We've got first algea!!

[tmnterminator]

Alright...seemingly overnight algae has appeared all over my LR...its this very brown, "yucky" one (to use my wife's words) and I have enclosed pics to show...it can really be seen in that piece of Tufa I have behind that replica that was practically perfectly white when I put it in a few days ago and now has that yellow, brown tinge...what should I do? Turn off the lights?

Also, as you can see in one, there is quite a bit of detritus on the sand bed in this corner that I guess is form the LR as there is nothing else in there. Should I vacuum this? Also, when I try to vacuum I seem to pull up alot of sand as well...any ways around just pulling up the crap and not so much sand?

Thnx

 

[Mushroomman]

Can we get some specs... Do you use RO water?

I had a bloom of algae like that it lasted 2 months and just dissapeared... I stirred up the stuff on the sand. Sometimes tanks go through algae cycles during early stages, how long has it been set up?

 

[KahluaZzZ]

reduce ligthing time..when i did have some similar diatoms, i switched to a 7 hours schedule. Limit nutrients and it can't hurt to change water.
As Mushroomman said, you use RO/DI or tap water ?
Tap isn't friendly and may contains phosphates and nitrates ( mine does ), so doing a water change could add more unwanted fuel for algaes.
Your algae "draws" the areas where the flow is weak or non existent.
Some po4 remover like Phosban or Rowaphos could help too.
Fluffy diatoms like yours are common to new tanks...everyone i know had some for like 2-3 weeks max and it vanished eventually

 

[dbacksrat]

in a new tank, you're going to be experiencing several different types of algae--so good luck and hang in there, because things will eventually get better

 

[RockingCricket]

Yup. I had a diatom bloom when my tank was about a month old. Yours doesn't look too bad yet. I added a phosphate remover to my canister filter and added a small clean up crew of blue legged hermits and astrea snails. I also manually used a powerhead to blow the diatoms from the rocks and substrate to put them in suspension, which then allowed my filtration to take it out. I then cleaned the sponges and what not in the canister filter every other day. I also added a fine partical filter sponge to the filter. It seemed to work pretty well. I used conditioned tap water to initially fill my tank and I'm sure this contributed to the problem. If you've also done this, switching to reverse osmosis water will certainly help. RO water is available from machines in many grocery stores for about $1 for 5 gallons.

Your substrate is very fine so I don't know how you can vacume without pulling the sand up too. Maybe pinching the hose on your vacuum some how, so it is not so powerful will work.

Looks like you might be ready for a cleanup crew.*BOUNCINGS

Good luck, and otherwise looking good.