Sudden brown algae

[fishy_sean94]

I've done a search and I believe I've got a sudden bloom of brown algae in my tank.

Can't figure out why, as nothing has changed, I'm still doing my usual water changes and tests and the latter is always the same (Ammonia 0 / Nitrite 0 / Nitrate 10-20ppm).

Is it pretty normal for this stuff to just appear kinda out of nowhere by itself, or have I not cleaned or changed enough water?

I've attached some pictures to show the problem. Basically the first I noticed was the smeary brown stuff on the glass, then yesterday I noticed some dark brown stuff on my ornament and a bit on the gravel also.
I had the plants and ornaments out only last week where I scrubbed them clean so it seems like it's happened pretty fast.

Any advice on why it's happened, how to prevent more and the best way to remove what's there now would be appreciated.

 

[Salty&Onion]

20ppm nitrate is too high, do a 50-75% water change to bring the levels down. Algae is a sign usually a sign of excess nutrients in the water or a new tank. How long the tank is set up? What size is it? How much fish do you have in it?

 

[fishy_sean94]

20ppm nitrate is too high, do a 50-75% water change to bring the levels down. Algae is a sign usually a sign of excess nutrients in the water or a new tank. How long the tank is set up? What size is it? How much fish do you have in it?

Really? I was always lead to believe the 10-20 level was okay

I shall do a bigger water change today.

The tank has been set up since late March, it's a 57 litre and I have six danio fish.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Really? I was always lead to believe the 10-20 level was okay

I shall do a bigger water change today.

The tank has been set up since late March, it's a 57 litre and I have six danio fish.

No, sadly 20ppm nitrate is too high, it needs to be below 20ppm to be safe.
Danios are very active fish and they do better in a long 29gallon tank if I'm right. Do you add any fertilisers?

 

[fishy_sean94]

No, sadly 20ppm nitrate is too high, it needs to be below 20ppm to be safe.
Danios are very active fish and they do better in a long 29gallon tank if I'm right. Do you add any fertilisers?

They are quite active but they seem happy and not stressed in the tank.

Not sure what you mean by fertilisers?
The only chemical things I add to the tank is the conditioner in new water.
Apologies, a lot of this is still new to me

Would something like this help with lowering the Nitrates down, as well as continuing to do water changes?

 

[Essjay]

Nitrate minus is not worth using. it claims to contain bacteria which remove nitrate but they rarely grow/survive in tanks as they need anaerobic conditions (ie no oxygen)

What is the nitrate level in your tap water? That is the lowest you can get the tank nitrate level by just water changes.
If the tank level is higher than tap level, the extra is being made in the tank by the filter bacteria.



Apart from the moss balls, do you have any live plants in the tank? The ones in the photos all look like plastic. If you don't, the algae could well be caused by having the lights on too long - how long are they on for each day?

 

[fishy_sean94]

Nitrate minus is not worth using. it claims to contain bacteria which remove nitrate but they rarely grow/survive in tanks as they need anaerobic conditions (ie no oxygen)

What is the nitrate level in your tap water? That is the lowest you can get the tank nitrate level by just water changes.
If the tank level is higher than tap level, the extra is being made in the tank by the filter bacteria.



Apart from the moss balls, do you have any live plants in the tank? The ones in the photos all look like plastic. If you don't, the algae could well be caused by having the lights on too long - how long are they on for each day?

Just looked on the water company's website and it says the average Nitrate in this area is 35.6mg/l.

And no currently the only live 'plants' are the moss balls.

I have the daylight white light set to automatically switch on at 11am, which then changes to the blue night light at 7pm, until it switches off completely at midnight every day, is that too much?

 

[Essjay]

For a tank with no live plants, 8 hours 'daylight' mode is too long, in my opinion, and although it may not cause the algae it won't help. And from what I have read, blue light encourages algae.

I would have the white light on for maybe as long as 5 hours at a time when you are around and want to see the fish. And have the blue light on for a lot less, if at all. Other, more experienced members will be able to advise better on the timings.
However long you have the lights on for, remember that the room should be in daylight or the room light on for at least half an hour before and after the tank lights.

 

[fishy_sean94]

For a tank with no live plants, 8 hours 'daylight' mode is too long, in my opinion, and although it may not cause the algae it won't help. And from what I have read, blue light encourages algae.

I would have the white light on for maybe as long as 5 hours at a time when you are around and want to see the fish. And have the blue light on for a lot less, if at all. Other, more experienced members will be able to advise better on the timings.
However long you have the lights on for, remember that the room should be in daylight or the room light on for at least half an hour before and after the tank lights.

Thanks for the suggestion I shall adjust the times and have it come on less to see if it helps.
Today is my weekly water change and clean day so I’m now going to have a go at removing all the algae I can see in the tank while also doing a bigger water change than normal.

Fingers crossed it doesn’t keep coming back so much.

 

[seangee]

TBH those pictures don't suggest an algae problem. Algae is normal and some is expected in a healthy system and most people wipe the glass and ornaments down with a sponge every week when they do their water changes.
Regular large changes will help. I would suggest no more than 6-8 hours with the white light and 15-30 minutes with the blue. Plants won't use blue light but algae might. Set the timer so the lights are on when you are around to see the fish. It doesn't have to be daytime. Mine start coming on from around 3 pm - If I want to watch the fish sooner than that I can still do so using ambient light.