Advice On How To Deal With Brown Algae

[Vindicare066]

Hi there,
 
I need some advice on how to treat brown algae. I am experiencing this in one of my fish tanks (3.5 gallon) it is filtered, has a heater (temp averages around 77F and has three plants in it. I have been reading up and the causes for this tend to be either poor lighting, poor oxygen, or to many nitrates.
 
The tank is planted, it has three live plants and a piece of driftwood.
 
I believe it just finished cycling. On June 24th when i did a water test i had
0.0ppm of ammonia,
5.0ppm of Nitrite and
160ppm of Nitrate.
 
I went away for a weekend and today (June 27th when I returned home and I did a water check, I am registering 0.0ppm in all three of the above categories. 
 
I am having a hard time believing it is caused by poor oxygen as I have three plants in there, however, I am ready to go out and buy a bubble stone if I need one and I also dont think it is poor lighting, I am using a Nat Geo LED light which penetrates all the way to the bottom, plus it also gets direct sunlight in the late afternoon from a bedroom window. 
 
An observation i have made, is the algae is appearing on surfaces and leaves closer to the top of the tank rather than at the bottom of the tank. 
 
I am wondering if this bloom was because of the nitrate build up I had over the course of last week, as I do recall the tank gradually going from a clear water colour to the tea staining colour. Does anyone have any recommendations as to what I can use to clear this tank up. This tank is intended for a betta, however I was thinking of adding a shrimp or two to put in this tank to be a tank mate for the betta, and to also deal with these kinds of situations, but I know that bettas kill shrimp, and snails etc... I do have a pleco, but I really don't want to be putting him in this tank as its much to small for them. 
 
My betta isn't overly aggressive, he was perfectly fine sharing a tank with other fish (tetras) even in when they were all housed in a smaller tank. But I do not know how he will act around a snail or shrimp. My thoughts were to add these guys first before I add the betta to the tank, that way they can get themselves established and cleaning the tank, I would also use it as an opportunity to determine if they need more hiding spots. 
 
Thanks for your help!
 

 

[Byron]

First we should pin down exactly which algae, as I have often seen people refer to a type of brush algae as "brown algae" as well as diatoms being brown algae.  If it easily rubs off with your fingertips, it is diatoms; if not, is may be brush algae which is like a tough little fuzz (one form) or it can be fluffy or tuft-like.
 
I don't want to write a book so I'll wait for you to answer this. 

 
Byron.

 

[Vindicare066]

Definitely doesnt look like a fuzz, its silky smooth, and when I rub say a leaf that its on it comes off fairly easily and quickly. 

 

[Byron]

Definitely doesnt look like a fuzz, its silky smooth, and when I rub say a leaf that its on it comes off fairly easily and quickly. 

 
OK, that is diatom algae.  This is common especially in new aquaria.  I would do your best to keep plant leaves clean, just use your fingers at the weekly water change.  It is easy to scrape it off the glass and siphon it out.  Hard to say how long this might take before it is gone, but once the tank's biology is stable it shouldn't re-appear.  I rarely see this any more in new tanks, I suspect because I use lots of plants and chunks of wood from existing tanks when I re-set a tank, and the biological system establishes more quickly.
 
There are fish that will eat this, though I do not recommend fish for "problems" because they add to the bioload and may have their own set of problems.  But if the aquarium is suited to them, and they will not get too large or be problematic with the other intended fish:  Otos (Otocinclus) will devour this.  Farlowella vittata (Twig catfish) also, but these are delicate fish.
 
Byron.

 

[Vindicare066]

That would make sense, this tank is maybe two weeks old, and I think its done cycling. My most recent water test done today, shows 0.0ppm in all parameters... which I am a little nervous about considering I had so many nitrates 3 days prior.  i did a 15-20% water change today, to try and get rid of some of it, should I do this daily?
 
I am not seeing the algae on the glass, but it is on some of the decor, but primarily on the plants. considering how small the tank is I would prefer not to put something like a catfish in as its probably to small for them. I was thinking maybe a shrimp before i put the betta in. Do you know of any of those species that eat algae?

 

[Byron]

That would make sense, this tank is maybe two weeks old, and I think its done cycling. My most recent water test done today, shows 0.0ppm in all parameters... which I am a little nervous about considering I had so many nitrates 3 days prior.  i did a 15-20% water change today, to try and get rid of some of it, should I do this daily?
 
