Brown algae

[ukbball72]

I am starting to get a lot of this brown algae on my decorations and glass what causes this and what should I do about it. Thank you very much


Brian

 

[dalto]

How long has the tank been setup? Do you have a picture?

 

[ukbball72]

I don't have a pic but it had been up about 2 months

 

[dalto]

It is probably just diatoms but hard to tell without seeing it.

Often caused by excess silicates in a new aquarium.

It will often go away on it's own once the tank becomes established or you get something that eats diatoms.

 

[ukbball72]

It is probably just diatoms but hard to tell without seeing it.



Often caused by excess silicates in a new aquarium.



It will often go away on it's own once the tank becomes established or you get something that eats diatoms.

What will eat them I have cichlids

 

[dalto]

What will eat them I have cichlids

What kind of cichlids? Nerite snails, otocinclus and farlowella will all eat diatoms but they may or may not be compatible with your cichlids.

 

[lewis.r]

Amano shrimp ate decent for eating algae. I can vouch for them for eating diatoms! You will have to do some research to make sure they are compatible with your cichlids though

 

[ukbball72]

What kind of cichlids? Nerite snails, otocinclus and farlowella will all eat diatoms but they may or may not be compatible with your cichlids.

I have lake Malawi and Mumbai I have about 24 in this tank and I am having same trouble in saltwater tank i

 

[AquaRick2293]

It is probably just diatoms but hard to tell without seeing it.

Often caused by excess silicates in a new aquarium.

It will often go away on it's own once the tank becomes established or you get something that eats diatoms.

To much light causes it also so probably best to not use light for as many hours and do a decent water change possibly scub down objects within the tank also

 

[dalto]

I have lake Malawi and Mumbai I have about 24 in this tank and I am having same trouble in saltwater tank i

In an Malawian cichlid tank I would use Nerite snails.

 

[fishenthusiast]

The best thing that you can do for diatoms is to keep up with water changes and have consistency with your tank (don't move stuff around and stir up the substrate, don't do any large overhauls, etc.). Good filtration and flow will also help with diatoms. Eventually, the diatoms will go away.

 

[gavintc17]

Maybe try reducing your time when lights are on

 

[gavintc17]

If you have no other plants I heard that covering your tank with a blanket or something to cause complet darkness can help. Not sure if it works for everyone but it worked for my friend