In the last couple days I have all of a sudden got this brown (rust colored) stuff on the front of my tank, on 2 of the ornaments, and on the filter overflows. I got a light that has been on the tank for like 2 weeks and I try to keep in on 10-11 hrs a day give or take. I did notice a little bit on the ornaments a couple days ago but the glass and other ornament has just REALLY got it since that. I did a water test today and NitRATE was 30, NitRITE 0, Ammonia 0-.25 (hard to tell) and my Ph is like 8. From my last test the only thing that has changed is the NitRate went up 10-20 and the trace of ammonia.
Does anyone know anything about this and/or what to do about it and should I be worried?! THANKS!
How long has the tank been set up? Is the algae just sort of blotchy stuff on the glass? Or is it thicker and furry? If it's the kind that's just sort of splotchy on the glass - I get that a lot on brand new tanks. I think it gets out of control from the ammonia in the water. I've always just scraped it off the glass with a razorblade. After the tank is established and the ammonia is steadily at zero and you're keeping the nitrate in check with water changes, it should keep the algae at bay. Also, do you have the tank in direct sunlight? That will definitely cause the algae to get a little crazy.
Tank has been set-up like 5-6 months now. It is kinda blotchy on the glass and on the orniments it kinda stained them. I just took my glass magnet and one swipe and it was gone off glass. I wouldn't say tank is in direct sunlight. The window is a good ten feet away and is westward facing so it only gets sun now about 5 hrs a day and we haven't had the greatest of sun round here lately anyway
This is the discusting {colorful metafor} that I am dealing with! That Cave used to be a nice color blue. The second pic is of the gravel just below the surface, there are about 7-8 spots around the tank that are the same way. Anyone have any more ideas as to what it is and what to do?!
ok, any special way to clean them!? That cave as you can see is a little jaged, I tried to use a tooth brush b4 but it just wouldnt come off. Any ideas as to why now I am getting this and how to control it/rid it? Is it harmful for my fish? They don't seem to be effected! Thanks Tyyrlym
Go to your local lake or river, see how much algae is growing there and don't worry about it. The little bit that is unsightly in your tank is of no concern to fish. Why are you getting it, again others know more than I but from what I understand its a normal part of a new tank and will dissipate with time. There's no real special way to clean it, just get it off however you can. I use an algae brush for my glass, a wash cloth for the plants and such and scrub my caves with a scrub brush, that's all.
I have the same problem. It started off just on the glass. I was told it would disappear on its own. After a week its all over my ornaments , gravel, some on the filter,
No direct light either. But my tank hasn't finished cycling so maybe that's the problem . Nitrite is very high right now.
I also have the same problem! It started once I added my new compact florescent lighting. My plants are doing wonderfully (now) but so is the brown algae. I can easily scrub it off the glass but it's also all over my driftwood. I do not have any algae eating inhabitants so I may have to add some.
Glad to know Im not the only one with this problem! I agree though, mine too has seem to have started about 3 weeks after I put my light on my tank! I have a pleco and he seems to go nuts a night on the glass but that about it.
Yes, it's a total drag. It comes off the glass/acrylic easy enough but the algae on the plants is a pain in the butt to gently try to wipe off. Hopefully my plants will begin to do a better job off competing for nutrients with the algae. The new lighting is helping the plant growth take off so maybe in a few weeks the algae will DIE!!
Glad to see there are others out there. Came here today looking for info on the sudden brown algae I'm seeing on the glass, ornaments and gravel since I put on my new 20w flourescent hood. Hoping it's just taking some time for the tank to adjust to the new lighting and will cure itself in a few weeks.
all part of a new setup. give the tank time to establish. algae comes in many forms and they all take nutrients from the water column. especially if it has nothing to compete with. you could reduce your light but if you alter anything else while the tank is cycling, you could disturb the establishment process. its best to just let nature run its course and wait it out. mine started on the front glass, then my driftwood and then all other surfaces of my glass. i think its cool to let it grow. when my cycle is done, i will moderately-heavily plant it. what algae still remains, will be controlled by otos and shrimp after the plants are established.
OK I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS !@#$ !!!!!!!! It really seams to be getting worse! Tried cutting my light time WAY back. Scrub tank weekly and change out about 15 gal. WHAT DO I DO!!!!!
How many watts of light are you using? How often do you do the water changes? and how much water do you change? Any real plants in the tank? I'm assuming not. Any fish that eat algae? The only time I've seen brown algae in my tank was when I didn't change the water often enough and I didn't have enough watts of light. For a 15gal tank you should have at least 25watts of light for 10-12 hours a day.
I have this same problem. My tank hasn't cycled, and I am told that it will go away once my tank cycles, so I am waiting for that to happen. I use to clean it off the glass and pull out the ornaments to gently scrub it off of them, but within a day or two it would be back. Now I am just leaving it alone, and hoping it will go away in time.
HOLY GEEWILLICAS ITS GOTTEN HORRID!!!! Don't know if the 2 are related but I will start with the first set of ?'s by WisFish
Once a week change water, roughly 15 gallon. Think I have like 100w of light and yes I have real plants, a melon sword, corkscrew villarisna, ludwigia and a moneywort (last 3 added in last week) I also have 4 cory cats and a pleco.
Now........Today something has gone MAJORLY WRONG! I have lost 16 fish since around 10 oclock today, they just keep dying left and right!
My plants seem to grow great and then some of the leaves turn brown (such as the brown algea color). This whole brown stuff in tank started before I added plants. Plants grow new spirts and they are nice and colorful but fade in about a week
It could be too much or (more likely) too little light, too much of some fertilizer (if you're adding them cut back) or a temp issue. With the water changes, the other levels look good.
I think my light has 2 55 w bulbs, I have a 55 gal tank and I just got some fertilizer tabs that said that a 10 gal tank needs 6 tabs (think they are api) but I put 3 in strategically by my plants and my temp is always between 75-78.
I just changed out about 18 gal of water and cleaned every bit of algea that I could find, well see what tomorrow brings. I have some head and tailight tetras in there and they don't have their distinctive colors anymore this is depressing
Firstr off I agree with an earlier post. You'll always have some type of algae in the tank, the type depends on many factors. But it sounds like you got a new light? You said the tank was setup for 6 month but the light was on it for 2 weeks or so? If so, then the obvious question is, what's the difference between the old light and the new one. If it's new, are the bulbs 6500K daylight bulbs? I usually equate brown algae with not enought light, either not intense enough, the right K rating or not enough duration.
Don't stock a fish to try and cover up a lack of maintenance.
Otos: Can be finicky eaters. Some will eat only algae and once the algae in your tank is gone they starve to death. Some will learn to like the food you supply, and never touch algae again. It's rare to find one that will eat algae and supplied foods.
Plecos: Some are tank busters, growing to over a foot. Others stay smaller. They all need some real driftwood in their diet. They also tend to be better algae eaters when younger and when they get older they tend to ignore algae altogether. They're also big messy fish.
Chinese/Siamese Algae Eaters: There are three kinds of algae eaters that get this name. One eats algae when small then grows into a large aggressive fish that will kill other fish. Guess which kind is the most common.
Shrimp: Depending on the variety some eat algae, some only eat one or two kinds of algae, and they're all very sensitive to water quality. Some fish also enjoy a nice shrimp snack.
Trying to have a fish control your algae is just a bad idea. Almost all the "algae eaters," bring whole new sets of problems to your tank. Identify the cause of the algae and fix that, don't buy a fish to try and cover it up.
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