darrellvw darrellvw
  • Not too shy to talk
  • Not too shy to talk
  • Joined: 2/2/2006 8:18
  • From Somerset
  • Group: Registered Users Basic Membership
  • Posts: 28
  • Posted on: 2/4/2006 9:16
Brown algae?? #1
What causes brown algae? Is it harmful? What do I need to do to get rid of it?

Over the last few weeks I have noticed a brown algae forming over everything in the tank. I have taken the various bits & pieces out & cleaned them off (not all at once as I didn't want to effect the bacteria, cycle etc.). But a week later it is back to how it was.
captk captk
  • Home away from home
  • Home away from home
  • Joined: 8/5/2005 13:25
  • From Australia
  • Group: Registered Users Basic Membership
  • Posts: 984
  • Posted on: 2/4/2006 9:58
Re: Brown algae?? #2
Brown algae is quite different from the green stuff. They do fine in low light situations so you might consider increase the light duration or its intensity. They also appears in the early part of a cycle when the water quality is quite unsettled. How is your water readings?
I know enough to know that I don't know enough
Coddy Coddy
  • Home away from home
  • Home away from home
  • Joined: 10/1/2006 15:55
  • From Wiltshire
  • Group: Registered Users Basic Membership
  • Posts: 598
  • Posted on: 2/4/2006 10:45
Re: Brown algae?? #3
I had brown algae, and I read about breaks in the lighting.

So I now have my lights on a timer, and have them on for 5 hours, then a break of 2 hours, then back on for another 5 hours.

Brown algae all but gone now!
If toast always lands butter-side down, and cats always land on their feet, what happens if you strap toast on the back of a cat and drop it??
darrellvw darrellvw
  • Not too shy to talk
  • Not too shy to talk
  • Joined: 2/2/2006 8:18
  • From Somerset
  • Group: Registered Users Basic Membership
  • Posts: 28
  • Posted on: 4/4/2006 21:25
Re: Brown algae?? #4
Sorry for not replying sooner but I have managed to crack my ribs (quite painful to say the least!).

My water readings are now very good after problems in the early days. The only dodgy reading is ph which is still at 6.6 but I am trying to remedy that. Do yo u think this may be contributing?

The light gets left on for between 7-9 hours a day in one stint. So I may try the timer idea, I think I have a timer somewhere.
fredrick_more fredrick_more
  • Pond Moderator
  • Pond Moderator
  • Joined: 4/3/2005 17:50
  • From Nottinghamshire
  • Group: Registered Users Caresheets FK Supporter
  • Posts: 3171
  • Posted on: 4/4/2006 21:34
Re: Brown algae?? #5
argh that must of hurt, hope ur feeling better i managed to slit my finger open today didnt stop bleeding till ages afterwards all well

Do you know the pH of the tap water?

Also how new is the tank?
Goldy Goldy
  • Forum Manager
  • Forum Manager
  • Joined: 10/3/2004 21:05
  • From Cheshire
  • Group: Registered Users Image Admin Caresheets Moderators Advisers
  • Posts: 16771
  • Posted on: 4/4/2006 22:13
Re: Brown algae?? #6
Borrowed from TFF

"Brown algae" (diatoms)

This is often the first algae to appear in a newly set-up tank, where conditions have yet to stabilise. It will often appear around the 2-12 week period, and may disappear as quickly as it arrived when the conditions stabilise after a couple of months. It is essential to minimise nutrient levels to ensure the algae disappears - avoid overfeeding and carry out the appropriate water changes, gravel and filter cleaning, etc. Limiting the light will not deter this algae, as it can grow at low lighting levels and will normally out-compete green algae under these conditions.

If brown algae appears in an established tank, check nitrate and phosphate levels. Increased water changes or more thorough substrate cleaning may be necessary. Using a phosphate-adsorbing resin will also remove silicates, which are important to the growth of this algae. However, as noted above, it is essentially impossible to totally eliminate algae with this strategy alone. Due to its ability to grow at low light levels, this algae may also appear in dimly lit tanks, where old fluorescent bulbs have lost much of their output. If a problem does occur, otocinclus catfish are known to clear this algae quickly, although you may need several for larger tanks, and they can be difficult to acclimatise initially.

There are some very plausible theories as to why this algae often appears in newly set up tanks and then later disappears. If the silicate (Si) to phosphate (P) ratio is high, then diatoms are likely to have a growth advantage over true algae types and Cyanobacteria. Some of the silicate may come from the tapwater, but it will also be leached from the glass of new aquaria, and potentially from silica sand/gravel substrates to some extent. Later, when this leaching has slowed, and phosphate is accumulating in the maturing tank, the Si:P ratio will change in favour of phosphate, which is likely to favour the growth of green algae instead.
Green algae
darrellvw darrellvw
  • Not too shy to talk
  • Not too shy to talk
  • Joined: 2/2/2006 8:18
  • From Somerset
  • Group: Registered Users Basic Membership
  • Posts: 28
  • Posted on: 5/4/2006 20:56
Re: Brown algae?? #7
Thanks for asking, the ribs are a bit better today ( only very painful, rather than very very painful ! ) Hope your finger is ok?

The tap water ph varies between 6.6 - 6.8 & the tank has been set up since Christmas.

I am still new to this hobby so :- what is 'phosphate-adsorbing resin', & how big do otocinclus catfish get?