# brown stuff....



## Curley (Aug 4, 2004)

How do I get rid of all the brown alage on my plants? its makes em look ugly... I have been wiping em off one by one but just cant take the time to do that anymore... any suggestions? thanks


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

Curley said:


> How do I get rid of all the brown alage on my plants? its makes em look ugly... I have been wiping em off one by one but just cant take the time to do that anymore... any suggestions? thanks


Post a pic of that algae? Is it unicellular or filamentous or like a fur?

It could be unicellular light brown Diatomes (Bacillariophyta). Usually these algae are problems in waters high in silicates or in newly established tanks (these have silicates) or in tanks with recently changed new sand or gravel (silicates). Also they need nitrates to grow. Diatomes are usually planktonic but can also be benthic (attached). They are easily removed by simply wiping or brushing. To get rid of it, you need to clean it persistantly and to lower nitrate and silicate levels and to do more water changes.

Regards,


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## Curley (Aug 4, 2004)

cool... thankyou... I just rearanged my plants and the sand got stirred up quiet a bit. Could that do it? I think I also got a bloom from sand being disturbed... possible? thankyou


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## nick007x (Sep 9, 2005)

a lot of times if you stir up the substrate of a planted tank it releases loads of trapped nutrients. while they make for excellent plant food in the substrate, once in the water they can provide an excellent, abundant, and immediate food source for algea, resulting in a algea bloom.


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## Curley (Aug 4, 2004)

this brown stuff is not coming off so easy... any other way to get it off rather than trying to wipe it off? thanks


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## harrykaa (Jan 10, 2005)

Curley said:


> this brown stuff is not coming off so easy... any other way to get it off rather than trying to wipe it off?


Curley,

A photo would help more than a good guess here.
But if that brown stuff on your plants leaves is firmly fastened, it surely is not Diatoms and it surely is no unicellular algae. You might have some red algae (Rhodophyta) there. They are reddish-brown or greenish-brown and usually adhered very tightly. Red algae grows well, however, only in waters with plenty of nitrates. So you might do more often water changes and of course remove badly infected leaves and clean rocks and wood separately under hot water.

Regards,


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## Curley (Aug 4, 2004)

thankyou... I will try that... I am going to take a picture today and then I will post it...Thanks


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## Husky_Jim (May 26, 2003)

Any updates Curley?


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