Is algae good for an aquarium?

[Sidman24]

I have some brown algae scattered over my aquarium. Should I be in a rush to get rid of it or not? I sorta like the look of it. Was wondering if it's beneficial at all?

 

[Mebbid]

Algae is usually beneficial but unsightly. A lot of fish will eat it quite readily as its a healthy food source. It'll also absorb some (very tiny amounts) of nutrients from the water.

 

[Old Scales]

Sidman,
Does the brown algae feel slimy and rub off easily? If it does it's probably diatoms. They consume excess silicates in your tank and once they do they will go away naturally. How new is this tank? I've heard of it showing up in tanks as far as four months out. The best remedy is to rub it off stuff as much as you can with your fingers just before you do your water change. You just have to wait it out. As far as algae, I like having a little bit of GSA on some of my driftwood, rocks and a few of the older leaves. It gives the tank a natural patina and my ottos and snails something to munch on.
To keep algae under control watch your lighting time and make sure to use a balanced macro and micro fertilizer program.
Hope this helps, OS.

 

[Sidman24]

What's the difference between macro and micro fertilizer ? I just use flourish about twice a week. I'll check on the algae in a bit

 

[Sidman24]

Yes it rubs off fairly easy and it's about 4 months old

 

[BBradbury]

Algae

I have some brown algae scattered over my aquarium. Should I be in a rush to get rid of it or not? I sorta like the look of it. Was wondering if it's beneficial at all? View attachment 214937View attachment 214938

Hello Sid...

Some algae is the sign of a healthy tank and a part of most aquarium fishes' diets. It has a natural look I personally like. If you're careful how much you feed and follow a sound tank maintenance routine, it won't get out of hand.

B

 

[Old Scales]

Macro and Micro

What's the difference between macro and micro fertilizer ? I just use flourish about twice a week. I'll check on the algae in a bit

Sidman,
It's important that plants get both macros AND micros. Macro nutrients are Nitrates, Potassium, & Phosphorus. Micros are Iron, magnesium, boron, & other trace elements. Your Floursish is basically a micro only fert. It helps but is not complete enough. Here's a link to the GLA website that has some info on the different nutrients. The PPS-Pro or EI packages they sell give you all the types you need together. Hope this helps, OS.
Understanding Aquarium Fertilizer & Planted Tank Fertilization Methods and Calculators | Planted Aquarium Blog – Green Leaf Aquariums

 

[Sidman24]

Sidman,
It's important that plants get both macros AND micros. Macro nutrients are Nitrates, Potassium, & Phosphorus. Micros are Iron, magnesium, boron, & other trace elements. Your Floursish is basically a micro only fert. It helps but is not complete enough. Here's a link to the GLA website that has some info on the different nutrients. The PPS-Pro or EI packages they sell give you all the types you need together. Hope this helps, OS.
Understanding Aquarium Fertilizer & Planted Tank Fertilization Methods and Calculators | Planted Aquarium Blog – Green Leaf Aquariums

So what else should I be dosing with? Flourish excel?

 

[Old Scales]

Flourish Excel is a liquid carbon for giving plants extra carbon without going to CO2.
If you want to stay with Seachem products look for their liquid macros to go with the Flourish.

 

[Sidman24]

Flourish Excel is a liquid carbon for giving plants extra carbon without going to CO2.
If you want to stay with Seachem products look for their liquid macros to go with the Flourish.

Okay I just ordered some flourish potassium. Thank you. How often should I dose though? It's a 75 gallon

 

[flitabout]

How planted is your tank? Pictures if you have them.

 

[flitabout]

The wisteria should have a root tab as well.

 

[Sidman24]

How planted is your tank? Pictures if you have them.

. This is a couple weeks old. The little hair grass is gone now.

 

[Sidman24]

I do use root tabs

 

[Sidman24]

Well the algae is now getting more populated... I really hope the macro/micro fixes the problem. I stopped dosing with the macro until my micro gets here. I took a few pieces of decor out and scrubbed them off to see how fast it grows back.

 

[BBradbury]

Tank Algae

I have some brown algae scattered over my aquarium. Should I be in a rush to get rid of it or not? I sorta like the look of it. Was wondering if it's beneficial at all? View attachment 214937View attachment 214938

Hello Sid...

Algae is great stuff, under decent control. It makes the tank look natural. it's a natural water filter, it's pretty, it's a good supplement to your fishes' diet, you name it. It gets ugly and out of control when you don't follow a sound tank management routine.

You'll need to change a lot of tank water and change it frequently. Don't allow direct sunlight to hit the tank for even a short time. Don't feed the plants and fish too much. Neither needs much to be healthy. The plants can be fed a little when you do your 50 percent weekly water change. The fish are tiny and unless you're raising fry, they can easily live on a couple of small feedings per week. They'll do a better job of keeping the tank clean if they're foraging for the last leftover. They'll move around and stay healthier.

"Save the algae".

B

 

[Sidman24]

Hello Sid...

Algae is great stuff, under decent control. It makes the tank look natural. it's a natural water filter, it's pretty, it's a good supplement to your fishes' diet, you name it. It gets ugly and out of control when you don't follow a sound tank management routine.

You'll need to change a lot of tank water and change it frequently. Don't allow direct sunlight to hit the tank for even a short time. Don't feed the plants and fish too much. Neither needs much to be healthy. The plants can be fed a little when you do your 50 percent weekly water change. The fish are tiny and unless you're raising fry, they can easily live on a couple of small feedings per week. They'll do a better job of keeping the tank clean if they're foraging for the last leftover. They'll move around and stay healthier.

"Save the algae".

B

Thanks B !! Maybe I'll start feeding every other day?? That's really gonna be hard though when my big guys are swimming up the tank in the morning for food! Haha

 

[Mebbid]

Thanks B !! Maybe I'll start feeding every other day?? That's really gonna be hard though when my big guys are swimming up the tank in the morning for food! Haha

There's absolutely no reason to reduce feedings unless your nitrates are out of control (40ppm+) High nitrates are VERY RARELY the cause of algae in a fresh water aquarium.

Case in point:

That is my low tech medium light 55g tank. It runs at around 30ppm nitrates on average and I would challenge anyone to find algae in my tank despite not having scraped the sides in over a month. Large daily feedings are done in this tank and it is also heavily stocked.

The key to an algae free tank is a good balance between fertilizers, plants, light, and carbon.

Furthermore, the diatoms that you have growing in your tank is just a growing pain that most if not all aquariums go through in their early stages. It will run its course and then you will be free of it.

 

[mrvincent]

Yes that's benefical. It's unpleasant for human eyes. What you have is diatoms on your rock, it usually appear in new tanks, as the tank release some silicates in the water the first month(s)...

 

[Cactuspixie]

View attachment 215006. This is a couple weeks old. The little hair grass is gone now.

Beautiful tank