What is this? Brown Algae?

jnick

So far, our 55g setup has been running successfully for about two months. However, I happened to notice this just the other day. It's all over the inlet as you can see, on some plants and was on the back glass of the aquarium. Is this anything to be concerned about or is this good algae?

All water tests have come back A OK (ph, nitrates, nitrites and ammonia). The filter is on a monthly cleaning cycle.





Thanks!

tomncassie

Hello Im new to aquariums.Im almost 6 weeks into my tank finishing my cycle hopefully,but I have the same problem myself but a lot worse.Ive been reading up on it online still but tring to figor it out myself.My store said high phostates so maybe thats a start.Good luck and cant wait for some answers from other aquarist.

Rip

sounds like diatoms...

Byron

And it looks like diatoms. Commonly called brown algae. Very common in new tanks, usually during the first 1-3 months, then it will (should) be gone forever.

It is not actually harmful, except if it gets on live plant leaves it can suffocate the plant. Elsewhere it is simply unsightly. I would keep it off the front and side glass walls, it comes off easily with a sponge scraper.

Many "algae" eating fish will devour it, but I do not recommend adding fish solely to deal with algae. If you really like the fish as a fish, and it happens to have the benefit of eating some form of algae, fine. Fish add to the tank's bioload, and some quickly outgrow smaller tanks, and some can be downright nasty to other fish as they mature.

Byron.