can anyone help me

I have been battling 2 different types of algae. One is a darker brown which I think is diatoms and the other only seems to develope in one small area against the bottom glass of my tank. It's a weird brown, more mustardy brown and it's on some of my substrate. It isn't slimy, it's actually hard to scrape off the glass. I did my water change mon. removed the algae and by wed it's back. It's no where else in the tank. Does anyone have any pics or links to brown algaes?

I have been battling nitrates but when I test for Phosphates it's hard to determine zero or 0.25. Is it beneficial to run a phos sponge either way, I am currently running the nitrate sponge and black diamond carbon.


thanks

 

PO'4 at zero is still way way to high 0.0 good if the test changes color at all then you have an issue.. what test do you use Salifert ?

 

Most phosphate test kits only test for the inorganic phosphates(orthophosphates) and ignore the organic phosphates! Your test kit can say zero phosphates,but you get algae grwoth. Tap water, food, liquid supplements and many synthetic salts will increase phosphate levels and ultimately...microalgae!

 

so a phosphate sponge would be a good investment? I just don't want to waste money on something that won't work. I do weekly water changes, use ro water only and yet as you said...algae which is normal in a tank to some degree but I don't want it getting out of control and prior to my nitrate problem I had next to no algae. My luck ran out.

 

Phosphate sponge ,It works well

 

Phosphate sponge works well, but you should look at the cause of the phosphate as well as using the remover! Maybe you are feeding too much or certain foods that are higher in phosphates than others!

 

Ummmm, I have tried my hardest to try and figure out what went wrong in my tank. I had next to no algae except coraline (which I can't complain about lol), I did water changes regularly, cleaned the filter media regularly, skimmer running 24/7, good flow. Now I changed my maintenance totally.

I removed the sponge from my filter and started doing water changes every other day which dropped my nitrates from 80 - 20ppm. But then they stopped lowering until I added the nitrate sponge.

I vacuum the crushed coral, blow the rocks off.
I have lots of snails and hermits, and shrimps.

I feed every other day now, and very minimal, it's gone in no time. I feed flake and when I do feed frozen I rinse it first.

I use instant ocean salt, and prepare a night or two before the water change and I only use ro water...no tap water in my tank.

I am currently curing LR to add to my tank to help since my LR amount is low.

Besides this I am at a loss as to what went wrong! i have always been great with my tank maintenance, the tank is my #1 priorty. I had a few probs in the beginning but nothing major! My main problem was getting my calcium up in the beginning but all else was fine.

I have done so much homework on trying to figure out what the problem is but I have done all that I know I can.

 

What are your calcium, alk and mag levels at today nemo?

 

Also you may want to look at a fluidized bed reactor and use a good ferric oxide media its a good investment in that they work better then the alumium oxide medias and will not release them PO4s and or the silicates back into the system once they have been locked up.. The reactors are cheap les then 50.00 and a very very small power power head since you have no sump. Like a mini jet or a rio 180 m