[cowmilkcandy]

i always get brown algae on my glass...and some of my plants. It's pretty easy to remove but i have no idea why i'm getting it. 90 gallon low tech tank. No ferts. Lights are 2x54w t5's on 7 hours everyday. Should i shorten my photoperiod to 6? any help would be appreciated!

 

[MWebee]

Is it a newer tank?

 

[cowmilkcandy]

Since the middle of January.

 

[MWebee]

It's likely diatoms. Oto's love to eat it. It's often caused by excess silicates and in new tanks.

There's a ton of info on the forum is you search brown algae.

 

[cowmilkcandy]

I did tried searching. Couldn't find anything that's why i decided to ask for help.

 

[MWebee]

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=164460

 

[cowmilkcandy]

What I got out of that thread is basically otos and Amano shrimp. Will that really solve my problem though? Let say I put in otos and Amano shrimp and they clear everything up, wouldn't the algae just come back within a week or so?

 

[MWebee]

Usually once the excess silicates runs out it stops. I put Otos in my new 33 and they keep it pretty clean.

 

[andrewq]

+1 on the otos

You could also try dosing excel. Works great for algae

 

[cowmilkcandy]

My lfs said otos doesn't do well in bigger tanks. Is that true or no?

 

[andrewq]

LOL..........No that is not true. You would think most LFS employees would know there stuff. Usually they dont. If they sound like there not sure, its because they probably aren't. Otos like to be in groups. I have 6 in my 40b, and 4 in my 20 long.

 

[Smeagol]

Aren't Otos great? They might be my all-time favorite fish. Not only are they useful as algae eaters, but they are amusing to watch.... They're always busily munching their way along plant leaves, or else you find them in the most unusual positions (like hanging upside-down on the underside of a leaf). And with their big eyes, they are as cute as puppy dogs!

 

[cowmilkcandy]

thanks for all the responses! i will go and get some otos!

 

[cowmilkcandy]

i found out the problem to my algae. It's because of high phosphate. Around 1.0ppm. Is there anything i can do other than RO water?

 

[Darrenpauli]

You can soak it up with phosphate remover media - Seachem make a good product, and I recall that you can soak the bag (in what I can't remember) and reuse.