What is this stuff on the glass

[PotRoastMan]

I keep getting this stuff on the glass of my freshwater tank. What is it? How do I get rid of it? It cleans off fairly easy with a green scratch pad, but it seems to come back real quick.

 

[Zagz]

Looks like algae to me.

 

[tropicfishman]

its algea, I'm battling it now actually, my other tank is crystal clear but my 29 is brown watered and has algea everywhere, the only cure I have found that somewhat works is:

1. soak and fake plants or ornamnets with this on it in plastic plant cleaning solution, but thats takes along time

2, and to keep a phosphate reducing media in your filter, this helps with the rapid spreading

you could also try a black out, cover the entire tan kwith a blanket for 3 days and don't feed them, and defintly don't let any light in, this will destroy all the algea pores too

 

[PauloSilva]

i have a 75g and i added just 1 4" pleco to my tank and within 2 days there wasnt a single spec of algae in my entire tank.

 

[TomK2]

Is that brown (diatom) algae? Usually the brown stuff only occurs in a new tank? Yeah, plecos love the stuff.

 

[Thebluyak]

yeah i get it too, i just figured it was inbalence in some nutrient in my planted tank, i just scrap it off every few days and it doesnt get to bad.

 

[OceanMaiden]

Yup, its the BROWN STUFF. Brown algea can be a pain, but getting an algea eater or doing a blackout like others suggested above should nail it pretty quick. I don't get much of it, but when I do I just use an aquarium brush and it comes right off.

 

[DeFeKt]

I would suggest getting rid of the cause rather then trying to control it,
ie. excessive lighting, excessive nutrients, decaying matter....