UGLY BROWN ALGAE ON MY PLANTS

[Marnie]

Please help if you can. This is the first time i am having problems with algae and of all places it is growing on my plants and a spot or two on my glass which i clean right away. But the stuff on the leaves of the plants it is impossible to clean i tried gently rubbing it off with my fingers on some of the bigger leaves but no such luck.. can anyone help at least tell me what this nasty crap is and maybe some way to get rid of it that doesn't cost a lot or doesn't involve chemicals?

 

[Electrobes]

have you've tried using Otos, little algae eaters? I wouldn't sugest a water for right now, might bloom out more algae.

 

[ConanTheLibraia]

If this is a problem for you then I'd take a stab at it and say its your filter. In my small 10 gallon I had the exact same problem and my filter was an aqua clear mini. I moved the plant from the 10 gallon to my 29 which was equiped with an eclipse filter/hood. WIthen minutes all the algae off the plant was gone, I don't know what else could have gotten rid of it so fast, and I have heard things about filters clearing algae from tanks before.

 

[Bearfan]

I haven't heard of the filter approach. I recommend Siamese Algae Eaters to take care of planted tanks depending on the size of your tank. I have them in two of my 3 planted tanks (the other has a predator) and have no algae problems what so ever. The otocinclus will in my experience focus more on the algae on the glass and less on the plants. Still a good addition, but won't eat many types of algae. Do not get Chinese Algae Eaters or Flying Foxes as they will eat some types of algae but get very aggressive.