brown algae (diatom)

[lovleeko]

How long is it supposed to take for this to leave a new aquarium. It seems to be taking forever. I've never had it in my other tanks even when they were new. It is becoming a real pain in the ....... well you get the picture. It is increasing and I'm getting sick of it looking awful in my tank.

1. How long should it take to go away? I keep reading it is a month but it's long overdue!


2. Should I scrub it off or will that just make a mess? (I have never had algae so I dont know)

3. Should I get a bristle nose to help out with the problem?

4. Should I test phosphates? I wonder how much a phosphate tester is.

[dancethenparty]

wherever you read the month thing. it's wrong. i did scrub it but it just came back.i finally got tired of it and got a bristlenose pleco and he seems to love it! also if you do scrub it doesn't make a mess. i don't know how long it takes to go away....i don't have algae anymore hence my BN is eating it.

[lovleeko]

wherever you read the month thing. it's wrong. i did scrub it but it just came back.i finally got tired of it and got a bristlenose pleco and he seems to love it! also if you do scrub it doesn't make a mess. i don't know how long it takes to go away....i don't have algae anymore hence my BN is eating it.


Was yours brown algae? Thanks for the reply. I'm so sick of this stuff!

[Wild Turkey]

How long has the tank been established?

[dancethenparty]

Was yours brown algae? Thanks for the reply. I'm so sick of this stuff!
yep mine was brown.

[lovleeko]

How long has the tank been established? I'm gonna go with three months. May not be an exact number but close. I know I'm impatient but I keep reading a month a month a freaking month!:spam: Still, ugly brown algae!

[Wild Turkey]

I'm gonna go with three months. May not be an exact number but close. I know I'm impatient but I keep reading a month a month a freaking month!:spam: Still, ugly brown algae!

A month isnt exactly it. A month is pretty typical, but it can take much longer.

Not terribly uncommon for a tank thats only 3 months old to still have some brown algae, give it another month and if it doesnt go away you may want to look into other options than waiting and scraping it off. Buying stock to eat the algae is the last thing i would do though. Usually thats a last resort for me as most of these types of problems can be solved by restoring the "balance" of the tank. But for now i would just be patient and see how it goes.

The tank isnt getting sunlight right?

[lovleeko]

A month isnt exactly it. A month is pretty typical, but it can take much longer.

Not terribly uncommon for a tank thats only 3 months old to still have some brown algae, give it another month and if it doesnt go away you may want to look into other options than waiting and scraping it off. Buying stock to eat the algae is the last thing i would do though. Usually thats a last resort for me as most of these types of problems can be solved by restoring the "balance" of the tank. But for now i would just be patient and see how it goes.

The tank isnt getting sunlight right?



It might get a bit of sunlight. We have a screen door and everyone is in and out all day. But nothing too bad. And there are three other tanks in the same room that get exposed to the same amount of light and for much longer. Never had a problem. I sort of want a pleco anyway though, and was thinking of getting an algae eater so I assume you dont hold the same opinion about getting one if you just want them right?

[Wild Turkey]

It might get a bit of sunlight. We have a screen door and everyone is in and out all day. But nothing too bad. And there are three other tanks in the same room that get exposed to the same amount of light and for much longer. Never had a problem. I sort of want a pleco anyway though, and was thinking of getting an algae eater so I assume you dont hold the same opinion about getting one if you just want them right?

Yup yup, thats what i mean, by all means.
Im just saying wasting space on stock you dont really want just to solve an algae problem isnt the best way to go about and i wouldnt. If you want the pleco, get him! :D

[lovleeko]

Yup yup, thats what i mean, by all means.
Im just saying wasting space on stock you dont really want just to solve an algae problem isnt the best way to go about and i wouldnt. If you want the pleco, get him! :D


Makes perfect sense. Thanksthumbs2: Patience patience. I wish Northern guy would teach me what that is:hmm3grin2orange: