Brown Algae on My Rocks

[geowashlaw]

I've never had algae before, except a couple of the green spots on the glass (of course I've only had fish since July). I've noticed that I'm starting to grow a brown, very small algae on several of my rocks. Apparently the otos that keep the glass clean for me don't like this stuff. It has expanded greatly since I first noticed it about 5 days ago. Can anyone tell me what it is and how to treat it? Is it being caused by my plant lights and fertilizer?

[doug z]

Do you have a pic?

I have the same stuff on my rock, sounds like..

Nothing you can do but take a toothbrush to it..

[geowashlaw]

I'll try to get a pic tonight. It grows very close to the rock and does not have alot of texture or depth to it. It almost looks like the rock is just turning brown.

[Crispy]

I'll try to get a pic tonight. It grows very close to the rock and does not have alot of texture or depth to it. It almost looks like the rock is just turning brown.

I get this type of algae also on my large rocks and in the crevices of some of my driftwood. It's ugly, but pretty harmless unless it's overrunning your tank. I never worry about it because it doesn't spread and doesn't grow large.

[doug z]

Yeah, sounds pretty much what I have on my rock..

Scrape, scrape, scrape.. That's all you can do..

I almost want to use a metal wire brush on mine, but I don't know if that'd be ok with the fish

(I can't take the rock out easily.. Big ass rock.. And I don't want to risk metal wire sloughing off the brush and into the tank)

[geowashlaw]

Mine is a pretty big rock, too, but I thought about heaving it out and bleaching it to kill the stuff ... I'd have to soak it overnight in dechlorinated water then, though.

why won't the otos eat it?

[doug z]

Nah, I wouldn't risk it over something as inconsequential as brown rocks..

Just scrape it as often as you can so it doesn't get too hard to scrub off..

Otos don't eat this kind of algae, or if they do they can't scrape at it hard enough to get it off..

Even my BN can't make a dent in it, and I see him grazing on it all the time..

[geowashlaw]

I have a stiff-bristled brush with the bristles made of plastic, so maybe I'll try that ... I rubbed at it with my glass scrubbing pad on the long handle ... hahahaha ... that didn't work.

[doug z]

that didn't work.

I know.. :(

LOL

[geowashlaw]

couldn't stand it anymore ... had to take the rocks out and bleach/scrub them ... went well

[doug z]

How did you treat the rocks before you put them back in?

[geowashlaw]

rinsed and rinsed and rinsed ... then soaked in water with a high concentration of dechlorinator (5x instructions amount) in it for about an hour ... then added a little dechlorinator to the tank just to make sure ...

[Sharon]

I have some "brown diatoms" in my tanks that gets on the rocks....but it wipes off easily, and the Otos do eat it. I guess it's not the same stuff.

[doug z]

Nope.. It's not..

Think of lichen that collects on rocks top-side..

[bushwhacker]

i was thinking diatoms also they turned my rocks brown too along with the glass and my 2 lil BN cleaned everything

[geowashlaw]

definitely wasn't diatoms ... had to scrub like crazy to get that mess off ... lol ...