Brown algae

[peteypob]

Hi everyone,

These are some pics of the algae thats attacking my smaller planted aquarium. Its a 55gal and this is what I have so far:
1. Pressurized co2 injection
2. CoralLife Freshwater Lighting 2 65 watt CB
3. Eco-Complete substrate
Fertz:
1. Greg Watson Pottasium Sulfate. Added to get a 20ppm amount.
2. Flourish Iron(3/4 capful)
3. Flourish(1 capful)
I just recently recieved Plantex CSM+B plus iron from GW and plan on subtituting it instead of the flourish products.
Water Parameters:
pH 7.0
KH 8 drops
CO2 level a little over 20ppm
Phosphate between .2-.4
WC every other day @ 50%
Should I increase my trace and bring my PO4 to around 1.0-2.0? Anybody have the same problems?

[peteypob]

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[funkyfish]

i had a problem lik that not sure how i got rid of it i increased my water changes and it when't away after a week or two i thought it was from my tank not being cycled good enough w\c worked for me
good luck an hope u figure it out


do what u love an love what u do

[Eddie]

again petey, I'm no pro nor do I have a planted tank but I've read that brown algae comes from insufficient lighting in some instances. Hope it helps :o

[Wahter]

brown algae is usually from diatoms and silicates. Try to increase the lighting (intensity not duration) - add an extra light if possible. Or you can add some otocinclus - they love the stuff. :)

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/Algae/diatom.html

[Lazonby]

Brown algae is common in new tanks and tanks with lower lighting. It will eventually go away, but it can be a nuiscance & possibly harmful to your plants in the meantime. Otocinclus will take care of that problem in a hurry! I only keep planted tanks, and I have otocinclus in every one...except for my cichlid tank, as they would be food! I would pick up about 10 of them. 8 would be an ideal number, but expect casualties, as oto's can be troublesome during acclimation. They love highly oxygenated fresh water, so keep the water changes up while they acclimate. You will know they are happy when they are "glass pacing."

[peteypob]

Can I replace my two 65 watt bulbs with two 95watt, or is this a bad idea?

[Lazonby]

In your particular tank, the 65w bulbs are fine for the proper intensity, but I think what you might need is better distribution of light. If you could get a 4x65w fixture, you would be set. An alternative would be to use better reflectors. If you are using a Coralife fixture similar to mine (4x65w), then their reflectors aren't all that great for lighting distribution. Another option still is www.ahsupply.com. Their reflectors are the best I've seen, and their prices can't be beat! They do sell hoods, but they won't be as nice as the Coralife. They are a DIY solution, and a very reputable one at that. But I still recommend the oto's if you wouldn't mind having the little guys around. They are a lot cheaper, and will solve your problem in a couple of days. They are harmless to any other fish, including discus.

[Rob Blanks]

I've found Ottos to rip through it if you get a school of 6 or so. It can smother plants if left uncontroled.

[shalu]

In your particular tank, the 65w bulbs are fine for the proper intensity, but I think what you might need is better distribution of light.

I agree. On my 55gallon with a single light strip, the light can hardly reach the back or front, basically only the area directly under the light is well lit.

[Spices]

Walter and others are right! The tank needs more lighting. Fish loves that brown stuff (algae). I wouldn't worry bout that. But if it turns green/brown then you have to worry a bit as the composition changed slightly. The green algae is a no-no.

*Angie*

[RAWesolowski]

Petey,

IME, brown algae is a "new" tank phenomena. It generally bursts out within 2 to 3 months of setting up a tank whether a planted tank or a non-planted tank. A secondary source of this algae bloom is fertilizing higher order plants when they are not estqablished enough to use the additional nutrients. The algae then has a great source of food!

I would stop using any additives for plants in this tank for a couple of weeks or until you can see an indicator that they are needed. Indicators are yellowing leaves or leaves that are becoming "lacy". I would also boost my lighting to 12 hours per day on a timer.

Otos and BNs do like this stuff. However, they don't LOVE the stuff so you have to bring it under control. Once it's under sontrol, you will still see it at the juncture of your glass and your substrate. Either use a toothbrush to clean that area or just expose it for the otos and BNs. Since you have the algae under control, it will now be a treat.

FreshwaterAquariums.com has the following:

Other Names: Gravel algae, Brown algae

Color: Brown

Appearance: Begins as brown patches on the gravel and/or glass, then rapidly coats most surfaces of the aquarium with a thin, dark brown coating that is easily removed. Unlike blue-green/slime algae, it does not come off in large slimy sheets.

# Cause: Excess silicates & nitrates
# Inadequate light
# Low oxygen levels Brown algae is a common occurrence in a newly set up aquarium. It is generally caused by too little light, an excess of silicates, an abundance of nutrients, and too little oxygen. Silicates can build up through tap water that is high in silicic acid, and silicates that leech from some types of substrates.

Cure:
# Wipe off surfaces & vaccine gravel well
# Use silicate adsorbing resin in the filter
# Increase the lighting
# Stock a plecostomus or several otocinclus

This type of algae does not adhere strongly to the tank surfaces, and is easily wiped away. Vacuuming the gravel with a siphon will quickly remove coatings from the substrate. Increasing the lighting will inhibit regrowth of brown algae. As a new tank matures brown algae is often eliminated naturally by plants and green algae competing for nutrients.

Some suckermouth catfish will readily eat brown algae, most notably plecostomus and otocinclus. If the problem is due to high silicates in the water, and the brown algae persists, a special silicate absorbing resin can be used in the filter.

Prevention:
# Use of RO water
# Regular water changes
# Regular aquarium cleaning
# Good lighting

As with any algae, keeping the tank clean and performing regular water changes is one of the best preventative measures. Unfortunately it is still possible to get algae in spite of regular maintenance, especially in a newly established aquarium. Prompt attention to sudden algae growth will prevent more serious problems.

[peteypob]

Hi Rawesolowski,

Thanks for the great info! Since my last post I have pretty much got it under control. I upped my clean up crew and put my tank on a steady dosing regimen. I dose nitrate, phosphate,pottasium, and trace with GW fertz 3x weekly. It seemed to do the trick. I bumbed my co2 to 25ppm and trimmed all leaves that were pretty much infested and plenty of WC's. Added many fast growing plants to help steal nutrients from the algae. Ill post pics later!
Pete

[peteypob]

Hi everyone,

Here are some pics of my tank after my battle with algae. I am in the middle of a new aquascaping project, I will be replacing the co2 defussor with a reactor and changing some of my equipment.The tank is pretty bare but there are more plants on the way.....

[peteypob]

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