Brown Algae Problem

[KevinB]

I've had a brown algae problem crop up in a pretty well established Cichlid tank with 4 small 1" convicts.

I searched the forum but am a bit confused. I am doing more water changes to try to resolve, and am planning to turn light off more. Both of these items I've read will both hurt and help, so hence the confusion.

I feed the males a little bit 3 times a day. No excess food really staying in tank. Tank is 73 degrees, pH 7.0-7.1, AMM 0, Nitrites 0, and Nitrates 5ppm-7ppm. Never seen over that as I do preventative 40-50% water changes at least every two weeks and the fish are small. Tank is 37 tall, and has AQ70 filter. I have not introduced anything new into tank. My wife just running light more lately, which I suggested leaving off, however I have read not having light on may be part of problem, and that brown algae (diatoms) not cured by darkening tank. Pretty sure it's BA, but will get a pic if/when it comes back. It coats glass in patches, and collects on rocks, cave and filter inlet tube. We scrubbed it all off today, and vacuumed rocks well, scrubbed fake plants. The rocks are standard natural pebbles you get at LFS, and the cave is one of the typical LFS type but have been in for a year without issue.

Any other ideas or advice?

Thanks, Kevin

 

[Reygan2]

I have some of that going on in my tank too. I have the Finnex Fugeray led fixture and any plants that are directly under it get covered pretty badly. I clean it when I do wc's but it just grows back. I'm thinking it's a combination of too many nutrients (overfeeding/overstocked) and my light period is probably too long. I do large weekly water changes, but the algae remains pretty consistent in my tank.
So, if yours is diatoms, they will go away. If it's BA, then I'd shorten the light period and feed less. Even if you're not finding excess food...the fish are still pooping. Worth a try.

 

[jarrod0987]

Sounds like Brown Diatom algae. It usually goes away on it's own. it is fed by silicate which your tap water is loaded with. Re mineralizing RODI water is a pain in the *** but it would help. OTO cats love to eat it but your cichlids may not play nice with them. I never tried them in a cichlid tank.

 

[Reygan2]

Sounds like Brown Diatom algae. It usually goes away on it's own. it is fed by silicate which your tap water is loaded with. Re mineralizing RODI water is a pain in the *** but it would help. OTO cats love to eat it but your cichlids may not play nice with them. I never tried them in a cichlid tank.

Brown diatoms after a year? I doubt it.
And I'd never put otos in with cichlids.

 

[jarrod0987]

Brown diatoms after a year? I doubt it.
And I'd never put otos in with cichlids.

It does sometimes happen. I don't know why. I often wonder if the reason why they go away to begin with , even though more silicate is constantly added with water changes, is that some micro organism develops a population to eat it. If something was to kill that population, you could get a resurgence. To my knowledge there is not any other types of brown algae common in freshwater aquariums? I know there are some in salt water but they appear to have leaves etc. You can see them in Julian Sprung's book. Maybe no where else these days?

I wonder if this is what the OP see's?
https://www.google.com/search?q=brown+diatom+algae&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=955&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0CCAQsARqFQoTCKfxod-twMcCFQPNgAod7wQNDg

 

[TheDude]

I had a brown algae bloom in my 36 gallon heavily planted tank. The reason was too much light, I cut my light back to only about 5-6 hours a day for a few weeks and its cleared up

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[KevinB]

We are cutting the light back, but had read that light didn't matter because it wasn't true algae, but it makes sense, because that is the key thing that has changed. My wife has left light on more.

Thanks again.
kevin