[rexpepper651]

i never had a brown algae problem before. just in the last two weeks its been taking over my tank. covering the glass. ive had the tank up and running for almost a yr now. ive been reading it could be from my sand which i had just put in like 3 weeks or a month ag o. i dont leave my lights on very long between 9-11 hrs a day. is that to long? it doesnt seem to be getting on anything else besides the glass. my plants all look fine. i did notice my snails were eating it but they arent cleaning it completely. what can i do to get rid of this crap? ive been waiting for a magnet glass cleaner for a week should be here tomorrow. other then wiping it off every could days is there some special trick to get this stuff to stay out?

 

[Nilet699]

Would have to post a picture to be sure. But normally it is diatoms, which are a symptom of new tanks. Now your tank isnt new, but you may be experiencing a mini, or major i suppose, cycle due to you changing substrate. As its likely something like 90% of your tanks 'good' bacteria was in the gravel.......sheer surface area....... and this being removed for sand, which will house no bacteria of this purpose, your tank is probably just adjusting.

Thats my GUESS anyway, but post some pics, and then someone more experienced would most likely be able to give you the definite s.

 

[rexpepper651]

Would have to post a picture to be sure. But normally it is diatoms, which are a symptom of new tanks. Now your tank isnt new, but you may be experiencing a mini, or major i suppose, cycle due to you changing substrate. As its likely something like 90% of your tanks 'good' bacteria was in the gravel.......sheer surface area....... and this being removed for sand, which will house no bacteria of this purpose, your tank is probably just adjusting.

Thats my GUESS anyway, but post some pics, and then someone more experienced would most likely be able to give you the definite s.

sounds like a plan. im at work right now ill post up a picture when i get home in the morning. oh some added info. im using 48 inche dual t8 40watt bulbs 55g tank. lightly planted. dose mondays with flourish comp.

 

[smit3183]

What kind of sand are you using? Play sand and pool filter sand can cause diotoms ( brown algae) for awhile. I've had PFS in my aquarium for close to a year and it's still leaking them out.

 

[rexpepper651]

What kind of sand are you using? Play sand and pool filter sand can cause diotoms ( brown algae) for awhile. I've had PFS in my aquarium for close to a year and it's still leaking them out.

im using pool filter sand from ace hardware. it even turned my water brown. almost coverd my swords leafs as well. heres some pics.

 

[smit3183]

Just wipe it down . It's an eye sore but completely harmless. It's the silca from the sand that's causing it . My tank has looked the same at times. It will eventually be less and less of it. I may have to wipe down once every couple months now. Nothing to worry about.

 

[Absntmind]

Just wipe it down . It's an eye sore but completely harmless. It's the silca from the sand that's causing it . My tank has looked the same at times. It will eventually be less and less of it. I may have to wipe down once every couple months now. Nothing to worry about.

Brown Algae is common in new tanks. It can come and go even months after a tank has been set up, and will go away for good once the tank becomes fully established.

Sand does not cause this; silica does not leach from sand any more than it does from the glass an aquarium is made from.

 

[smit3183]

What's causing my diatoms then? My tank has been going over a year with pool filter sand and I still have to wipe down sides of tank from time to time

 

[Absntmind]

What's causing my diatoms then? My tank has been going over a year with pool filter sand and I still have to wipe down sides of tank from time to time

My understanding is no tank will ever be 100% algae free. Without a cleaning crew and left untouched, almost all tanks will show some type of algae development over time. I've heard people say "an algae free tank is only possible with no lights and no water".

Causes for yours could be several; but the most common are elevated nitrates, lights on too long (or ambient light from a window), bulbs need replacing, excess nutrients...

I had brown algae off an on my tank for about 8 months. First I changed the bulbs and lowered my light schedule down to 10 hours and it seemed to lessen. I also noticed a window was letting light into the tank early morning, basically meaning the tank was still lit for over 12 hours a day. I just make sure to keep the blinds closed on that window now.Then I started feeding less and added a few more plants, and it lessened more. Last I started dosing small amounts of fertilizer and it was hardly noticeable.

I finally added a cleanup crew and never saw brown algae again. For me it was a few oto's, MTS, and a couple zebra nerite snails. I add some blanched cucumber once a week to supplement just in case .

