Brown Algae.

[jlbfish]

I've had a brown algae issue for months. I have also in that time added new driftwood and rock. I was wondering if a lighting schedule would help. If so how long to you light your tanks?

It is a 75 gallon with fluorescent lighting.

Thanks!

 

[tamtam]

They are actually diatoms. From my reading they differ from the "standard" green algae you deal with in aquariums. It's all pretty technical and confusing to me but my understanding is that they actually don't use light like "regular" algae so a change in lighting probably won't effect the growth.

They feed off of silicates in your water, usually after several months of your tank being stocked and well established they use up all the silicates it your water and start to die off. Usually most tap water sources don't provide enough silicates to sustain diatoms long term if you are doing weekly water changes. If something occurs and you are doing large water changes in frequency than you will really up the silicates in your tank again and may deal with a regrowth of them.

Basically just keep wiping them off and eventually it should level it's self out.

 

[BBradbury]

Your Algae Question

I've had a brown algae issue for months. I have also in that time added new driftwood and rock. I was wondering if a lighting schedule would help. If so how long to you light your tanks?

It is a 75 gallon with fluorescent lighting.

Thanks!

Hello jlb...

Algae feeds on dissolved nutrients in the water. When you feed your fish and plants too much, the unused or uneaten food dissolves in the water and primitive plants like algae thrive in those conditions.

In nature, plants and fish get nourishment maybe once a week, so there's really no reason to feed more than that. If you take away the food, the algae will shrink and eventually disappear.

I keep large, planted tanks and feed my fish just what will be eaten in a minute or two and I feed a couple of times a week. If you have fry in the tank, then that's different. You need to feed a little more often.

Change out half the tank water every week and feed just a little. The algae won't be such a problem.

Just a couple of thoughts.

B

 

[Rivercats]

Another thing is if you don't have a planted tank you can use Phosphate remover media to your filter as it also removes silicates. You never said what kind of lights you have and how long you leave them on daily.

 

[jlbfish]

I have one little Java Fern. Can I use phosphate remover with that or will it kill the plant?

My lights are "Power Glo" 48"
40W T8

They are probably on 12'ish hours a day.

 

[Rivercats]

No it shouldn't but I wouldn't leave the phosphate remover in the tank more than a month. If left in all the time it will IMO starve the java fern of phosphate which is a needed macro nutrient.