Brown algae

fishkeeper01 · 10-11-2012, 01:21 AM

i have brown algae problem in both my betta tank and cichlid tank and i'm not sure how to get rid of it.

BruceF · 10-11-2012, 02:44 AM

Is it scummy dirty type of diatoms or more hair like?

fishkeeper01 · 10-11-2012, 05:19 AM

scummy, and when i use a magnet scrubber i see brown clouds come out when i go over corners and the magnet hits the new glass its going over.

BruceF · 10-11-2012, 01:38 PM

Is it a new tank? The first thing to do is clean as much as possible out of the tank and keep the tank as clean as possible.

xavinovic · 10-11-2012, 02:23 PM

i have the same problem, its brown type of dust. its on the leaves i try to clean it by rubbing each leave but its alot of them it comes off but not all the way, is there a better way to get rid off that ?

BruceF · 10-11-2012, 03:09 PM

Snails, shrimp, and otocinclus will eat it. Increasing the amount of light will often help but usually leads to green dust algae instead. If you are feeding fish decreasing the amount of food will often help. Increasing the amount of flow and filtration will help. Oxygenating the water, say by emptying 50% of the water and running a powerhead above the surface once a week will often cure the problem. Time is often a cure but not always.

fishkeeper01 · 10-12-2012, 01:45 AM

ok well adding other fish is out because the outbreak is in a cichlid tank, also the tank was setup maybe 7months ago.

BruceF · 10-12-2012, 09:33 PM

I really think it has to do with excess N.

fishkeeper01 · 10-17-2012, 02:12 AM

would bn plecos be a way to help algae control?

Andrew H · 10-17-2012, 04:21 AM

It would be easier and better to find out what caused the algae bloom.

zzrguy · 10-17-2012, 01:19 PM

Otocinclus will eat it all up. I don't know how big your tank is, but mine is 29 gal and 5 Otocinclus ate and cleaned the hole tank of almost all of it in 4 days.

Sotty · 10-17-2012, 04:25 PM

but in a cichlid tank otos would likely be viewed as an appetizer

fishkeeper01 · 10-17-2012, 05:45 PM

See i dont have a clue of what causes it, i lowered amount of food, i do a regular weekly 25% water change, and i srub every last bit of it off the glass and rocks, and filters(not very hard cuz it comes right off, actually only takes a few min), but slowly it comes back. The tank is 45g.

10-11-2012, 01:21 AM	#1
fishkeeper01 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: hawaii Posts: 180	Brown algae i have brown algae problem in both my betta tank and cichlid tank and i'm not sure how to get rid of it.

10-17-2012, 04:21 AM	#10
Andrew H Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tucson Posts: 148	It would be easier and better to find out what caused the algae bloom. __________________ 55gal Firehouse Tank 5gal Betta/Vampire Tank

10-17-2012, 01:19 PM	#11
zzrguy Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: LI NY Posts: 549	Otocinclus will eat it all up. I don't know how big your tank is, but mine is 29 gal and 5 Otocinclus ate and cleaned the hole tank of almost all of it in 4 days. __________________ I don't know where I'm going but I'm on my way. 29gal

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10-11-2012, 02:44 AM	#2
BruceF Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Centennial,Co Posts: 548	Is it scummy dirty type of diatoms or more hair like?

10-11-2012, 05:19 AM	#3
fishkeeper01 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: hawaii Posts: 180	scummy, and when i use a magnet scrubber i see brown clouds come out when i go over corners and the magnet hits the new glass its going over.

10-11-2012, 01:38 PM	#4
BruceF Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Centennial,Co Posts: 548	Is it a new tank? The first thing to do is clean as much as possible out of the tank and keep the tank as clean as possible.

10-11-2012, 02:23 PM	#5
xavinovic Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: May 2012 Location: houston, tx Posts: 138	i have the same problem, its brown type of dust. its on the leaves i try to clean it by rubbing each leave but its alot of them it comes off but not all the way, is there a better way to get rid off that ?

10-11-2012, 03:09 PM	#6
BruceF Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Centennial,Co Posts: 548	Snails, shrimp, and otocinclus will eat it. Increasing the amount of light will often help but usually leads to green dust algae instead. If you are feeding fish decreasing the amount of food will often help. Increasing the amount of flow and filtration will help. Oxygenating the water, say by emptying 50% of the water and running a powerhead above the surface once a week will often cure the problem. Time is often a cure but not always.

10-12-2012, 01:45 AM	#7
fishkeeper01 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: hawaii Posts: 180	ok well adding other fish is out because the outbreak is in a cichlid tank, also the tank was setup maybe 7months ago.

10-12-2012, 09:33 PM	#8
BruceF Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Centennial,Co Posts: 548	I really think it has to do with excess N.

10-17-2012, 02:12 AM	#9
fishkeeper01 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: hawaii Posts: 180	would bn plecos be a way to help algae control?

10-17-2012, 04:25 PM	#12
Sotty Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Ann Arbor, MI USA Posts: 220	but in a cichlid tank otos would likely be viewed as an appetizer

10-17-2012, 05:45 PM	#13
fishkeeper01 Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: hawaii Posts: 180	See i dont have a clue of what causes it, i lowered amount of food, i do a regular weekly 25% water change, and i srub every last bit of it off the glass and rocks, and filters(not very hard cuz it comes right off, actually only takes a few min), but slowly it comes back. The tank is 45g.