Brown Slime Algae

[kholladay]

I am having a terrible time with brown slime algae right now. This take has been set up for about 8 months now and I have never had this problem before. Recently I started using water from a Kent RO/DI unit instead of tap water (I know, I know, just hang me now). I purchased the RO unit to get RID of algae, not promote it, do you think this could be what is causing my problems?

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Kyle Holladay
My Fish Site

[jmick01]

Are you running a carbon prefilter with this RO If so some carbons have shown to releaase phosphates into the water.

JMM

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Remember Fish are alive when we get them, lets keep it that way!!!

[kholladay]

Nope, no carbon. The unit I have is the Kent Maxxima Hi-S 35GPD unit.

It is getting really bad now, all over the sand and the rocks and on parts of the glass. I am at a loss, I have had this tank for almost 2 years (between two houses) and I have never had slime algae before.

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Kyle Holladay
My Fish Site

[Green Mariner]

Kyle, does the brown slime algae have little air bubbles in it?
If so then you have dynoflagulates, try raising your alk, that worked for me!
HTH

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Check Out>> Green Mariner's Saltwater & Reef Aquarium Informational Site

[fishpoo]

i have the same problem and it started when i added a sump with dsb. brown slime with bubbles in it. its worse after a water change. i'm using a 3 stage R/O. new. i wonder if there is a chemical that would get rid of it?

[kholladay]

Green Mariner... YES!!! It looks like brown slime that has trapped bubbles, on the rocks and on the sand!!!

Okay, I will go home and begin to slowly raise my Alk. What should I aim for? Here are my current readings.

Thanks for your help.


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Kyle Holladay
My Fish Site

[reeflife]

I have the same problem! what is the best way to raise alk? They gave me so Kent buffer dhk or something like that, I'm also shutting off my lights for three days.

[TimH07]

I am going through this personal hell as well, it sounds like dinoflagelletes. Here is an article that can help.

there is no simple cure what so ever to it.

Problem Dinoflagellates and pH by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

[mad reefer]

i have the same exact problem. i was told to keep the tank in darkness for a few days. did it for a week. when i took the cover off the tank everything was spotless clean. i was so relieved,but it was short lived relief. about 5 or 6 hours after i turned the lights on the crap was everywhere again. i couldnt believe how freakin fast it grew back. i dont want to dowse my tank with a bunch of chemicals. is there a natural way to kill it for good ? does anything eat it? help!

[TimH07]

i have the same exact problem. i was told to keep the tank in darkness for a few days. did it for a week. when i took the cover off the tank everything was spotless clean. i was so relieved,but it was short lived relief. about 5 or 6 hours after i turned the lights on the crap was everywhere again. i couldnt believe how freakin fast it grew back. i dont want to dowse my tank with a bunch of chemicals. is there a natural way to kill it for good ? does anything eat it? help!

Did you read the article I posted?

[reeflife]

Well, I first did the chemclean treatment and left the lights off for three days. It did not do much in the way of cleaning up the brown algae. However I had just a little red slime in the sump on some live rock and it wiped it out. I then turned the protiein skimmer and uv light back on and let the skimmer take out about 2 gallons of foam. Caution, when you use this chem turn the skimmer way down when you turn it back on. Next i did a 10 gallon water change in my 75 gallon reef, changed the filter sock, and finally cleaned all the live rock really. I also added Kent Marine Superbuffer-dKH to raise the pH. This treament seems to be working. I have a feeling the the problem was caused by poor flow, which has also been corrected ! who know's just my own theory

Thanks for the articles they were great!