Brown Algae

[stevereade]

My son has a 24litre freshwater cube tank, it has one blue bulb and one white bulb, no real plants in all artificial, few tetra and every week its smothered in brown algae, the sand, the glass, everything, any ideas to get rid of it?

 

[mtv8dmarine]

Hello Steve,

What you are very likely seeing are diatoms. This is pretty typical of newly established tanks and will go away in due time. Due time though could be a week to a few months. There are a couple of things you and your son can do to help reduce the unsightliness.

1. Gravel vac weekly with water changes.

2. Wipe down the inside of the glass to remove the diatoms (do this before gravel vac though).

3. Make sure the fish aren't being overfed. They should only be given what they can consume in 2 - 3 minutes once or twice daily.

4. With regular maintenance it just becomes a matter of time but the maintenance will take care of a lot of it.

Diatoms form for two reasons. First is too many nutrients in the water column. This is most often through excess fish food from overfeeding. The second I've heard is too little light. Although I've read the opposite just the same. Perhaps more people can reply and we can get a consensus about the light issue for both you and me!

 

[ian]

Algae doesn't thrive on 'to much nutrients', this is a myth. Diatoms are actually caused by ammonia spikes. If the filter is mature, its not doing its job properly, if the filter is relatively new then the diatoms will eventually go away.

 

[RadaR]

Diatoms form for two reasons. First is too many nutrients in the water column.

As ianho has said, that's not quite true. It's important to shake this theory out even though we've heard it from manufacturerse for decades.
Algae can exist in pretty much any nutrient level.
It's triggered by excess light and ammonia. Once the algae blooms and flagellates then yes it can use nutrients, however they are still not the reason it's there.

 

[stevereade]

Riiiiiiiiiight, well I dunno what to do really the tank has been set up for about 5 months and within a day or so of a water change, cleaning all the glass, filter etc it just comes back.

 

[RadaR]

Riiiiiiiiiight, well I dunno what to do really

Easy. Dose more nutrients for the plants. Mainly macro.
Manual removal and Ottos help massive build ups, but treating the underlying cause is essential.

Keep up nutrients and keep up general maitenance.

 

[stevereade]

Why dose nutrients when the plants are fake lol

 

[fluttermoth]

A few real plants would probably help a lot; something tough like Java fern would be worth trying.

 

[stevereade]

would it grow in really really low light?

 

[alex.wardle]

sounds like to much light to me. How long are your tank lights on for a day.

 

[RadaR]

Why dose nutrients when the plants are fake lol

Doh, I missed that.
Then yes, the lighting is too much and your photoperiod is probably too long. You'd only need the lights on for when you were in the room.
General good maitenance like making sure the filters arent clogged with lots of organic waste and weekly water changes will help against diatoms. As well as manunal removal and sorting your lights out

 

[fluttermoth]

would it grow in really really low light?

Yes, Java fern is amazing stuff; I had a tank with no fish for while; I didn't switch the lights on for months and the Java fern was fine; survived perfectly with just the room light.

 

[stevereade]

Well its not too much light at all, its less than 1WPG, I'll throw some Java Fern in I think.
The tank is very very well maintained too BTW.

 

[RadaR]

Well its not too much light at all, its less than 1WPG

What about duration (photoperiod).

The tank is very very well maintained too BTW.

If that's the case, then it must be light.

 

[stevereade]

Well its not too much light at all, its less than 1WPG

What about duration (photoperiod).

The tank is very very well maintained too BTW.

If that's the case, then it must be light.

Its on from 9am till 5pm