What kind of algae fits this description?

[ScottS]

It's on the glass and I think it's the same stuff on my anubias plant leaves. On the glass, it appears brown. However, when I scrape if off, it looks like a swirling cloud of rusty red colored dust. Is that just regular ole brown algae or something completely different?

 

[An t-iasg]

It sounds like diatoms, also called brown algae. Is this a new tank - this type of algae flourishes in a new tank. Usually it runs its course in 3-4 weeks; in the meantime, it's very easy to remove with your gravel siphon. If it isn't a new tank, did you do anything recently like change the substrate?

 

[ScottS]

I upgraded to this tank back in probably May. I thought diatoms based on what I've read here, but it's had plenty of time to run its course. It's been about 8 weeks of this.

 

[An t-iasg]

Sometimes these diatoms are tough. You say you have anubias in the first post, so this is a low-light tank? Sometimes increasing the light will help this type of algae go away. What size tank - how many watts of light? I have a low-light tank (18 watts CF over 10 gallons) and the light is on for about 9 hours a day. If you don't want to upgrade your lighting, try leaving the light on for 15 minutes more each day until you're up to an hour increase. See if that helps, but it may take a few weeks to determine if it helped.

Also, how old is the bulb? If it's 6 months old, that should be fine. I change out my CF bulbs every 10-12 months.

 

[ScottS]

It was a 46 bow with the hood that came with it. Plants didn't look so good. So I just put a Nova Extreme with 2x39watts yesterday.

 

[Blueiz]

Adding anything new to the tank (decorarion, equipment, rock, sand,) can spark the diatom algae. However, I have experienced a brown algae that I had no idea what it was, but it came off easily. It didn't make since for it to be diatoms, was more like a furry brown algae. I never did figure it out, but it was only in my convict tank.

 

[fort384]

I think the lighting upgrade will help. Plants may uptake any additional nutrients in the water, and like previously stated adding a little extra light can help control it. Of course it may open the door for other kinds of algae, so it is a double edged sword.

 

[Blueiz]

It may take you a little bit to get your nutrients adjusted just right. Remember, lighting is a nutrient as well. Keep us posted on the progress!