How do I get rid of brown algae?

[Tropical]

I have brown algae covering the fake plants and some gravel in my 20l fw tank. I have 4 platy and a bolivian ram. The filter is great, I do 20% water changes every week. I'm guessing I might be overfeeding a little, so I decreased the amount of food.

Any way to get this stuff off? I tried just wiping it, but it took forever for one leaf. Maybe a snail?

 

[Rosenweiss]

...wait, so they're all in a 5 gallon tank?

 

[fort384]

Agree with Rosenweiss's first thought... the tank is overstocked.

How long has the tank been established? What are the water parameters? (nitrate, nitrite, ammonia). How are you lighting the tank and for how long each day?

 

[Tropical]

Oh no! Sorry, I misphrased! Its a 20 gallon long, the dimensions are 30"x13"x13", I ment 20 long but I guess it looks like 20 liters!

 

[Tropical]

The tank has been up since October 2010. Ammonia and nitrate are 0, nitrite is around 25-30. I light the tank from 6am to 6pm usually.

 

[Tropical]

The light is the one that came with the hood. It's a 20 watt flourescent, I beleive.

 

[fort384]

I am going to assume you mixed up nitrite and nitrate, so water parameters look good. How long have the diatoms been an issue?

For starters, consider doing a 50% PWC instead of 20% each week. It will help export excess nutrients (especially PO4, which would be a result of overfeeding).

Do your best not to overfeed the tank.

What kind of substrate is in the tank, and what kind of filter are you running?

Diatom outbreaks are extremely common in newly established tanks. While it seems to have manifested a little bit later in your tank's life, I would still call your tank a new(ish?) tank. The outbreak may clear up of its own volition in a week or two.

 

[Tropical]

It's just regular gravel and a Aqueaon 30 Power filter. I do always get nitrite and nitrate mixed up. I'll do a bigger pwc tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[fort384]

Tropical, sounds good. I would give it a few days and try some PWCs. If it starts getting worse, it might be worth exploring some other options.

 

[Tropical]

I remember reading that nerite snails will eat most algae, do you know if there's any truth to that?

*Sorry for the dumb mistakes tonight, it's past midnight here.

 

[fort384]

It is true, but I don't think it is going to help in this case.

My personal opinion... adding critters to take care of an "issue" like this (especially in FW tanks) is generally not the best way to go. That being said, if you like nerites for nerites, then by all means add some. I just never like to create the impression that they will solve problems, because usually they won't, at least not entirely. There is a root cause here somewhere. Fortunately with diatoms, sometimes the root cause can just be a newly established tank.

 

[ejaramillo01]

I am going to assume you mixed up nitrite and nitrate, so water parameters look good. How long have the diatoms been an issue?

For starters, consider doing a 50% PWC instead of 20% each week. It will help export excess nutrients (especially PO4, which would be a result of overfeeding).

Do your best not to overfeed the tank.

Fort : For the benefit of tropical, you mentioned phosphates as a possible cause for diatoms or algae. In what amount the PO4 are considered high? What level could be considered normal?

Thanks

 

[fort384]

In a non-planted tank, anything greater than 0 is undesirable.

In a planted tank, I shoot for 0.25-0.5. Some aim a little higher, but certainly under 1ppm is a good idea.

 

[Shadowraven]

Another thing that needs to be mentioned is that I think that you are lighting your tank for too long each day. Try cutting back on the light to say 9-10 hours a day, instead of 12. If this is algae, then cutting back on the light the tank receives should help to get the algae under control.

 

[fort384]

For most algae I would agree. For diatoms however I don't think it will matter much.

 

[shankss69]

I actually was going to post today cause I am having the exact same problem as tropical. But I will try all the above solutions first. I tested my water last night and nothing was out of the norm and my tank has been set up for atleast 4 months so who knows

 

[Dwohlge1]

Would live plants help to prevent an issue like this?

 

[Tropical]

I have a single live plant, an anubias, and if anything it seems like more algae is growing on it. I definately agree on the "not adding more fish to solve problems" approach, I usually recommend the same. I was mostly looking for a natural solution. Also, I do like the zebra nerites, I might pick up one next time I see it.

 

[Shadowraven]

For most algae I would agree. For diatoms however I don't think it will matter much.

You're probably about that, but diatoms are phytoplankton (microscopic algae) and they need light as well. It couldn't hurt, right?

A diatom bloom is usually caused by excess nutrients (most likely), excess silicates or excess iodine (less likely).

If it is excess nutrients, a diatom bloom will be followed by a cyanobacteria. Starving them of nutrients can help with this. Back off on the food and keep up the PWC and that will help. As with any algae, having healthy live plants in the tank will steal the nutrients that blooms like this need to survive. A single plant won't be enough. These blooms will almost always fade with time in any case.

The silicates would likely come from tap water, but that isn't real likely here I don't think. A persistent bloom on the darker areas of the tank would indicate this. That can be removed by adding something like Seachem’s PhosGuard.

Just for information otocinclus, ramshorn snails, nerites and I think many shrimp will eat this stuff. But like fort already said, it would be better NOT to add any additional bioload to the tank at this time.

 

[beepboop]

I use a canister filter with Chemi-pure elite. That controls nitrates, so I've never had a problem with any kind of algae.