I'm aware it's not technically algae but it's more of a pain in the behung than actual algae and it looks plain awful. Not only that it has done a number on my Ceratophyllum demersum. I've also got moneywort and Java ferns that are doing just fine, one of the ferns was getting a bit rough with the brown algae but I introduced otocinclus fish to the tank and they cleaned it up it has since turned around. But my Ceratophyllum demersum are still taking a beating. I've done my regular water changes and I currently have cut down the food supply because I thought waste could be a culprit. My water is a bit harder, I heard a rumour that brown algae doesn't like soft water. I'm going to do a 60 percent water change, 40 percent of the water I've always used and 20 percent reverse osmosis water. I'm still quite fresh to running a fresh water aquarium any extra suggestions or tips would be extremely valued.
Brown algae and plants
- Thread starter Tellard
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
I don't know if you saw this post, but I recently have been battling this in my setup. See one of the last posts for a very informative article on diatoms. In my case, diatoms were only half my battle- but I learned a ton about them in the process and it's finally now just starting to get under control. The diatoms were bad enough in my case (and other algae) that I actually permanently removed many of my plants and started over. Perhaps your situation is not as dire as mine.
You should have two goals: to remove the existing diatoms, and also to try to prevent them from occurring by isolating what is causing them- or at least slow their growth.
Things that diatoms like:
If you have these in high quantities (as many planted tank owners have phosphates and nitrates) you will get diatoms. One thing to note is that the conditions in your filter and your plumbing may meet the above criteria. It may be helpful to start cleaning these areas- set your filter media aside first, before you clean the filter, of course.
When you clean an object or plant- remove it from your tank, and clean it in a separate container. When you wipe diatoms off an object, they end up floating in the water column and will just reattach somewhere else. Cleaning the object in a separate container of dechlorinated water will prevent them from reattaching in your tank.
Diatoms will also "creep" from their starting position which may or may not be visible. So, if you find yourself cleaning the same spot over and over again, it's likely you're missing some somewhere.
In my case, I was unable to eliminate the cause of my diatoms- it was in my water supply. To counter their growth, I got a large pack of Otocinclus Catfish.
You should have two goals: to remove the existing diatoms, and also to try to prevent them from occurring by isolating what is causing them- or at least slow their growth.
Things that diatoms like:
- Excess of Silicate
- Excess of Phosphates
- High Nitrates
- Low Light
If you have these in high quantities (as many planted tank owners have phosphates and nitrates) you will get diatoms. One thing to note is that the conditions in your filter and your plumbing may meet the above criteria. It may be helpful to start cleaning these areas- set your filter media aside first, before you clean the filter, of course.
When you clean an object or plant- remove it from your tank, and clean it in a separate container. When you wipe diatoms off an object, they end up floating in the water column and will just reattach somewhere else. Cleaning the object in a separate container of dechlorinated water will prevent them from reattaching in your tank.
Diatoms will also "creep" from their starting position which may or may not be visible. So, if you find yourself cleaning the same spot over and over again, it's likely you're missing some somewhere.
In my case, I was unable to eliminate the cause of my diatoms- it was in my water supply. To counter their growth, I got a large pack of Otocinclus Catfish.
