Any suggestions for minor algae?

Bruce1962 · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 12:48 am Post subject: Any suggestions for minor algae?

Now that I have my tank under control with Nitrite/nitrate/amonia levels, my tank is kept very clean. I have all artificial plants along with a few decorations: Sunken ship, giant clam (with air tube), and a small bridge. I'm getting what I believe to be a slight algae build up on some of my larger plants and the top of the giant clam. Plants are green in color and the clam is white. The stuff building up on these objects is a brown color. Is this in fact algae? I got rid of my two Chinese Algae Eaters last week.
Should I get a Pleco?

Bruce

grnlemonade · Super Senior Member Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 1027

sounds like it could be a from of algae.......im not sure on the pleco thing b/c we dont know the size of the tank, the inhabitants, and the type of pleco you want............a good way to prevent algae is to keep up on regualr water changes, make sure not to overfeed, and control the hours of lighting.

Bruce1962 · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 1:17 am Post subject: A little algae help

I have a 30 gallon tank. It resides in the basement so the only light exposure is with the flourescent light which is usually on from about 8AM until 8PM. No exposure to sunlight. As for the inhabitants: I have 3 Rosey Barbs, 2 small spotted Cory Cats, 1 Angel Fish, and 1 Dwarf Gouramie. I did a 255 water change last week and took all the plants out and rinsed them off really good as they had developed the algae (brown stuff). I feed flakes in the morning, blood worms late afternoon, and about 3 small wafers in the evening at "lights out time". All of my protions are small and consumed within 2 minutes. I guess it is possible I'm over feeding them. I have nothing developing on the walls of the tank and whatever this is, it is not green.

Bruce

tski22 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 197

Hi Bruce, I wouldnt get a pleco especially not a common. They get to be about 16 inches long and produce more waste than they get rid of. A good fish to get would a the otocinclus cat. (not sure of the spelling) aka the oto cat. They stay udner 2 inches wand are very peaceful. They will control just about any algae you have in your tank. But be sure if you get them there is algae for them, and if there isnt than supply with a good quality algae pellet. Hope this helps good luck. -tl

Fish Addict · Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2005 3:45 am Post subject:

you could go with a clown pleco they stay small

t_chelle16 · Moderator Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 3437

Brown algae (diatoms) are generally caused by high levels of nitrAtes and lack of light (unlike green algae which is from too much light). So I'd start by cuting back on the feeding some. If you could get more light on the tank it might help, but since it's in the basement about your only option is to get different lights.

Most plecos aren't that great at eating algae and could actually add to the problem by creating more waste (and therefore more nitrAtes). But if you did add something, I'd opt for the oto.

Really though, other than being unsightly, brown algae doesn't hurt anything. I actually have a problem with it in my 75 gallon tank but because of the decor in thereI think it actually makes the tank look more natural and for me, it's not worth the effort to fight it.

-Chelle

Petz8888 · Posted: Sun Mar 27, 2005 2:07 pm Post subject:

Isnt green algea eaten by fish and brown algea not?

Am I being cojfusing?

I dont think brown algea is good.
You sgould get better lioghting.

You might want to give the stuff a good wash and hope that algea doesent come back.

Bruce1962

Thanks for the info. I got 3 small oto cats and none survived. They each died 1 day apart after just 3 days in the tank. They didn't appear to be eating any of the brown algae. I think that they may have been stressed out from the other fish. What about lighting suggestions? I currently have a flourescent bulb that sets on top of the glass top. I believe it to be a 20 watt. Does that sound correct? It is an Eclipse natural daylight bulb. The lighting unit says 20 watts. I'm certainly open to any suggestions. Currently, the ligth stays on for about 12-13 hours (7AM-7-8PM).

Bruce

tski22 · Member Joined: 21 Nov 2004 Posts: 197

Theres your problem cut back on light. You only need the light on about 6 to 8 hours per day. That is probably where you unwanted algae is coming from. Hope this helps, jsut cut back on your lighting a few hours. 8 hours is plenty. -tl

t_chelle16 · Moderator Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 3437

Actually, brown algae is caused by lack of light (green algae is too much light). So unless you're willing to upgrade the lighting, you're probably just going to have to clean off the decorations periodically. The algae doesn't really hurt anything, it's just unsightly.

-Chelle