brown algae

[wannalearn]

Hi - I am new; this is my first post. My 55 gallon freshwater aquarium has a lot of what i think is brown algae. I do a 10 % water change weekly, but my tank still looks "dirty." The water is a little cloudy. I have 10 black skirt tetras and a plecostomus (just added the pleco Thursday 4/20).
Any other info you need to help with my problem?

 

[TMaier]

This is common for new-ish tanks and usually subsides on its own.

 

[wannalearn]

The thing is, this is not a new set-up. The tank has been here about 8 years. I "inherited" it from a former employee who really is an "expert". He left about 5 or 6 years ago. The tank was set up as a beautifully planted aquarium. He didn't leave any detailed instructions for taking care of it, just told me it was "easy." Well, it wasn't. I eventually ended up pulling all the live plants and replacing them with artificial. Then the substrate was really dirty with all kinds of decayed plant material, so I replaced that. Unfortunately, I didn't rinse the new gravel well enough and I lost most of my fish. Now I have just tetras and the pleco but I still think it doesn't look good. I had 2 previous plecos (at different times) that starved. I had them a couple of weeks and they just got thinner until they died. I tried veggies and algae wafers, but they wouldn't eat. The guy at PetSmart (where I got the fish) said my temp was too low. So I turned it up to 78. I don't want this pleco, or any other fish to die.

 

[TMaier]

Lots of changes. What has changed over the past few months.

 

[wannalearn]

New gravel and fish. I added 2 small plants at the advice of the aquarium guy at petsmart.

 

[TMaier]

I suspect the gravel. An abundance of new silicates. Or your phosphates and nitrates could be high? New food for the new fish ? Check the label to see if it is phosphate free.

Look up Diatoms for pics and tactics. I always feel bad if it is someone's source water. But since yours has just started I think it's the gravel or the food feeding the Diatoms.

 

[flchamp89]

Bulbs or leds? Many believe a kelvin decrease can be a trigger

 

[wannalearn]

Thanks for your replies! (BTW, I don't have Internet at home and can't get on-line everyday at work, so it might take me a couple of days to reply)
I have 6500K bulbs, but have not replaced them for a few years. I know they degrade after a while; I will replace them. If the new gravel caused the silicates, how do I correct that? The fish food label does not say phosphate free. One of the ingredients listed is L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate with a "C" in parentheses. That is probably the source of vitamin C in the food; I know ascorbic acid is vitamin C. The food is New Life Spectrum Community Fish Formula. Should I change brands?
I really appreciate everyone's help!

 

[flchamp89]

Phosphates dont cause algae. Silicate are usually issue with diatoms.

 

[wannalearn]

I suspect the gravel. An abundance of new silicates. Or your phosphates and nitrates could be high? New food for the new fish ? Check the label to see if it is phosphate free.

Look up Diatoms for pics and tactics. I always feel bad if it is someone's source water. But since yours has just started I think it's the gravel or the food feeding the Diatoms.

Can you tell me what I should be looking for with "diatoms and tactics?" Could diatoms cause problems. Isn't diatomaceous (sp?) earth used in filters sometimes?

 

[TMaier]

Diatoms are a type of algae. Just search for Diatoms.