Filaments of brown algae : problem in established tank

I have now had the new regime for three or four days: lots of turbulent
water flow, 12 hour 250W MH lights, activated charcoal, Kent
phosphate/silicate sponge, refurbished skimmer (collecting decent
amounts of gunk).

The problem with the algae persists. In fact it is worse, if anything.
When the light first comes on it looks better, but within a couple of
hours the tank is full of strands of brown filamentous algae.

Is it possible that my MH bulb is causing the problem? It looks as
bright and white as ever, but I'm clutching at straws now.

What to do next?

Thanks!
Julian


TheRock wrote:
I don't know if it's the best way to do it, but I use a turkey baster
(occasionally)
and blast the dead areas that start to cake up with waste
and my filter usually takes care of the rest.


"jjbunn" wrote in message
oups.com...
Maybe I'll add another powerhead to rough things up a bit more ...
can't do much harm.

Thanks!

Julian


Peter Pan wrote:
Isn't brown Algae cause by pour water circulation? If so, shouldn't more
water movement fix this problem? ( before you flame me on this... I'm
just
asking, I'm not sure of the answer)

Here are some photos of the brown algae. These photos are not for the
faint of heart!

http://static.flickr.com/80/260382277_5b5f86d466_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/99/260382327_fc410b8aa0.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/98/260382207_9e730ae038.jpg

Julian


jjbunn wrote:
I have now had the new regime for three or four days: lots of turbulent
water flow, 12 hour 250W MH lights, activated charcoal, Kent
phosphate/silicate sponge, refurbished skimmer (collecting decent
amounts of gunk).

The problem with the algae persists. In fact it is worse, if anything.
When the light first comes on it looks better, but within a couple of
hours the tank is full of strands of brown filamentous algae.

Is it possible that my MH bulb is causing the problem? It looks as
bright and white as ever, but I'm clutching at straws now.

What to do next?

Thanks!
Julian


TheRock wrote:
I don't know if it's the best way to do it, but I use a turkey baster
(occasionally)
and blast the dead areas that start to cake up with waste
and my filter usually takes care of the rest.


"jjbunn" wrote in message
oups.com...
Maybe I'll add another powerhead to rough things up a bit more ...
can't do much harm.

Thanks!

Julian


Peter Pan wrote:
Isn't brown Algae cause by pour water circulation? If so, shouldn't more
water movement fix this problem? ( before you flame me on this... I'm
just
asking, I'm not sure of the answer)

jjbunn wrote:
Here are some photos of the brown algae. These photos are not for the
faint of heart!

http://static.flickr.com/80/260382277_5b5f86d466_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/99/260382327_fc410b8aa0.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/98/260382207_9e730ae038.jpg

Julian




To me those photos look like you have some dinoflagetts growing in your
tank. They can be very bad since they can be toxic depending on the
species. Normally they are a sign of very high nutrients in the water,
not enough current, and possible bad lighting. The good thing is if it
is dino's, you can just leave the tank dark for about 2 days (will not
hurt your corals as long as they are semi healthy). After you turn the
lights back on though it can come back pretty quickly. I would suggest
tunning up your skimmer or upgrading it if possible, increasing water
movement (the pictures show the algae floating straight up) and
replacing light bulbs if they are old.

Kim gross
www.jensalt.com

Hi Kim,

Excellent input. I turned the powerheads off to take the photos, which
is why the strands are floating straight up.

I believe the lighting is good (the bulb is quite new) and the current
is very good.

My corals are certainly not as healthy as they were a few weeks ago,
but I am going to now turn the lights off for a couple of days and see
what happens.

Thanks again!

I'll report back.

Julian


kim gross wrote:
jjbunn wrote:
Here are some photos of the brown algae. These photos are not for the
faint of heart!

http://static.flickr.com/80/260382277_5b5f86d466_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/99/260382327_fc410b8aa0.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/98/260382207_9e730ae038.jpg

Julian




To me those photos look like you have some dinoflagetts growing in your
tank. They can be very bad since they can be toxic depending on the
species. Normally they are a sign of very high nutrients in the water,
not enough current, and possible bad lighting. The good thing is if it
is dino's, you can just leave the tank dark for about 2 days (will not
hurt your corals as long as they are semi healthy). After you turn the
lights back on though it can come back pretty quickly. I would suggest
tunning up your skimmer or upgrading it if possible, increasing water
movement (the pictures show the algae floating straight up) and
replacing light bulbs if they are old.

Kim gross
www.jensalt.com

It's not hair algae. Looks like cyanobacteria. It will
look less, or even gone in the morning, and then show up
after the lights have been on for a while. The light on
light off thing is a good indicator of cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria is a little more tricky than hair algae.

