Brown Algae in aging barrel

[0Dgreen]

I keep a brute 44gal tub to age water for 24 hours...over the past week it has been getting more and more brown algae. Anyone ever experience this? Should I be concerned? or just leave it be? Im doing 95% WCs on my 55gal growout with this barrel. Thanks.

[TNT77]

Scrub it out and don't add dechlor to the aging barrel; add it to the tank right before you add water.

[0Dgreen]

Gotchya thanks, is it the prime that is causing this?

[TNT77]

Gotchya thanks, is it the prime that is causing this?
It is and isn't..its the lack of chlorine that is allowing the algae to grow.

[-gb-]

I personally age my water and only use Prime about 15min before I'm ready to do my water changes. My thoughts are that this helps keep my barel clean by leaving the nasty chemicals in the water until I need to take them out.

[ausuriello2nd]

Hello TNT77, please explain your reasoning as to why you think its the Prime that is causing the brown algae to grow inside the water storage barrel. Could the barrel have been used before hold live plants at one time thereby leaving a residue of brown algae behind to continuing growing whenever it is in the of water in the barrel? Is this a new barrel or used barrel? Remember algae start out as spores and can be aireborne and with the micro surface of the waterstorage barrel a spore could have easily been caught/attached to the inside of the barrel and gone unnoticed, and like I already menitioned the algae blooms and grows whenever its in the presents of water. I would scrub the barrel out with a mild solution of bleach and water and rinse under very hot water. Whcih should put an end to the brown algae problem once and for all. I don't believe Prime has anything to do with the alage. To make sure, go to the Seachem website, there's an option button in which you can send the company an email. Explain what's going and within less that 24 hours they will email a reply back. Would be interesting to know what they say...Al..from Omaha

[Second Hand Pat]

It is and isn't..its the lack of chlorine that is allowing the algae to grow.

When you remove the chlorine from the water using prime in the WC barrow the algae is free to grow. The chlorine prevents the growth of the brown algae.

[ausuriello2nd]

Hi Pat, what part of what I said in offering a solution to the problem you or others don't understand? One needs to scrub the water barrel out with a weak bleach (chlorine) solution and remove the algae source from the inside of the barrel..... Prime nor another other product used to get rid chlorine are not the source of the brown algae in the firs place. Do we need to start conducting HouseHold Cleaning Classes next on SD to help those with scrubbing algae out of their water storage barrels?...lol....lol...lol I guess we ran out of Good Ole Elbow Grease and scrubber

[Second Hand Pat]

What Tara and I are suggesting is the chlorine in the water of your aging barrow prevents the algea from growing in the barrow. When you neutral the chlorine by adding Prime to the water then the algea is free to grow. Add Prime to the tank just before adding the water from the barrow to the tank should solve the problem. :)

[ausuriello2nd]

Oh so killing off the algae isn't what you want?, Its lets let algae grow in the water storage barrel so it can spread throughout the rest of the tanks that should look pretty...LMAO See this is what happenes when one person uses the left side of their brain for thinking while some use their right of their brains..... Its called a differece of opinion.....LMAO Whatever

[TNT77]

Oh so killing off the algae isn't what you want?, Its lets let algae grow in the water storage barrel so it can spread throughout the rest of the tanks that should look pretty...LMAO See this is what happenes when one person uses the left side of their brain for thinking while some use their right of their brains..... Its called a differece of opinion.....LMAO Whatever
I said in my first post to scrub out the algae. Pat and I are just saying why it started in the first place. No one suggested leaving it in the barrel. You really should read and understand what you are reading before you start insulting people.

[ausuriello2nd]

I'm not insulting anyone, that's not my intentation! Infact I was the one who menition the algae are spores and tried to explain how the algae might have gotten into water storage barrel in the first place, You two need to stop and take the time and read the replies back to your treads I think you are missing allot of information being shared with you. If you think I'm stepping on your toes, I'm sorry..Its just this tread of brown algae is so simple to solve if you would only take the time and scrub your water storage barrel between uses and let it air dry before using again......On'y trying to help nothing for anyone to get their feathers in an uproar about........I'm sure Seachem would love hearing how Prime is the cause of your brown algae problem, you should contact them and see what they suggest to help solve the problem...Al...in Omaha

[Trier20]

Ok so what we can agree on is algae is spore that can get into your barrel and if you treat your barrel with prime or safe and remove the chlorine in it the algae can grow. So if you don't treat with prime and clean out your barrel ever so often and let air dry then this will solve your algae problems in the aging barrel.

[Second Hand Pat]

Al, you are correct that the barrow needs to be cleaned etc. What Tara and I are suggesting is a way to prevent the algae from happening in the first place.

[0Dgreen]

To clarify....the barrel is only about 3 weeks old and has never held any plants or anything aside from water, a heater, and a airstone...i keep the lid secured so as far as airborn things getting in isnt likely. However none of my tanks have been affected by the algae as this stuff has only been showing up the past week or so. Anyhow, i will scrub it out, However i will not use bleach as i do not want any chemicals aside from the dechlor in my water. The only reason i posted this was because i was curious if the algae could have any ill effects toward my fish, im not concerned with it getting in my tanks as they get daily scrubs/wcs.

[chipmunk636]

double post

[chipmunk636]

I personally age my water and only use Prime about 15min before I'm ready to do my water changes. My thoughts are that this helps keep my barel clean by leaving the nasty chemicals in the water until I need to take them out.

I suggest still taking a look at the aging barrel by wiping it with a paper towel from time to time , i was doing exactly like you before in fear of putting untreated water to the tank , i was putting prime 5 min before the wc transfer, and after a month my barrel was full of orange slime coat , like the gunk we found when cleaning canister filter, now i put prime in the tank and just add the untreated aged water.

