Algae???

[bielbugs]

I noticed today that some of my white gravel has brown spots on it. I also noticed them on my silk plant mainly where the water comes out of the filter. Is this some sort of algae and if so how do I get rid of it?

[jeffs99dime]

sounds like brown algae to me. regular water changes, gravel vaccuming, scraping your glass with an algae scraper. you can also get catfish like ottos, flying foxes, cories. i assume this is a newly setup tank?

[cocoa_pleco]

what jeff said

[bielbugs]

yeah, its been set up for around a month, and is fully cycled. I have clown loaches... do they eat brown algae?

I don't see any on the glass yet, just on some of the gravel and on some silk plants near the top of the water level.

I haven't done a gravel vacuum yet, I was afraid to do it too soon.

What causes this type of algae?

[cocoa_pleco]

a rich tank will often produce algae, and lots of light

[bielbugs]

I have a rich tank??? Thats not fair! It needs to share the wealth

[nikipate]

I have a rich tank??? Thats not fair! It needs to share the wealth

I'll take some. My wallet, as a result of the tank, is pretty poor. We bought a 150 gallon around Christmas and while it is awesome and worth it, it is very expensive.... but that's life, huh???:ezpi_wink1:

[cocoa_pleco]

rich as in nitrite which is like fertilizer for algae/plants

[jeffs99dime]

I'll take some. My wallet, as a result of the tank, is pretty poor. We bought a 150 gallon around Christmas and while it is awesome and worth it, it is very expensive.... but that's life, huh???:ezpi_wink1:

that's also a song! lol
i think it was by sinatra

[bielbugs]

well, I tested yesterday ammonia 0, nitrite .25, nitrate between 5-10

[nikipate]

that's also a song! lol
i think it was by sinatra

That's what people say..... lol

[jeffs99dime]

that's good. i would do another water change of 50% to remove your nitrite though. it should also be at zero constantly

[bielbugs]

ok, water change tomorrow it is...

do I need to take the plants out that have the algae to clean them off?

[cocoa_pleco]

no, just net em off.

[bielbugs]

how do you net algae off a silk plant?

[cocoa_pleco]

just try to swish the net by the plant, and try to pry it. Or, just take out the plant

[bielbugs]

Ok water change/gravel vacuum done

ammonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 5

I got the algae off the glass and I scrubbed the one plastic plant with the glass scrubber and got most of it. I tried the same with the silk plant but it didn't really come off. I guess I'll see what happens.

[Severus]

Your readings are perfect. Try and keep them like that...

What is your PH?

[bielbugs]

the pH is 7.4