[Salt-lick]

My tank has started the brown algae phase.. ALL my readings are the standard 0 ppm ph of 8.1 The Algae has covered my top flat rock outcrop and part of the side glass.. on some or most of the growths there are bubbles starting to form.. what causes this? is this part of the process or is my tank starting to foul? Do I need to clean this?

I am sorry if i have asked this question before, but if i did i obviously wasn't clear on the answer.

[CyberJester]

Post pictures!

[Salt-lick]

can do.. give me 3 minutes.. to take and post.

[rlcline76]

If it is diatoms it is probably marking the end of your cycling period. How long has your tank been up and running? Bubbles????

[Salt-lick]

OK, Here are a few I took just a minute ago...

here is the side of the glass it has some growth on it kinda brown film the pictures look lighter on film than they actually look.. in true life they are a darker brown..


Image of tank glass - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


Here is the crud on the bottom

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...er/tank008.jpg
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...er/tank001.jpg

And here are the bubbles..
http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e2...er/tank006.jpg

[Salt-lick]

Originally Posted by rlcline76

If it is diatoms it is probably marking the end of your cycling period. How long has your tank been up and running? Bubbles????

Yeh, Bubbles in the algae.. I dont see any coming from the return.. So I have no idea..check out the pics.

Had the tank since the 30th of last month up and running since, with a clown and 2 hermits and 2 turbos but no crazy spikes.. or at least i didnt see em and maybe they were small or in between water tests.. thats what i dont understand.. maybe the bubbles are the by product of algae forming?

[Salt-lick]

anyone know?

[larz1620]

Hi! Check out this...

http://www.reefbuilders.com/forums/i...html#post23115

larz1620

[Salt-lick]

larz i went out earlier tonight and bought a skimmer and a power head b4 i saw the article you sent.. the skimmer is installed, however your algae looks a bit different than mine.. well see what happens in the next few weeks.. thanks for the link.

[Cela Vie]

Bubbles IN the algae or bubble algae? Hopefully, its not the latter, which is usually green. The fact that it is brown makes me believe it is, like Becky said, the end of your cycle. But then again, that would be a fast cycle at two weeks. Did you use anything to speed up the cycle? Maybe you did not test the water at the time it was spiking?

[Krazy]

Normal "diatoms" (sp?) your tank is becoming alive

Part of the cycle with these tanks, it'll come, and it'll go, if your ammonia is 0 and nitrites are 0 and all you have is nitrates, do a water change to remove the nitrates. you'r coming along

[Salt-lick]

Well the wierd thing is.. i tested my water EVERYDAY except for 2-3 days.. the spikes wouldnt have come along in those 3 days would it? Im going to run some tests now.. I also dropped a fission skimmer in the return chamber. I have an extra power head i was gonna use but it seems to be REALLY powerful it says for 30 gallons.. but i feel uncomfortable dropping that in.

ps. the bubbles (in the broawn algae) have dissapated

[Salt-lick]

Okay,
All readings except posphates are flat, posphates are at .05ppm is that an okay reading for posphate?

[Krazy]

Originally Posted by Salt-lick

Okay,
All readings except posphates are flat, posphates are at .05ppm is that an okay reading for posphate?

The diatoms are going to come regardless of your water parameters, its totally normal for the brown stuff, it comes and goes within a week or two..

.05ppm isnt all THAT bad, but it should be .03pppm and even better .00ppm all the time if possible, I believe on a natural reef its from .00-.03ppm...

[Salt-lick]

should the diatoms settle on the bottom in groups? or should they be blowing around?

How do i know if my return is set properly as far as circullation?

[reefdaddy725]

What you have is diatoms. Kill the lights for 2 days and they should settle down. The bubbles are nitrogen gas that is clinging to the diatoms. The nitrogen gas is natural and harmless to fish if allwoed to escape at the top of the tank. Meaning leave the top of the tank open no glass tops or anything.

[Salt-lick]

Ok great Thanks Reefdaddy!

[lynnvangsnes]

You may consider getting a sand sifting goby. They are very efficient at stirring up the top layer of sand and ridding it of algae. Perhaps a couple more hermits would help and some cerith snails or maybe a conch. These all will help keep your sand stirred. I am having the same problem; bubbles and all. The masters above have spoken and I agree. It won't last long. Keeping your lights off a little longer during the day or not at all will help too. What brand of test kits are you using? Water changes can be helpful as well to aid in ridding any nitrate buildup.

[e_baer]

nassarius snails i beleive they are called are also very good at stirring the sand, conch's, sand sifting stars fish, sand sifting gobys.

[davidb6]

Good info and feedback - - I'm struging with the same problem. Tank cycled 6/14, great coraline algae growth for a couple weeks and then...micro algae of all kinds. I also have bubbles in my algae. I think it caused by microbubbles getting traped in the algae.

Here's a couple pics
ALgae and bubbles


More unwelcome algae

[e_baer]

it could also be that the algae is producing oxygen. it is creating such small amounts, and then they are just getting trapped on the hair part of the algae.

[Salt-lick]

what can one do to rid the dreaded "Green Haired algae"?

[Salt-lick]

Now when you say water change, this being my first water change, how much would one do in a 29 gallon tank?

[e_baer]

for the green hair algae, you can get some snails or hermit crabs.

for a water change, i would only do 3 gallons a week.

[Salt-lick]

damn thats alot for the first water change dont yah think?