brown coral growth

[deathsauce]

i left my house for 4 hours to watch the super bowl, and when i returned, alot of my coral has a brown colour to it. ive got a 20 gal tall with 18lbs of live rock, a domino damsel, a humbug damsel, Berlin 90 Skimmer, ProQuatics 120 canister, Undergravel w/ 2 301s, and actinic blue and flourescent lights. i have no idea what happened....

[Pineapple House]

Welcome to the board deathsauce! Hope you enjoy your stay...and stay :-D

It would help to know which corals turned brown, and the water parimeters for that tank (I would get rid of the Under Gravel Filter if I were you). Also, how many watts were those bulbs?

There are many posibilities for this one. It seems like it's not having to do with zooxanthellae increase, as that should happen over an extended period of time. One thing that i've kept in mind is your lighting. By any chance did th actinic (blue) light go off? This will give some corals a dull brown color sometimes. Any heat waves while you were watching the game? And how doy your coral seem now, besides the brown color?

PH =)

[reefrunner]

Also, did the coral change color...or is there possibly a brown slime on them?

[deathsauce]

i apologize, i was referring to the crushed coral substrate getting a brown color to it. it appears to be a film of some kind as i knocked some of it off with the handle to a net. it also isnt limited to the substrate, it is also on thr rocks, etc. any advice about this, or anything would be helpful. im new to this ( 2 months). thanks again.



1.27.03 ph 8.0; KH High; NH3/NH4 .25ppm; NO3 0ppm; NO2 .05 ppm; SpecGrav 1.021; Temp 78 F

[Pineapple House]

Sounds like Diatoms or Cyano Bacteria.

So, this tank is 2 months old? It might be cyano bacteria, AKA red slime. Is the algae slimy, and does it come off in large patches? What's your phosphates also? Cyano Bacteria seems to grow well in low current areas, and in high phosphates and extra nutrients in the water column. Diatoms is quite normal during a new setup, and is usually a brown algae growing eveywhere. Some snails will easily eat this.

Also, I recommend you get your salinity up to at least 1.025

PH =)

[deathsauce]

officially, the tank is around 6 weeks old, the damsel were put in a week ago to help with cycling. i had a snowflake moray eel for about 8 hours until it died (i didnt buy it, it was hiding in a piece of live rock i bought. yes, all 12 inches were hidden. i tried to save it, but it didnt make it). i dont currently have a test for phosphates, perhaps i should get one. are undergravel filters not good? if there are good reasons for pulling it out, i will...and my salinity is up to 1.022 so im getting there. 1.025 seems a little high. how is it better? and where is a good place to get a clean up crew (snail, etc)? thank you, everyone, for you patience and wisdom.

[RazerCorals]

I wouldn't worry about your salinity. That's how I keep my tank, and I have it there because SF keeps theirs that way too. BTW the algae bloom is normal. Just stir the sand up every once in a while.

[reefrunner]

my salinity is up to 1.022 so im getting there. 1.025 seems a little high. how is it better?

Checkout this article on temp and salinity...
What are Natural Reef Salinities and Temperatures…Really…
and Does It Matter?..by Ron Shimek (http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1997/nov/features/1/default.asp)

[RazerCorals]

I think a higher salinity may make your fish more resistant to disease. All different oceans have different salinitys. Look at the Dead Sea, ok its not really an ocean.

[reefrunner]

Look at the Dead Sea, ok its not really an ocean.

:lol: Let's not try to duplicate the Dead Sea.....

[RazerCorals]

we could turn it into a pun by saying dead fish is the dead part and sea by mini aquarium. Dunno if you guys had poetry. Try righting in Iambic pentameter.

[sinasster]

Hello everyone, I have been lurking around for a while but up untill now have not had a reason to post, as all the info i need is already discussed.

But I was just about to start the exact same thread as i too have the brown algae bloom.

My tank is new (23 days) and is obviously still cycling. And so far this is my first problem. Now that i know it is normal or shall i say common, How long can i expext this to last?

[phistio]

while the amount of time varies...as each situation for complete cycling is different...

could be a week, could be a month...could be tomorrow...just test once a week untill you're sure eveything's balanced out at 0,0,0...

good luck! :wink:

[deathsauce]

well...i upgraded to a 28 bowfront, and when i transferred the crushed coral, i vacuumed the brown algae off. i also added a turbo snail, just in case. so, for now, all is well. but at least i know not to worry, if (when) it happens again.