Algae

[nitro7]

hi new to site just set up my tank about 6 weeks ago all my tests a great ,but (a big but) ive got lots of brown alge,it looks alful.can anybody tell me how to get rid of it

 

[minxfishy]

Its normal in a newly set up tank. Try to minimise any direct sunlight that may be on the tank. Its a pain in the butt but it will eventually go, you can clean it off any plants, wood etc and use an tank magnet cleaner to clean it off the glass.

Not sure on your tank size or stocking, but there are fish that love the stuff, namely otto's, also ramshorns snails and malaysian trumpet snails will scoff the brown stuff too

 

[gaz gun man]

you'll have to be patient though, my tank has been set up for 4 months now and i think i am slowly starting to win the battle

 

[nitro7]

thanks ,tank is a 175 lts aqua 700,10 danios and 3 little bronze cat fish but dont know when to start adding more fish lol

 

[minxfishy]

Providing all levels are safe, ie at 0 for ammonia and nitrite and you do regular weekly water changes (which im sure you do) then slowly stocking would not be a problem. One or two fish once a month roughly to allow the bacteria to catch up with the extra waste load

 

[nitro7]

thanks minx,i was thinking about changing from plastic plants to real ones,do all real plants need to have this C02 pumped into your tank, if so how do you know how much to pump in (help im lost)

 

[gaz gun man]

thanks minx,i was thinking about changing from plastic plants to real ones,do all real plants need to have this C02 pumped into your tank, if so how do you know how much to pump in (help im lost)

if you have enough light you wont need CO2

I have had real plants for about a month now and they're all flourishing very well, i dont inject co2 just added some feeder sticks to the gravel

 

[nitro7]

ive got sand in the tank will that be ok,got 3 20watt tubes as well.but back off the tank is shaded as it is a corner on with built in filter

 

[Ian H]

thanks minx,i was thinking about changing from plastic plants to real ones,do all real plants need to have this C02 pumped into your tank, if so how do you know how much to pump in (help im lost)

if you have enough light you wont need CO2

I have had real plants for about a month now and they're all flourishing very well, i dont inject co2 just added some feeder sticks to the gravel

actually the more light you have the more need for co2

 

[Mr._Fishy]

thanks minx,i was thinking about changing from plastic plants to real ones,do all real plants need to have this C02 pumped into your tank, if so how do you know how much to pump in (help im lost)

if you have enough light you wont need CO2

I have had real plants for about a month now and they're all flourishing very well, i dont inject co2 just added some feeder sticks to the gravel

actually the more light you have the more need for co2

Yes. The more light you have, the more co2 you need. The plants will use up the nutrients faster with high light. When it runs out, they stop growing and algae begins to flourish with nothing out competing it for nutrients.

Oh, and a good goal for co2 is 30 ppm. Be sure it is steady. Fluctuating co2 levels help lead to algae outbreaks.

 

[OldMan47]

Nitro, your light level is what is called low light by plant people. That means that you should not need any CO2 but it also means that the plants that will thrive in your tank are limited. Some that will work in low light are java fern, java moss, anubias and hornwort.