From Brown to Green Algae

[fddlss]

I have a 20 gallon quarantine tank that I'm keeping as a permanent setup for now, until my fish grow and I'm able to move them to the main tank with the bigger, more aggressive fish. I was seeing brown algae maybe a month after setting up the tank (it was setup last October) and now I'm starting to see less brown and more green algae in the back glass of the aquarium, which has a window behind it, there's not a lot of direct sunlight coming from that window, but I know it can still make a difference with algae. I perform weekly water changes of 40% and I keep 1 Vampire shrimp, 1 deep water electra, 2 black calvus, and 4 Neolamprologus brichardi, all of them are small, about 1 inch, except for the shrimp which is about 3 inches.

Besides the reason for the algae, which will be interesting to find out why it changed from brown to green. I would like your opinion about the green algea being good or bad?

Thanks.

 

[Starka]

I have a 20 gallon quarantine tank that I'm keeping as a permanent setup for now, until my fish grow and I'm able to move them to the main tank with the bigger, more aggressive fish. I was seeing brown algae maybe a month after setting up the tank (it was setup last October) and now I'm starting to see less brown and more green algae in the back glass of the aquarium, which has a window behind it, there's not a lot of direct sunlight coming from that window, but I know it can still make a difference with algae. I perform weekly water changes of 40% and I keep 1 Vampire shrimp, 1 deep water electra, 2 black calvus, and 4 Neolamprologus brichardi, all of them are small, about 1 inch, except for the shrimp which is about 3 inches.

Besides the reason for the algae, which will be interesting to find out why it changed from brown to green. I would like your opinion about the green algea being good or bad?

Thanks.

Its quite normal to have both. In all my tanks I have had brown algae at first and then it will turn green, though I don't know why it does it. I'm interested in knowing too, maybe someone on here knows.

 

[KaylNeko]

It seems to be the algae "cycle" from what I can find. New tanks almost always seem to get a diatom bloom (brown) then once that clears up, the green algae starts showing up. My 55 gallon is in the midst of a diatom bloom that needs to hurry up and clear out, the ten gallon has some green algae on the fake driftwood that actually looks really nice so I've left it. It's getting some diatoms back, too, but it's nerite snail food, so I'm leaving it *lol*

The reason for the diatom bloom has a few reasons running around the internet that I've found, most of which I think have some holes in the logic train. I think they're just the hardiest and most opportunistic form of algae, so they're happy in a newer tank and take over before another can settle in while the green algae prefers a slightly more aged vintage. This, of course, could be as flawed an idea as any of the others *rofl*

 

[fddlss]

Thanks. Sounds reasonable. Like you said, there are a lot of opinions out there, although most tend to agree that green algae = a healthy aquarium with maybe too much light. I think it gives the aquarium a natural look and some fish might eat it, it also absorbs nitrates for what I know and might even make the water a little harder for African cichlids since it will utilize carbon dioxide making the water less acidic. This is my opinion, maybe I'm dreaming and totally wrong.

 

[Hobgob]

http://www.aquaticscape.com/articles/algae.htm
Lots of info here.

 

[KaylNeko]

It won't affect pH, but it does soak up nitrates. Too much light or too many nutrients will bring it in--it takes the place, so to speak, of fast growing plants people put in their tank, and it's free *lol*

 

[fddlss]

Thanks for the info guys! Very helpful.