That's not to say I have been algae free (BGA fight recently, my fault), but the battles are fewer and further between now. Just have to try and keep things balanced, every tank is different.

 

[smit3183]

Only cause could be excess nutrients, as I replace my bulbs every six months, nitrates are 5-10, lights on only 7hrs. Maybe I'll skip a dose on my seachem flourish from time to time.

 

[rexpepper651]

I think I'm also going to skip this weeks ferts an get some more plants an a couple of ottos
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[rexpepper651]

is it true lack of oxygen can also cause this? it only came about after i decided i wanted to turn off my airstone to see how it would affect my corkscrew val seeing as they were right by it.

 

[Nilet699]

Rather than buying fish just for this, wouldnt it be better to solve the issue at hand instead?

 

[rexpepper651]

Rather than buying fish just for this, wouldnt it be better to solve the issue at hand instead?

well yeah of course! i wouldnt mind getting some new fish tho haha.ive been doing alot of research and nothing is really helping maybe im looking at it thew wrong way.

 

[Byron]

From the photos, this does not look like diatoms to me. How easy is it to clean off of the glass? Can you rub it off with your finger, or does it take a sponge or scraper?

It looks more green than brown, and this would be due to the light.

Oxygen is not relevant to this, it is more the water movement, but this can work both ways.

Byron.

 

[rexpepper651]

From the photos, this does not look like diatoms to me. How easy is it to clean off of the glass? Can you rub it off with your finger, or does it take a sponge or scraper?

It looks more green than brown, and this would be due to the light.

Oxygen is not relevant to this, it is more the water movement, but this can work both ways.

Byron.

i didnt try using my finger but i did use a scrubber on a stick an it was a lil tuff to get off

 

[Byron]

i didnt try using my finger but i did use a scrubber on a stick an it was a lil tuff to get off

That is what I expected; this is not diatoms. Reduce the light, which may be intensity and/or duration, whichever. Don't stop all plant fertilizer or the plants will likley suffer. But once a week with a comprehensive like Flourish is sufficient.

If this is on the glass, ambient room light can be a factor. Daylight entering the room and evening room lighting can add to the tank light.

 

[rexpepper651]

yeah i think there are many factors here lol. overfeeding, to much light, and to many nutrients in the water. im pretty sure i double dosed with liq ferts 2 weeks ago. ive cut down on the light this past week. only dosed once and reduced the amount of food being givin. also on sunday i did about a 60% water change and cleaned my tank very well. i noticed alot of plant material littering the bottom of my tank. an since sunday i havent seen an increase in the brown stuff. its just mainly right along the sand line of the bottom of my tank and hasnt gotten any worse. i should be getting some floating plants soon. since my BA tetras ate all my water sprite before it could grow. i ordered a 120+ leaves of salvinia minima. hopefully this and with the less light, food and more thorough cleanings it will all go back to normal!

 

[cocolodecorazon]

Small spots of brown algae

So from reading the posts above I gather that the brown algae is nothing to really worry about. Just wipe it off and let the tank take its course. My tank has been cycling for about 5 weeks and the numbers are good: PH=8.2, Ammo, nitrita, nitrate=0, but yesterday I noticed that there were a couple of small spots where some brownish stuff was growing. I figured it was algae and part of the cycling process, so I just wipped it off and kept staring at the tank for about an hour. I only have 3 damsels, 1 blenny and couple of hermit crabs in it, but I am getting ready to start stocking it. Will it be ok to start?

 

[Byron]

So from reading the posts above I gather that the brown algae is nothing to really worry about. Just wipe it off and let the tank take its course. My tank has been cycling for about 5 weeks and the numbers are good: PH=8.2, Ammo, nitrita, nitrate=0, but yesterday I noticed that there were a couple of small spots where some brownish stuff was growing. I figured it was algae and part of the cycling process, so I just wipped it off and kept staring at the tank for about an hour. I only have 3 damsels, 1 blenny and couple of hermit crabs in it, but I am getting ready to start stocking it. Will it be ok to start?

If it comes off easily, it is likely diatoms. Diatoms, or commonly brown algae though not a true algae, are common in new tanks. It takes a couple months for a tank's biologicy to establish and settle.