Algae Issue HELP!! HELP!!

[Bhunsucker]

I've got an issue with one of my tanks. I've got this brown algae stuff that is growing very fast. I can clean it off and within 6 days its taken over the tank again. Its in my Cichlid tank so I cant put any kind of algae eater in there. I did try a Pleco this past Sunday.... he survived about 24 hours before the Cichlids got him. I looked at him at 3:30pm and all was fine then my wife looked in the tank about an hour later and his eyes were gone and he was still alive at that point but I had to put him down. The tank is not in direct sunlight but the room gets light (indirect). Also the algae has a very strong smell to it. My lights i've got 2 36 in 30watt bulbs and 1 50/50 24inch blub. If Im not able to get this under control soon then I'm going to scrap this tank. Thanks for any help or advise on this.

 

[Simpte]

Need more info. Is it your 55 gallon tank? What are your stocking levels? Why so much lighting? Tank matenance?

 

[iceywater101]

how may hours a day do you light your fish tank?

 

[Bhunsucker]

This is a 45 gal tank with 6 juvenal Cichlids in it. Lights are on except for the 50/50 light about 6 hours a day its on a timer. The 50/50 light is hardly ever turned on. This was a SW tank that I have turned into FW. Weekly water changes 30%. AquaClear filter on the tank.

PH- 8.0
Ammonia- 0
nitrite - 0
Nitrate- 10

 

[Simpte]

What type of cichlids? They all vary in size and fishload .

 

[Bhunsucker]

Lake Malawi Yellow lab. They are about 1-2inches.

 

[Simpte]

How long has it been running? New tanks in the process of settling in have diatoms. Its normal in this situation. Diatoms are usually caused by either..........
new tank syndrome
inadequate lighting (not the case here)
poor water circulation
Water that has excell silicates.

Just manually remove what you can and wait it out if it is new tank syndrome. Fix the other possible problems. Its a harmless algae. A nusience to look at though.

 

[jeff5614]

Could it be cyano? The smell would make me suspect that.

 

[Bhunsucker]

The tank has been setup for about 3 months. Yes this stuff is ugly to look at.

 

[rich311k]

Does it come off easily like powder or does it come off in sheets?

 

[Bhunsucker]

Sheets its not easy. I have to soak the artifical plants and the ornaments in a 10% bleach about once a week to get them clean.

 

[Bhunsucker]

bump