I am not seeing the algae on the glass, but it is on some of the decor, but primarily on the plants. considering how small the tank is I would prefer not to put something like a catfish in as its probably to small for them. I was thinking maybe a shrimp before i put the betta in. Do you know of any of those species that eat algae?

 
Shrimp are said to eat some algae, not sure about diatoms.  Snails also eat algae, slowly, but they do help.  The tiny species like pond snails, bladder snails, or the Malaysian Livebearing Snail.  One of these sometimes arrives on plants, and I consider snails very useful.
 
I you have seen the ammonia spike, then nitrite, then nitrate, it may be the tank has cycled.  How were you adding ammonia?
 
Edit.  Just re-read post #1.  Keep direct sunlight off the tank, always.  This is a sure way to get algae started (one of the other more difficult algae).  Given the tank size, I agree, a Betta (shrimp and snails may work) will be it.

 

[Vindicare066]

I used this product called Colony by Acrylic Tank Manufacturing, which is supposedly the equivalent to Tetra Safe Start Plus or Dr. Tims, they use this in professional aquariums apparently, and they do have youtube videos of their product showing it works, and I would have to confirm it works. Basically, they have different bottles for different size tanks, and you just add the entire bottle. The bacteria is really picky when it comes to tank environment. So the Ph, Temperature, alkalinity all need to be in a certain range in order for them to work properly. I did see all of the spikes, although my ammonia and nitrite seemed to overlap a bit with each other.  This was the only product I could get my hands on relatively quickly.
 
I will have to find a new location for the tank, right now, the room it is in does not have any blinds or shutters. 

 

[Byron]

I used this product called Colony by Acrylic Tank Manufacturing, which is supposedly the equivalent to Tetra Safe Start Plus or Dr. Tims, they use this in professional aquariums apparently, and they do have youtube videos of their product showing it works, and I would have to confirm it works. Basically, they have different bottles for different size tanks, and you just add the entire bottle. The bacteria is really picky when it comes to tank environment. So the Ph, Temperature, alkalinity all need to be in a certain range in order for them to work properly. I did see all of the spikes, although my ammonia and nitrite seemed to overlap a bit with each other.  This was the only product I could get my hands on relatively quickly.
 
I will have to find a new location for the tank, right now, the room it is in does not have any blinds or shutters. 

 
The bacterial supplement probably helped.  I personally believe these work, to some degree, depending upon the product.  They are intended to quicken the establishment of the nitrifiers, and Dr. Tim Hovanec wrote a paper a few years ago wherein he gave the results of his own tests that even those that do not contain the relevant bacteria do still speed up the establishment.  So yes, it cannot hurt to use one in a new tank.
 
Byron.

 

[Vindicare066]

Yeah I am finding everyone has their own product they swear by and rely on for cycling tanks. I would like to try Dr. Tims products, and I will probably put an order in at some point in the near future but as it isn't all that accessible, Colony will probably be the go to bacteria supplement for cycling in my aquarium kit. 
 
On another note, I have moved tank that is experiencing the diatom bloom, into my basement and I have the tank light on for a 8 hour cycle. I have already done few water changes to deal with the tint in the water and to try and remove some of the floating algae, and i have also scrubbed the leaves of the plants that have the diatoms on them. I am about to go to the LFS to figure out what kind of shrimp to get. Amano shrimp seem to be the way to go but I was wondering about RCS and Ghost Shrimp will eat diatoms as well? I won't add the betta for another week or so, but I want to get a tank mate who won't be a snack from the betta and won't be to expensive to replace if they do. 
 
Do you by chance know if RCS or Ghost Shrimp will eat diatoms?

 

[Byron]

Yeah I am finding everyone has their own product they swear by and rely on for cycling tanks. I would like to try Dr. Tims products, and I will probably put an order in at some point in the near future but as it isn't all that accessible, Colony will probably be the go to bacteria supplement for cycling in my aquarium kit. 
 
On another note, I have moved tank that is experiencing the diatom bloom, into my basement and I have the tank light on for a 8 hour cycle. I have already done few water changes to deal with the tint in the water and to try and remove some of the floating algae, and i have also scrubbed the leaves of the plants that have the diatoms on them. I am about to go to the LFS to figure out what kind of shrimp to get. Amano shrimp seem to be the way to go but I was wondering about RCS and Ghost Shrimp will eat diatoms as well? I won't add the betta for another week or so, but I want to get a tank mate who won't be a snack from the betta and won't be to expensive to replace if they do. 
 
