Brown algae...

I hear green algae is ok, though too much isn't. Our tank seems to have too
much brown gunk/algae. I scrubbed it off three days ago, and now it's back...
What is it?

Magic menagerie wrote:

I hear green algae is ok, though too much isn't. Our tank seems to have too
much brown gunk/algae. I scrubbed it off three days ago, and now it's back...
What is it?

Brown algae is diatoms. These are fed from excessive phosphates, silicates or
nitrates.
increasing the lighting strength and time can encourage green algae to grow
instead.
Nothing to worry about though, they are perfectly safe.

This should answer you question:

Brown Algae - Diatoms

Diatoms are single celled algae, brownish in color. It starts out as a
dusting on the substrate that rapidly turns into a mat that can cover
the tank over in just 5 days, provided that they have a surplus on
nutrients available.

The cause: excess nutrients, silicate and silicic acid are the
ingredients for a diatom bloom. Silicic acid enters the aquarium by
using tap water; substrate can contain silicates that leach out over
time. RO/DI units can filter silicic acid out, but only for a limited
time. Eliminating silicates can control diatoms.

HTH

Tom L.L.


(Magic menagerie) wrote in message ...
I hear green algae is ok, though too much isn't. Our tank seems to have too
much brown gunk/algae. I scrubbed it off three days ago, and now it's back...
What is it?

(Tom L.L.) wrote in message . com...

Diatoms are single celled algae


This is incorrect. They are not algae at all. They are animals not
plants.

More light encourages green algae and plants which will outcompete the
brown stuff for nutrients.

Its only a problem because it looks nasty.

WOW! Thanks for the help! I have a light on for about 12 hours a day on that
side of the tank and no light on at all on the other half (it's a 55 gal tank
with two hood lamps). The light on side gets brown, the light off side is
fine. The light off side is next to a window, but we keep the shade closed as
the summer sun just bakes the tank water... We've never had any green algae at
all in this tank.

Our 10 gal tank with tiger barbs is always pretty green though - possibly due
to the plants in there. The two remaining goldfish (sadly down from the
original six of only two years ago) just go crazy on the plants. I had to even
remove the Pothos ivy and philodendrons. They completely ate all the roots and
were going for the leaves... Little herbivores... They do like their
zuccini...

We do use the tap water for both tanks, but I guess due to all the heavy rains
we've been getting, something extra that the diatoms like is getting included
in the source water... Also I had to remove the plants which gives a carte
blanche for the brownies' buffet.... Such a delicate balance...