New to Plants - Got Brown Algae!

[aquanewbie72]

I just entered into this marvelous world of LIVE PLANTS in my tank about a month ago. I didn't go crazy- I've got just 4 really simple and hardy plants - Brazilian swords, Java Fern, a Sandy, and.... this other plant that has reddish leaves- the name escapes me at the moment. BUT ANYWAY- please look at the pictures below - I am getting a reddish-brown algae ON my plants. Can you please advise me on what I can do to curb this? I've been struggling with it in the tank for months and months - I thought I had read that plants would help - but it appears that its taking over my plants too! :x

Thanks so much in advance. I know I haven't been around lately but I've missed everyone.

ADDITION - forgot to say I've got 30 watts of light and its a 26 gallon tank. The rest of the tank info is in my sig.

 

[travis simonson]

A couple of questions: does it come off of the plants easily if you shake them a bit? If not, does it smell particularly awful if you rub your fingers on it and smell them?

 

[aquanewbie72]

It comes off VERY easily. All I do is brush them very gently with a soft brush and it comes right off.

 

[travis simonson]

That's diatom algae then. It is very common in new tanks because of lower than normal O2 levels and is usually caused by immature biological filters. It should go away as the nitrifying bacteria in your bio-media matures. You can also speed the removal of it by adding some additional aeration to your tank. If you've got an extra air pump and a good airstone, throw it in the tank and it should help. In any case, it should disappear as your filter matures

 

[aquanewbie72]

Hmmmm I'm not sure thats it.... I already have 2 columns of bubbles going up one side of the tank and everything in the tank has been set up since last December. Theres nothing "new" except the plants. Could it be something else???
The algae is also NOT new - I just thought I had read somewhere that real plants would help get rid of it. I could be wrong about that.

 

[travis simonson]

From the way you describe the algae, it almost certainly sounds like diatoms. Touch it with your fingers and then smell them: does it have a very pungent scent?

 

[aquanewbie72]

LOL That is very hard to do - as soon as I touch it, it just disinegrates into the water in a little puff. Its almost like powder. But no, if I rub my fingers on it and then take a whiff, I don't smell anything out of the ordinary- just normal ole'aquarium smell. LOL

Pretty strange huh? I've got to be the only person in the world that has had diatoms in their tank for 8 months.

 

[rich311k]

That is almost certainly diatoms then. They come off in a cloud of dust.

 

[travis simonson]

You may need more light then, sad to say. Diatoms can also be indicative of too little lighting.

 

[aquanewbie72]

oh MAN - are you kidding me? I just sunk almost $75 into a double light strip and a whole new top when I got the plants. I've already caught the fish on EBay looking for sunglasses! 8)

OK well, if thats the problem then I will keep up my faithful water changes and gentle brushing until the fish's bank account recovers. LOL I do think they make a triple light strip.....

I'll also keep checking back here in case anyone has any other thoughts.....

 

[mr funktastic]

do u have an otto? i set up a new tank and it got diatomes. the entire tank was coated from top to bottom and 24 hours after i put an otto in it was completly spotless. they love brown algea.

 

[JRagg]

There are other cheaper ways of upgrading lighting than just normal flourescent bulbs. People here can help you if and when you decide to do it.

I've got 26 watts of CF over a 10g tank, and it cost me $25 with the bulbs.

 

[mr funktastic]

where did u get that system jragg?

 

[aquanewbie72]

oh yes, I'd like to do it as cheaply as possible if I can. Please share!!!

by the way, I DID put 2 Otos in that tank a few months ago - and my Angelfish killed them. She just picked and picked at them and chased them until they died from stress. It was terrible. That Angelfish doesn't bother anybody else in there - but she sure didn't like those things at all. very strange....

 

[JRagg]

I know I've been doing a lot of advertising for them, but I used a AHsupply retrofit kit. Just required a little wiring and I reused my 10g flourescent light fixture for it. The kit was $15 and the bulbs were $5 or 6 each.

Those kits become less economical the higher lighting you do though. I'm sure that aquanewbie could try ODNO though to squeeze more out of the current fixture.

 

[mr funktastic]

i forgot to mention this aquanewbie but do u have any for of building or electrical skills? a DIY method is always my favourite and is usually pretty cheap. u could build a double tripple even quadruple lighting strip to go over the tank. i just built one for my 5 gal that was 28 watts and cost me nothing casue i used old lights that i had. u can get ballasts rated for up to 4 48"t-8 bulbs and run any light smaller than that in the ballast. u could build a quad 15 watt t-8 strip giving u 60 watts but if u wanted u could run just 2 bulbs at first to see how it goes. then add another if its ok then another if u want to go with co2. DIY will leave u alot more open for change when or if u want to. the ballast will be around 20 dollars then a few dollars for end caps and bulbs. maybe 40 dolars all together but that would be giving u 60 watts of interchangable light. just an idea for ya.

 

[aquanewbie72]

I most certainly don't have such "skills" - but my hubby is an auto mechanic so he could definitely handle such a project. That would sure save me lots of money and I wouldn't have to necessarily get rid of that double-wide fancy oak hood I just bought if I go with a retrofit kit.
By vamping up the wattage and so forth, when does extra heat become an issue to the point that I would have to add fans and so forth? Or would I not run into that issue lighting a 26 gallon - I'm currently using 2- 18" 15watt flourescent tubes by the way.