Is this brown algae? If so, how to treat?

[padderson]

This is my 10g hospital/quarantine tank. A month ago I lost 3 fish to fin rot or some fungal infection. I removed the carbon filter (left in bio filter) and treated with maracyn 1 and 2 for 5 days. After that I've cleaned the tank, added carbon filter back, done regular water changes and water monitoring. After 2+ weeks, all is well. The danios and guppies still in the tank seem fine. The water looks clear. All water parameters are perfect.

BUT I have this brown algae like substance increasing its growth all throughout the tank. It's on the glass and ornaments (incl artificial plants). It wipes easily off the glass. But when I rinsed the ornaments in the old water from a change and scrubbed gently with a brush, almost none of the brown came off.

Is this brown algae? If so, how do I treat it? I purchased a mini uv filter but it arrived damage and I'm waiting on a replacement. Will a uv filter help?

 

[Mifsud]

That is brown algae alright.

Algae growth is indicative of excess light and/or elevated nitrogen levels in the aquarium.

The easiest solution that I would recommend is to decrease the amount of time your aquarium is lit and try to put less food in the tank.

A more brute-force approach would include the above as well as increasing the frequency of water changes.

 

[mrvincent]

Brown algae are diatoms. They feed on phosphates and sillicates and light. Just check your levels. Diatoms won't hurt.

What's your photoperiod time ? Maybe drop it to 6hrs/day will help.

Overfeeding promote this algae.


Is this a new tank ? If it's a < 4 month setup, it's a new tank and it's normal. New tanks contains a lot of silicates.


QT tanks often lack of maintenance, maybe a big water change will help ?

 

[jimmyfalcon]

How about a UV light? Will it help get ride of it?

 

[padderson]

Thanks everyone. The tank has been up for 6+ months, so it's not brand new. It was my original tank and then I upgraded to a 20g and made this the QT tank. I do weekly (at least) water changes and check water parameters mid week as well. All had been fine with the tank until the maracyn treatments which seemed to throw the balance out of whack. I had to seriously track water parameters and do a couple daily water changes after that, but everything has seemed back in line now except the brown algae.

I do tend to leave the light on a lot...so I will definitely reduce that amount of time. And I'm hoping that when I receive the replacement uv filter it will help. I don't know for sure if uv treats brown algae...

 

[mrvincent]

UV sterilizer doesn't remove brown algae. It's for green water.

The only way to get rid of diatoms is to lower phosphates/sillicates, and lowering photoperiod.

Don't waste money on a UV sterilizer for a QT tank, even if your QT tank have green water. Green water is good for fishs stress management.

You want UV sterilizer only on your display tank if you get green water, it's for estetic purpose IMO.