Do you by chance know if RCS or Ghost Shrimp will eat diatoms?

 
I would only be guessing on shrimp, as I have never had them, except once when two came in the bag with the pygmy corys.  I left them alone and they lived for several months, then disappeared.
 
Tetra's SafeStart is Dr. Tim Hovanec's original formula which he sold to them.  His latest product is the Dr. Tim's One and Only which is a bit different from the former and other bacterial supplements.  I use Seachem's Stability when I need one of these, only because this is the only one available locally and when I need one it is usually an immediate sort of need.
 
I rarely use these, because I use live plants in what is termed the silent cycle.  I have set up dozens of tanks with new filter media and new substrate, and used plants.  Also usually have chunks of wood from existing tanks, so these and the plants undoubtedly have nitrifying bacteria in their biofilms and that is a form of seeding too.  The only time I turn to Stability is if I do an emergency re-set (like a QT for a sick fish) or have no plants, but this is very rare.
 
Byron.

 

[BeckyCats]

I had an outbreak of diatoms in both of my tanks (10 gallon & 55 gallon) when I first set them up, but in both tanks it went away on its own over time. I did what Byron says above: gently rubbed the leaves and decorations to get the bulk of the diatoms off while holding the water vacuum right above to suck up the bits that came loose. I also got a green algae in small sections near the front glass (where it gets most natural light) in the gravel of the 10 gallon and the sand of the 55 gallon, but again, it just went away over time. I didn't do anything at all to that stuff. I mention it here, because it showed up shortly after the diatoms did.

 

[Vindicare066]

Thanks for the heads up Becky! I haven't seen anything yet looking close to green algae. But hopefully the 3 Amano Shrimp I added to the tank last night will be able to take care of this. They have certainly gone to town on anything that had brown algae on it that I missed!

 

[Vindicare066]

 

Yeah I am finding everyone has their own product they swear by and rely on for cycling tanks. I would like to try Dr. Tims products, and I will probably put an order in at some point in the near future but as it isn't all that accessible, Colony will probably be the go to bacteria supplement for cycling in my aquarium kit. 
 
On another note, I have moved tank that is experiencing the diatom bloom, into my basement and I have the tank light on for a 8 hour cycle. I have already done few water changes to deal with the tint in the water and to try and remove some of the floating algae, and i have also scrubbed the leaves of the plants that have the diatoms on them. I am about to go to the LFS to figure out what kind of shrimp to get. Amano shrimp seem to be the way to go but I was wondering about RCS and Ghost Shrimp will eat diatoms as well? I won't add the betta for another week or so, but I want to get a tank mate who won't be a snack from the betta and won't be to expensive to replace if they do. 
 
Do you by chance know if RCS or Ghost Shrimp will eat diatoms?

 
I would only be guessing on shrimp, as I have never had them, except once when two came in the bag with the pygmy corys.  I left them alone and they lived for several months, then disappeared.
 
Tetra's SafeStart is Dr. Tim Hovanec's original formula which he sold to them.  His latest product is the Dr. Tim's One and Only which is a bit different from the former and other bacterial supplements.  I use Seachem's Stability when I need one of these, only because this is the only one available locally and when I need one it is usually an immediate sort of need.
 
I rarely use these, because I use live plants in what is termed the silent cycle.  I have set up dozens of tanks with new filter media and new substrate, and used plants.  Also usually have chunks of wood from existing tanks, so these and the plants undoubtedly have nitrifying bacteria in their biofilms and that is a form of seeding too.  The only time I turn to Stability is if I do an emergency re-set (like a QT for a sick fish) or have no plants, but this is very rare.
 
Byron.
 

I will let you know how the Amano Shrimp do with the brown algae and any other algae that makes an appearance in the tank. I added them last night after they got acclimatized to the water. This morning all three were still alive so hopefully, I will see some results soon. 
 
In the future I plan on taking the silent cycle route as well for the two empty 30 Gallon tanks I have sitting in my basement, and only plan to use Colony/ TTS+ as an extra additive, to give it that extra kick. Unfortunately, I don't have any established tanks yet, so I turned to Colony to get both my 5 Gallon and 3.5 Gallon cycled rapidly and established so that I can use the media, driftwood and live plants in them for my larger tanks.