strange algae? help

[danpas]

Hey everyone.. im getting this strange brownish red algae growth in my tank and its spreading rapidly.. I've always had dark green algae but sence my tear down and rebuild been around 3 months I have developed this.. is it normal ok? Any advice or comments would be great

 

[Morgie]

this page may help..
Red Slime Algae (Cyanobacteria) - Description, causes and cures for Red Slime Algae (Cyanobacteria)
I just googled red algae growth in tanks, since I've never had this happen to me. I'd just read some articles about it and see if it sounds like what you've got.

 

[danpas]

Thank u.. I don't much mind if its there I can clean the glass.. just worried if its harmful to my aquarium..

 

[Morgie]

If it gets everywhere and overwhelming it will harm your fish, but that's the same for any algae. Good luck.

 

[tyspot1000]

It looks more like Diatoms (Brown Algae), not Red Slime algae. They should go away on there own.

 

[Jason7894561230]

I agree they look more brownish. They should burn themselves out in around 1-6 months

 

[redruckus]

ya thats common brown algae not harmful at all to your fish. to get rid of it get an algae eating pleco not all plecos eat algae unlike most fish stores will tell you or get some malaysian trumpet snails i know small pond snails love that stuff but lots of people dont like intentionaly adding snails to a tank but a smaller 2-3" pleco or gibicept would work just fine i know gibicepts cost a bit more but are super efficent algae cleaners

 

[roydooms]

My plants and substrate were covered with diatoms and a thin layer of algae. I bought an albino bristlenose pleco and 90% of algae are gone. The pleco ate it. I'm not sure if it's just a coincidence but when I bought the pleco, I also bought an fx5 and I'm thinking that the added water movement/current prevents algae growth. I pointed the output towards the most affected part. I'm not sure though if the reason the diatoms are gone is the increase on water movement. I watched my pleco clean the diatoms off of my plants leaves and substrate.

 

[fort384]

If you go for a pleco, make sure it is not a common pleco. They get too large for most home aquaria.

Diatoms are very common in new tanks... a combination of a clean up crew and time will help. Increasing flow can also help, as Roy described. If your tank is near it's max for stocking, you can just try cleaning it up for a few weeks and see if the problem does not lessen with time. There are almost always some amount of diatoms in an aquarium, you will never completely rid the tank of them. The key is controlling them and keeping them to a minimum.

 

[danpas]

Ok sounds good.. actually have 2 common plecos in my tank and just 3 other fish in a 45 gallon.. thanks ill just wait a few more weeks b4 I clean.. not worried about it as long as its harmful...

 

[danpas]

Thanks everyone !!!!!!

 

[fort384]

It won't hurt anything.

How big are your plecos? A full grown pleco needs a minimum 125 gal tank... keeping them in a 45 will cause stunting and other problems.

 

[redruckus]

it takes years to get a pleco up to its full size ive personaly never had one get over 8" in my 40gal thats why i would go with a gibicept the get a max of 8-9" so its not that bad in an 40-60gal tank

 

[fort384]

It has never gotten over 8" in your 40gal because it was stunted...

Agree there are suitable plecos for smaller tanks... the common pleco is not one of them.

 

[roydooms]

It has never gotten over 8" in your 40gal because it was stunted...

Agree.

 

[danpas]

Actually the placos came from a friends tank they r still small about 3in once they get to big I will trade them at the lfs