Hi jacky12,
Brown algae is generally found in new aquariums with high silicates
and/or low lighting conditions.
There are two safe cleaning options to ridding your tank of algae. The
first is to do it yourself with algae pads and scrapers, and if done
on a weekly basis this will be an easy way to deal with your brown
algae. Left to fester, the algae is nearly impossible to remove. The
other option is algae eating fish. These include many species of
plecostomus. They're ugly but do a good job! Your local pet/fish
store will be able to supply you with these good algae eaters. Don't
buy too many because the best tank is a tank that isn't over crowded.
When keeping any algae eater, be sure to have supplemental foods or
tablets to provide when there is not enough algae. Also, be aware of
their potential sizes and compatibilities with your other fish.
Most chemicals will kill most plants and may even harm the fish. I
never used algaecide, when maintaining my aquarium tanks.
Brown algae are actually diatoms and not true algae. They will coat
ornaments, real and fake plants, glass, and gravel with a thin, dark
brown layer. Brown algae prefer low light levels, and commonly grow in
new tanks or those with low levels of light. Increasing the intensity
of lights may decrease the growth of brown algae but the bad news is
it will increase the growth of other algae.
Brown algae is easy to physically remove with an algae pad as it does
not adhere as strongly as green algae. Some snails and algae-eating
fish will eat some brown algae, and most algae-eating fish prefer
green algae and will only eat brown algae if they have no alternative
food source. Plecostomus and otocinclus are the most likely fish to
eat it.
*****
The following page: How to get Rid of Algae in Your Aquarium has much
good information
http://www.aquariumfish.net/information/green_water.htm
Please read the entire page!
"All algae is not green. There is also black algae, brown algae, red
algae, and several other color varieties. Fortunately, everything
written on the this page about green algae applies to the other color
varieties of algae too."
*****
http://www.efishtank.com/QandA/Brown%20Algae.htm\
"Question: There are brown, rusty spots on rocks and fake plants in
my aquarium. My tiger barbs look a little unhealthy and I wonder if
this is causing it. Other fish in tank are fine.
Aquarium Details: This aquarium is a 10 gallon freshwater aquarium
only 1 month old.
Answer: The algae you are describing is brown algae. Brown Algae is
often referred to as pioneering algae. It is most frequently found in
new aquariums with high silicates and/or low lighting conditions.
Brown algae can be identified by its formation of brown patches on the
aquarium gravel and glass. This type of algae is mostly comprised of
single celled plants called Diatoms. Diatoms secrete and are enclosed
in silica shells. When the plant dies, the silica shell is left behind
to form diatomaceous earth, the filtration medium used in diatom
filters. Removal of this type of algae is simple. Increase the
photoperiod of the aquarium, not exceeding 8-9 hours. Wipe the
aquarium glass and vacuum the effected areas. You should see a rapid
decrease of this type of algae in a few weeks as the aquarium becomes
established."
*****
http://oursimplejoys.com/freshwateraquaria/article1036.html
"Brown Algae
Question: I have a well established 6 year old temperate goldfish
tank. It is a 29 gallon acrylic with a aqua clear 300 filter. I have 4
oranda gold fish and 2 black moors. In the past i have had an algae
issue that has since been taken care of but now i have a brown sludge
like fungus growing constantly in my aquarium. It got my fish sick and
i gave fungus medication, cleaned the tank very well and have been
feeding every other day rather than every day. i do about a 30% water
change every week and the fungus (?) keeps coming back. My question is
how do i get rid of it and is it even fungus or am i going about
taking care of it the wrong way because its not what i think it is.
thanks, AP
Answer: Hi AP, I have a suspicion that you're dealing with brown
algae. Goldfishes are notorious for polluting the water. It's possible
that your filter and water changes are not able to cope with the waste
products they produce. These waste products are food for algae; add to
that a low-light situation, and you have the perfect habitat for brown
algae (diatoms). Just vacuum them off and try raising your
illumination level a bit. I know it's tricky because too much light
will encourage green algae. Have you considered adding plants?"
*****
http://fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plants/month.9807/msg00039.html
"Another daughter, another tank, another algae problem...
My oldest daughter has for about 5 years kept a couple goldfish in a
very
similar, beginner-tank setting. This tank is in a shaded east window
and
its hood doesn't produce as much light as the first tank. Her tank
has
always been plagued with attached brown algae - probably diatoms.
Early
last spring I gave her a large clump of java moss on some driftwood.
The
brown algae was completely gone in a couple weeks and the tank has
remained clear ever since. The tank did get some drastic water
changes at
one point when it was moved so we could put in some new flooring, but
I
recall that the algae disappeared before that all happened."
*****
Google search: "Brown algae goldfish"
And my own personal experience in maintaining aquarium tanks from the
age of five. :)\
Best regards,
tlspiegel |
