What type of algae is this?

[JoeyGeeze]

Wondering what this is growing on my plants and How to make it stop. I've had it for a while now (couple months) and it seems to get worse as the plants get closer to the light. It's a brownish color and rubs off when I touch it, but it seems to be suffocating my plants. Usually after its on there that stem starts to die off. I've had a standard T8 bulb over my tank. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[aqua_chem]

What you are describing sounds a lot like diatoms.

 

[JoeyGeeze]

What you are describing sounds a lot like diatoms.

Yea I had a feeling it may be diatoms, from what I read online it seems to fit the description. I cut my lights back from 10 hours to 8 a few days ago. Any other way to get rid of it besides rubbing it?

 

[aqua_chem]

Usually just waiting it out is the best way to go about getting rid of it.

 

[JoeyGeeze]

Well the tank has been set up since January/February, will diatoms last that long?