control.

Mainly bring down nitrate,phosphates and silicates.

Some ways would be:

- Avoid overfeeding (not guilty)

- Top-up with RO/DI water instead of tapwater (guilty, but have been doing it for past 2yrs, so unlikely cause)

- Do regular water changes using RO/DI water ideally (water change 15% weekly for past 1.5yrs, now 30% eevry 2 weeks)

- Use chemical media to remove phosphates/silicates chemically, if possible use it in a fluidized reactor for best results (guilty, recently stopped using carbon & phosguard, most likely cause)

Thanks bro kalib!

Sounds to me that you have dinoflagalletes rather than a diatom problem since you mentioned they appear only when the light is on. Controlling the nutrient level in the tank should do the trick in bringing this infestation under control.

Mainly bring down nitrate,phosphates and silicates.

Some ways would be:

- Avoid overfeeding (not guilty)

- Top-up with RO/DI water instead of tapwater (guilty, but have been doing it for past 2yrs, so unlikely cause)

- Do regular water changes using RO/DI water ideally (water change 15% weekly for past 1.5yrs, now 30% eevry 2 weeks)

- Use chemical media to remove phosphates/silicates chemically, if possible use it in a fluidized reactor for best results (guilty, recently stopped using carbon & phosguard, most likely cause)

Thanks bro kalib!

[Yapster]

thanks for bro angelfishlover & hammy for your valuable suggestions & opinion!