[ausuriello2nd]

Pat or Tara ,if you two can stop the winds from a blowing and scattering the brown algae/ algae spores then you will have accomplished your goal of the brown algae capper of growing in one's water storage barrel from spreading. It is thought by some that algae is the largest family multi-spieces of closely related group of plants that can be found in most any location in the world, in water or on land. As for myself and a few fellow discus breeders I have known over the years and who have never kept live aquatic plants in their fishrooms, have seen brown algae grow in our tanks. I guess it all depends on one's location and if they live close by large bodies of water like the oceans or Great Lakes, their chances of being exposed to algae spores increases. I see you live in Florida, lucky you! I use live in the upper northeast part of New York, Long Island. So seeing brown algae or any color algae for that matter was not a strange thing for me to see. So, Pat once you figure out how to get those winds from blowin so hard, we may see a decrease the brown algae ...lol...lol Its been good chatting with ya, so do take and stay well...Al..in Omaha

[Scales]

Could diatoms be the problem? Maybe from the plastic? maybe it will go away in time, like an outbreak in a new aquarium. just a thought.

[ausuriello2nd]

Hi Scales. This certainly could be a possiblity since they are doing research and development using diatoms and algae combined together trying to make new plastics from that were once made using old fossil fuels methods. For more information may I suggest for any member of SD, who might be more interested in learning about this new reasearch to go www.sciencedaily.com and look up the subject matter to learn more how algae/diatoms and other items are being used together Hope this helps?...Al...in Omaha

[TNT77]

Pat or Tara ,if you two can stop the winds from a blowing and scattering the brown algae/ algae spores then you will have accomplished your goal of the brown algae capper of growing in one's water storage barrel from spreading. It is thought by some that algae is the largest family multi-spieces of closely related group of plants that can be found in most any location in the world, in water or on land. As for myself and a few fellow discus breeders I have known over the years and who have never kept live aquatic plants in their fishrooms, have seen brown algae grow in our tanks. I guess it all depends on one's location and if they live close by large bodies of water like the oceans or Great Lakes, their chances of being exposed to algae spores increases. I see you live in Florida, lucky you! I use live in the upper northeast part of New York, Long Island. So seeing brown algae or any color algae for that matter was not a strange thing for me to see. So, Pat once you figure out how to get those winds from blowin so hard, we may see a decrease the brown algae ...lol...lol Its been good chatting with ya, so do take and stay well...Al..in Omaha
We are not talking about a tank. And algae has a heck of a time growing in chlorinated water. Which is what me and Pat are getting at. We are not suggesting any kind of miracle cure. Just common sense.

[Second Hand Pat]

We are not talking about a tank. And algae has a heck of a time growing in chlorinated water. Which is what me and Pat are getting at. We are not suggesting any kind of miracle cure. Just common sense.

+1 on what Tara says. :)

[ausuriello2nd]

Pat and Tara, may I suggest that you learn how to post a tread then and state all the information in correct order first so there won't be any confusion about what you are talking about. I'm only trying to help and so was the other person. Besides whether it be a tank or some old water storage barrel, algae brown, or whatever color will find its ways to grow and doesn't need to be made into such a drama as the two of you are making into. And stop trying to put the blame on Seachem's Prime as the cause of your problem!! I was using tank as an example as it was the only experience I had to draw upon in the thirty years I that have kept and raised discus in....None of your discus died or suffered from the brown algae did they? Common sense by most people would have been that they would have seen the algae in the barrel and and went ahead scrubbed the barrel out if they saw it growing there before using it, then proceed in setting it up to age one's water in. The both of you need to lighten up and not take certain things so seriously especially if it only concerns algae! As for miracle cures I leave that to a Higher Source...sorry you took offense to my lighthearted sense of humor about the blowin wind, but there are things in this world we all need to learn acccept and move on in a positive way so we can be remain approachable to others seeking help with a particular problem/situation without taking the other person's head off......................Otherwise this site becomes unless in helping others...Al ...in Omaha

[rcomeau]

Also keep the water dark while it is stored in the barrel to prevent light from helping the algae grow.

[cubert]

@ausuriello you were the one coming in asking for advice, pat and tara were friendly until you were the chippy one with your comments, re read them, seriously you were rude as heck. blows my mind when people come asking for advice and fight back.

[Trier20]

@ausuriello you were the one coming in asking for advice, pat and tara were friendly until you were the chippy one with your comments, re read them, seriously you were rude as heck. blows my mind when people come asking for advice and fight back.

He wasn't the OP. and to Al yes we understand algae spores. They get into you tank and make algae. When chlorine and chloramines are present this will not the algae grow. So If you do not de-chlorinate the water then the algae won't grow until the chlorine gasses off. After that the algae will begin to grow when enough light is present. So if you have an aging barrel algae will not grow in it if chlorine Is present. I'm not trying to sound like an @ss but this discussion is making me want to pound my head against the computer screen. LMAO

[Second Hand Pat]

Yes Brandon and what Tara and I are trying to say. I an not sure how explain this any simpler.

[0Dgreen]

@ausuriello you were the one coming in asking for advice, pat and tara were friendly until you were the chippy one with your comments, re read them, seriously you were rude as heck. blows my mind when people come asking for advice and fight back.
I was the OP, and i used pat an tara's advice and it worked. I bailed from this thread because of that guy being snotty, rude, and arrogant. Thanks Pat and Tara your help is always appreciated!

[Second Hand Pat]

I was the OP, and i used pat an tara's advice and it worked. I bailed from this thread because of that guy being snotty, rude, and arrogant. Thanks Pat and Tara your help is always appreciated!

Cool, glad to hear that worked and figured it would. :) The solution was just plain common sense but not sure why Al in Omaha couldn't see that. :(