Hair algae likes high nitrates, and cyanobacteria does not
like high nitrates, and it likes to take free nitrogen,
and fix it into nitrates. Cyanobacteria can wiggle like a
worm. I've got some vidio on my camcorder of cyano under
the microscope wiggling like worms.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



jjbunn wrote on 10/4/2006 12:48 AM:
Here are some photos of the brown algae. These photos are not for the
faint of heart!

http://static.flickr.com/80/260382277_5b5f86d466_o.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/99/260382327_fc410b8aa0.jpg
http://static.flickr.com/98/260382207_9e730ae038.jpg

Julian


jjbunn wrote:
I have now had the new regime for three or four days: lots of turbulent
water flow, 12 hour 250W MH lights, activated charcoal, Kent
phosphate/silicate sponge, refurbished skimmer (collecting decent
amounts of gunk).

The problem with the algae persists. In fact it is worse, if anything.
When the light first comes on it looks better, but within a couple of
hours the tank is full of strands of brown filamentous algae.

Is it possible that my MH bulb is causing the problem? It looks as
bright and white as ever, but I'm clutching at straws now.

What to do next?

Thanks!
Julian


TheRock wrote:
I don't know if it's the best way to do it, but I use a turkey baster
(occasionally)
and blast the dead areas that start to cake up with waste
and my filter usually takes care of the rest.


"jjbunn" wrote in message
oups.com...
Maybe I'll add another powerhead to rough things up a bit more ...
can't do much harm.

Thanks!

Julian


Peter Pan wrote:
Isn't brown Algae cause by pour water circulation? If so, shouldn't more
water movement fix this problem? ( before you flame me on this... I'm
just
asking, I'm not sure of the answer)

Leaving the lights off for a couple of days definitely has improved the
problem, but it's still there. I'll read up on cyanobacteria, and how
to get rid of it.

Julian

Wayne Sallee wrote:
It's not hair algae. Looks like cyanobacteria. It will
look less, or even gone in the morning, and then show up
after the lights have been on for a while. The light on
light off thing is a good indicator of cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria is a little more tricky than hair algae.

Hair algae likes high nitrates, and cyanobacteria does not
like high nitrates, and it likes to take free nitrogen,
and fix it into nitrates. Cyanobacteria can wiggle like a
worm. I've got some vidio on my camcorder of cyano under
the microscope wiggling like worms.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets

Water changes using RO salt water helps a lot.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



jjbunn wrote on 10/7/2006 1:09 PM:
Leaving the lights off for a couple of days definitely has improved the
problem, but it's still there. I'll read up on cyanobacteria, and how
to get rid of it.

Julian

Wayne Sallee wrote:
It's not hair algae. Looks like cyanobacteria. It will
look less, or even gone in the morning, and then show up
after the lights have been on for a while. The light on
light off thing is a good indicator of cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria is a little more tricky than hair algae.

Hair algae likes high nitrates, and cyanobacteria does not
like high nitrates, and it likes to take free nitrogen,
and fix it into nitrates. Cyanobacteria can wiggle like a
worm. I've got some vidio on my camcorder of cyano under
the microscope wiggling like worms.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets

Easy...

1. Increase flow to the problem areas.

2. Remove nutrients via Phosphate sponge and other various water

3. purification products like Chemi-Pure

4. Siphon some out if you can (comes off nice via, turkey baster...slurp)

5. Just to get a head start on it...and don't use it more than once...Mardel
Sal****er Maracyn
It kills back bacteria...ALL BACTERIA.

Some people will say stay away, use it.

6. Cut back a bit on the lighting...8 hours.

7. Oh yeah, patience...we all deal with cyano.
You never kill it, you just control it.

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm



"Wayne Sallee" wrote in message
ink.net...
Water changes using RO salt water helps a lot.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets



jjbunn wrote on 10/7/2006 1:09 PM:
Leaving the lights off for a couple of days definitely has improved the
problem, but it's still there. I'll read up on cyanobacteria, and how
to get rid of it.

Julian

Wayne Sallee wrote:
It's not hair algae. Looks like cyanobacteria. It will
look less, or even gone in the morning, and then show up
after the lights have been on for a while. The light on
light off thing is a good indicator of cyanobacteria.

Cyanobacteria is a little more tricky than hair algae.

Hair algae likes high nitrates, and cyanobacteria does not
like high nitrates, and it likes to take free nitrogen,
and fix it into nitrates. Cyanobacteria can wiggle like a
worm. I've got some vidio on my camcorder of cyano under
the microscope wiggling like worms.

Wayne Sallee
Wayne's Pets