Help - Brown Algae???

[Butchik]

I'm hoping someone could help me. I don't know what this brown stuff that's growing on my powerheads and I'm seeing signs of it on rocks. Is this an algae, bacteria, fungus or something? How do I get rid of it? I'm currently doing lights out for 3 days - this is the 2nd day. I've seen some improvement but it's still massive. Also, I did measure my params and they are all good: Ammonia = 0, Nitrites = 0, Nitrates = 0, Phosphates = 0, Calcium = 400, Alk = 9. I have a 40 gallon breeder, T5 lighting, chaeto, GFO/Carbon reactor. It maybe that my params are good because these are eating all the nutrients from the water. Thanks.

 

[Phyl]

My guess is red turf algae. Not sure what the green strands are. They look like some sort of caulerpa. Did you have that in your tank/fuge?

Here's an article on the Red Turf Algae

 

[The_Codfather]

I remember when I first started this hobby reading about "Turf algae filters" is that the same kinda algae used for them?

 

[Butchik]

Thanks. I think I'll try to get some turbo snails this weekend and see what happens.

The green strands I believe are chaeto coming from my refuge.

Thanks again.

 

[Phyl]

The turf scrubbers refer to a hair/turf algae that grows somewhat naturally when you setup the right environment (running water over well lit screen). This red "turf algae" pictured is a specific strain of algae, not likely to appear without being introduced. In all the HA I've had, it has never been the red turf algae.

I don't know whether or not that specific algae would grow in the turf scrubber setup.