Had green algae now its brown with Bubbles

**sen5241b** · 02-01-2008, 03:16 AM

Had green algae on my live rocks and how it is turning brown with bubbles. I have no fish in this new tank yet. It has been cycling for a week but the ammonia and nitrates have been low. What to do? (Yes I used live sand also).

**cocoa_pleco** · 02-01-2008, 04:16 AM

its just part of a new tank, i had some when i started my 55g. just try to get more flow in the area and it will go away

**jbeining75** · 02-01-2008, 04:21 AM

Might be brown algae which is a diatom grows from high amounts of silica. Remove it with water changes???

**NickFish** · 02-01-2008, 04:30 AM

i have the same thing in some parts of my tank, crank up the powerhead or HOB or whatever, get the water moving and clean water should get rid of it.

**plow** · 02-01-2008, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by jbeining75

Might be brown algae which is a diatom grows from high amounts of silica. Remove it with water changes???

Ive heard that water changes are the source for silica..

I mean where else can the silica come from? Im still pretty confused when it comes to brown algae, low lighting is another cause apparently.

I have also read that brown algae is a common symptom in new aquariums...

yesterday I went and bought 3 oto cats, they have been munching on it like theres no tomorrow, so hopefully thats the beginning of the end for the horrible stuff...

**Dave66** · 02-01-2008, 05:51 AM

Originally Posted by plow

Ive heard that water changes are the source for silica..

I mean where else can the silica come from? Im still pretty confused when it comes to brown algae, low lighting is another cause apparently.

I have also read that brown algae is a common symptom in new aquariums...

yesterday I went and bought 3 oto cats, they have been munching on it like theres no tomorrow, so hopefully thats the beginning of the end for the horrible stuff...

Plow,
Live rock+Live sand means Marine or Marine Reef tank, not freshwater. The original poster is going through the normal first stages of marine keeping. He or she just posted in the general forum, not the saltwater one.
However, in newer freshwater tanks, especially ones that use the lights that came with it, go through a spate of Diatoms and other algaes within a week to a month of setting it up. Your Otocinclus will eat all the diatoms, then you will have to feed them daily. 'Algae' disks will not do. Had you not bought Otocinclus, I would had advised you to increase your lighting and filter flow to eliminate the Diatoms.

Dave

**plow** · 02-01-2008, 10:38 AM

oops... learn something new everyday..

can go home now and have a beer.

**plow** · 02-01-2008, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by Dave66

Your Otocinclus will eat all the diatoms, then you will have to feed them daily. 'Algae' disks will not do.

Dave

what can I feed them if not alge flakes? I already had 4 siamese algae eaters in there, and they have been munching continually, but the algae just keeps on charging.. I thought a few more fish might make the balance.. sounds like I made a mistake..

Originally Posted by Dave66

Had you not bought Otocinclus, I would had advised you to increase your lighting and filter flow to eliminate the Diatoms.
Dave

How do you increase lighting in an aquarium with a prefabricated hood with only two fixed fittings... I have a 120 liter with two slots for 18w lamps I think (must check) so how would I raise the lighting level of this?

sorry to hijack a marine thread.. my bad.

**jbeining75** · 02-01-2008, 01:57 PM

Originally Posted by plow

Ive heard that water changes are the source for silica..

I mean where else can the silica come from? Im still pretty confused when it comes to brown algae, low lighting is another cause apparently.

I have also read that brown algae is a common symptom in new aquariums...

yesterday I went and bought 3 oto cats, they have been munching on it like theres no tomorrow, so hopefully thats the beginning of the end for the horrible stuff...

http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/algae.htm

water changes reduce nutrient levels..... water changes