Brown Algae

[Raechal]

Okay so I have two baby fancy goldfish in my 10 gallon (they will be moved to an outdoor pond in the summer, in a month or two) and there is brown algae EVERYWHERE. All over the decor, all over the plants and, all over the glass and all over the gravel! I tried scrubbing it off, but it just comes back in a few days. I have cut back on the lighting and it still hasn't gone away.

Will any type of algae eater take care of the brown algae? What is causing this anyway? Too much light? I used to turn my tank on at 11 a.m. and off at 11 p.m. Now I am turning it on at around 2 p.m. and off at 8 p.m. Is this okay? What should I do?

 

[a.i.m]

Hi Raechal

Brown algae some time appears on newly set- up aquariums where conditions have yet to stabilise. How long have you had the tank set up for?
it is essential to minimise nutrient levels to ensure the algae dissapeers. Appropriate water changes are needed.
Good substrate cleaning.
Avoid overfeeding.
limiting your lighting wont deter this type of algae.


If brown algae is appeering in an established tank check nitrate , phosphate levels
if they are high you can add a phosphate absorbing resin bag. This will also remove silicates which can come from tap water , glass of new aquariums and potentially silica sand / gravel substrates.

2 types of phosphate / nitrate removing resing bags, that ive used and work are:

Green Away
Clearwater

Hope this helps.

 

[Nospherith]

The brown algae might go away after a while, as a.i.m. said it's usually associated with new tanks. I've tried decreasing the photoperiod that much and it didn't help much. I guess 10 hours of lighting is healthy.

Otocinclus, however, devour brown algae. I have seven of them, along with three SAE's (but I still have algae... classic) They're good little fellas and they'll do well in a 10g, unlike pleco's which would probably need more space. I'd suggest 3 of them as they're group fish. Here's one of the crew snacking on some algae:

Currently, this one is deceased. Ottos tend to die spontaneously, but ones that survive tend to stay around for a while.

 

[Raechal]

Well the tank has been set up for about 6 or 7 months now. I clean the gravel and do water changes weekly and I have one of those nitra-zorb pouches in the tank to help with the waste.

 

[The-Wolf]

hi rachel
the best way to kill diatoms (brown algea) is to do the oposite of what you do to keep them alive.
The following link will tell you how to grow them, so if you do the opposite it should have the desired effect
http/www.indiana.edu/~diatom/diatom.html

 

[Raechal]

hi rachel
the best way to kill diatoms (brown algea) is to do the oposite of what you do to keep them alive.
The following link will tell you how to grow them, so if you do the opposite it should have the desired effect
http/www.indiana.edu/~diatom/diatom.html

I'll try that! Thanks.

 

[zephyr]

sorry if im hijacking, but i have similar probs, just wondering if a BN pleco would do a better/worse job than otos on cleaning up the brown algae ?

 

[The-Wolf]

yes they will eat the algea, but are you aware they can reach 15cm/6"?
not ideal for a 10 gallon tank. ( I know you may have a bigger one, just wanted to point out 10 would be too small for the original postee)

 

[Raechal]

yes they will eat the algea, but are you aware they can reach 15cm/6"?
not ideal for a 10 gallon tank. ( I know you may have a bigger one, just wanted to point out 10 would be too small for the original postee)

I was thinking of getting a school of otos for my 120 gallon. Do you think I could buy like 3 or 4 and put them in my 10 gallon to clean the brown algae up and then put them in my 120 gallon later on with maybe 3 or 4 more?

 

[The-Wolf]

that would be fine rachel, however otos are very sensative to water params and need a matured tank.
I just realised you are talking about a coldwater tank, try getting a couple of hillstream loaches (aka hong kong pleco, aka butterfly loaches)

 

[Raechal]

that would be fine rachel, however otos are very sensative to water params and need a matured tank.
I just realised you are talking about a coldwater tank, try getting a couple of hillstream loaches (aka hong kong pleco, aka butterfly loaches)

Yea. It is weird as I keep all of my lights on all 9 of my tanks on for the same amount of time and my coldwater set-up tends to get the brown algae.

 

[Iron Man]

Two words....apple snails. www.applesnail.net

1 snail would clean your tank right up and the algae should sustain 1 for the long hail. If not get him some sinking algae disks.

 

[reg2k2]

Due to lack of light, not too much....suggest replacing the bulbs.