Brown Algae

[barrycuda]

i have roughly 80 liter tank been running like 1.5 months now maybe. Has quite a few plants (20plus)which are growing at a fast rate. ive noticed some pebbles are starting to get covered in brown algae, some plant leaves are getting this brown algae too. theres a couple of pebbles that have green algae on them, but only a couple. lighting is a 45cm 18watt aqua one light. tank is 60cm.
Fish 5 leopard danio, 1 guppie, 4 platy.

bad lighting causing the brown algae? but plants do really well so cant be that.

 

[smegforbrains]

A couple of Bristlenose or Striped Raphaels should keep the algae down


I'm still getting bits of brown in my tank. All new planted tanks get it, nothing to worry about unduly

 

[barrycuda]

they wont eat any plants? what they eat when algae is gone?

 

[smegforbrains]

You will always have algae to some degree.


New tanks always get brown algae but eventually you will only get green algae.

My 20 gallon tank has been running about 4 months and i'm only just starting to get green algae.


The BNs and SRs won't generally eat the plants unless they are absolutely starving, even then I have found them to be fussy.

 

[barrycuda]

thx. also i have this one plant cutting which is more or less still the same size when i planted it. most of the other plants have grown at a amazing rate yet this one still looks the same. its totally red coloured. do you know what it is?

 

[aaronnorth]

the last pic looks like ludwigia repens or an alternanthera sp.

brown algae is common inn new aquariums because of the silicates and the unstable environment, should die down and vanish completley though.

 

[barrycuda]

how long does it take for the brown algae to go away? the brown algae is starting to cover plant leafs.

 

[Rlon35]

A couple of Bristlenose or Striped Raphaels should keep the algae down ^^^^^^^^

That tank looks a bit small for a striped raphael...

 

[barrycuda]

yeah its like 80 odd something litres. might have to look round for a bristlenose. they dont get big like those pleco do they?

 

[aaronnorth]

bristlenose get to around 6"

otto's are a better choice.

the diatoms take around 2 or 3 months to clear.

 

[barrycuda]

the pet shop sells some fish called golden sucking catfish. looks bit like a chinese algae eater. is this golden sucking catfish a algae eater? and would it eat my plants?

 

[aaronnorth]

it probably will be an algae eater, it wont eat plants but ask just incase.

Ask aboutsize to as you dont have much floor space for it.

 

[barrycuda]

i went back and bought him. yeah its a golden chinese algae eater. probably only 1 and 1/2 inches at the moment. oh and does a wonderful job of cleaning the tank up. the pebbles come up like new and you can see the tracks where hes been along the glass.