# Brown algae



## HighOctane (Jan 2, 2003)

My tank is a 125g tank which has medium sized whiteish gravel/rocks, a huge center piece of driftwood a few fake plants and one four foot long 40 watt bulb on top (I use to have 2 of the bulbs in but I thought it was too bright for the fish so I took one out). This tank is in the basement and get NO sunlight whatsoever. I don't have the lights on a timer but I keep them on for atleast 6 hours a day. For some reason my 125 is starting to get alot of brown crap groing all over the walls and gravel. With an algae scrubber I can easily get the crap off the walls but it is not so easy to get off the gravel. Please tell me how to get rid of this brown crap. I can take pics if they are needed. It is becoming very unsightly and troublesome.

Thanks in advance.


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## tecknik (Jul 18, 2003)

When you do gravel vacs it should eliminate most of the brown algae. It works for me.


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## Chunkis (Nov 2, 2003)

Leave your light on for 12 hours a day. i think teh algea is growing becuase its dark, warm and wet in teh tank. and fish are used to 12 hours of light anyway. keep teh room lights on too, my tank is also in teh basment and gets no light becuas ei have blocked my windows with garbage bags. (damn neihbors christmas light.) that should work good luck


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## o snap its eric (Feb 19, 2003)

isnt it because of high protien in the water


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## soulfly (Aug 7, 2003)

Brown algae is from insufficient light, green is from too much. When I had cichlids I just used the single flouro tube and had issues with brown algae. Gravel vacs would get rid of some of it.


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## jackburton (Nov 25, 2003)

yes i agree i had this proplm and then left the light on longer and it stoped


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## khuzhong (Apr 11, 2003)

i've never gotten brown algae.. only damn green ones... your tank is lacking enough light as they all said..


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## upt1me (Jun 26, 2003)

Brown Algae
How to manage Brown algae

Other Names: Gravel algae, Silica algae

Color: Brown

Appearance: Begins as brown patches on the gravel and/or glass, then rapidly coats most surfaces of the aquarium with a thin, dark brown coating that is easily removed. Unlike blue-green/slime algae, it does not come off in large slimy sheets

Cause
° Diatoms
° Excess silicates & nitrates
° Inadequate light
° Low oxygen levels
Brown algae is due to diatoms, and is a common occurrence in a newly set up aquarium. It is generally caused by too little light, an excess of silicates, an abundance of nutrients, and too little oxygen. Silicates can build up through tap water that is high in silicic acid, and silicates that leech from some types of substrates.

Cure
° Wipe off surfaces & vaccine gravel well
° Use silicate adsorbing resin in the filter
° Increase the lighting
° Stock a plecostomus or several otocinclus
This type of algae does not adhere strongly to the tank surfaces, and may easily be wiped away. Vacuuming the gravel with a siphon will quickly remove coatings from the substrate. Increasing the lighting will inhibit regrowth of brown algae. As a new tank matures brown algae is often eliminated naturally by plants and green algae competing for nutrients.

Some suckermouth catfish will readily eat brown algae, most notably plecostomus and otocinclus. If the problem is due to high silicates in the water, and the brown algae persists, a special silicate absorbing resin can be used in the filter.

Prevention
° Use of RO water
° Regular water changes
° Regular aquarium cleaning
° Good lighting
As with any algae, keeping the tank clean and performing regular water changes is one of the best preventative measures. Unfortunately it is still possible to get algae in spite of regular maintenance, especially in a newly established aquarium. Prompt attention to sudden algae growth will prevent more serious problems.


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## HighOctane (Jan 2, 2003)

Thank you for all your replies.


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## tinyteeth (Mar 12, 2003)

my pleco eats brown algea only.


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## Guest (Jan 1, 2004)

Often, 'brown algae' is made of colonies of cyanobacteria. These don't require light, that's why they grow despite the lack of sunlight in the aquarium. They feel really greasy.

All you can do is wipe it off the surfaces and do more water changes to reduce the amount of nutrients available to them.


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