Brown Algae

[mtv8dmarine]

I can't locate the previous post I made about this over a week ago so I'll ask further in a new one.

About 2 weeks ago I was suffering from a brown algae bloom. My tank has been cycled since June and I have been told that brown algae is typical in tanks that are new. So I figure since my tank hasn't been cycled for too awfully long that I still qualify.

I've learned through the forum and other resources that brown algae occurs as a result of not enough light and too many nutrients (such as overfeeding and the food laying around).

Well I planted my tank a few days ago and I've been told that the green algae in healthy amounts will starve out the brown algae. My question is, how long should this normally take...how long do I need to have this unsightly brown algae continually reappearing after every weekly cleaning? What is the best course of action from here and what should I be looking for to determine that appropriate time has passed before getting worried that it's not correcting itself?

Here are a couple photos of my newly planted tank. Newly as in Friday.

http/www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=971445&l=76935b2b5d&id=1641663813

http/www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=971446&l=afd347e18c&id=1641663813

 

[swaddell13]

i too have this brown algae(got a new 20 gal tank) now i havnt got an algae eater yet since i had too much ammonia and not enough no2/3 so its been about 3 weeks with 5 liverbearers just messin it up and i saw that my glass had brown film(brown algae)
is this brown algae bad and should i go invest in a chinese algae eater or plecostumus tonight? i have a feeling im over feeding even tho i have been trying my best to give only a little but id love to get an algae eater in there... should i risk buying one and losing it or should i wait?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

It took something like ~6 weeks for my Rio240's outbreak of brown algae to fade away naturally, just before my Panda Garras had chance to feast!

All that remains now is a fine film of grey/geen algae of the the tank glass that is exposed to the mid-afternoon sun, which the Garras do not seem that interested in.

 

[MrPandaram]

It took something like ~6 weeks for my Rio240's outbreak of brown algae to fade away naturally,

i had this problam.. i put two 1 inch gold algae eaters.

all algae is gone in 48 hours.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

It took something like ~6 weeks for my Rio240's outbreak of brown algae to fade away naturally,

i had this problam.. i put two 1 inch gold algae eaters.

all algae is gone in 48 hours.

Golden algae eaters are terretorial and will cause trouble as they get older (attacking the fish).

the best way to get of brown algae is to introduce live plants (they fight with the algae for the nutrients) or to scrape it off yourself.

 

[SlyPolak]

Since you have a planted tank anyways I recommend C02. Just get some Flourish Excel and it should clear your tank up QUICK, plus its beneficial to the plants.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Since you have a planted tank anyways I recommend C02. Just get some Flourish Excel and it should clear your tank up QUICK, plus its beneficial to the plants.

I realize I could do that since I'm planted but I'm running a low light/low tech. setup. I really don't want to go CO2 just for the sake of some brown algae that can be corrected another way.

Is time really all I need to let go by and eventually it will correct itself? I mean it's not terribly bad but it is a little unsightly and I notice my filters get gunked up quicker.

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

Since you have a planted tank anyways I recommend C02. Just get some Flourish Excel and it should clear your tank up QUICK, plus its beneficial to the plants.

I realize I could do that since I'm planted but I'm running a low light/low tech. setup. I really don't want to go CO2 just for the sake of some brown algae that can be corrected another way.

Is time really all I need to let go by and eventually it will correct itself? I mean it's not terribly bad but it is a little unsightly and I notice my filters get gunked up quicker.

You can make DIY CO2 from a 2 litre bottle and some yeast.

It will go itself; it will take a few weeks. I've had it in one of my tanks and it's slowly decreasing; all I do it wipe it off; ok I clean the tank a little more than I did to try and combat it and it is slowly loosing the battle.

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Well it's really just something I'd like to not get into if I can help it. I did pick up some Flourish Excel and will dose it when it arrives. I also picked up 4 otocinclus's figuring they are great little workers to have anyway in a community tank. Of course I vacuum, scrape, and wipe down the tank weekly which helps keep it from getting out of hand.

Trying the non-CO2 route first, will this work with time?

 

[dipsydoodlenoodle]

The none CO2 route should work; I don't use CO2 either.