Brown stuff

DARB · November 25th, 2008

I have brown stuff on every thing. It comes off with a good scrub but comes back in a week. My temp is at 80 . I had my lights off after the big wash for 5 days than it came back. what to do?

sirdarksol · November 25th, 2008

How long has the tank been set up. That sounds like diatoms, which are a kind of algae that are common in tanks that are around a month old. They can hang on longer, if conditions are just right (or just wrong, depending on your point of view).

pinkfloydpuffer · November 25th, 2008

I've had diatoms in my tank for at least 6 months... but now I've upgraded my lighting and that's helping.

How many WPG do you have?

DARB · November 25th, 2008

Thanks . I had my tank for 2 1/2 mounths or more. And I use a four foot power glo 40 watt floresent light. 55 gal

pinkfloydpuffer · November 25th, 2008

There's your problem. I had 15W in a 20g, now it's 40W and the nasty brown stuff is going away

sirdarksol · November 25th, 2008

It's probably because non-diatom algae can better compete for nutrients when there's more light. The fish can eat algae easier than they can eat diatoms (barring a few fish, like otos), and so the algae shows up less than the diatoms.

pinkfloydpuffer · November 25th, 2008

I agree.

(except that in my aquarium no one's eating the algae

)

DARB · November 25th, 2008

So what is the best lighting for my 55 gal tank. No live plants just fake ones and lots of rocks

pinkfloydpuffer · November 25th, 2008

I'd go with at least 100W...

DARB · November 25th, 2008

What do you think abought LED lights. Or do they cost to much $$$

pinkfloydpuffer · November 25th, 2008

I don't really know anything about led light use in aquariums. Sorry I can't help you with that. I'm sure someone else on here can though

Angela_96 · November 26th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by DARB

I have brown stuff on every thing. It comes off with a good scrub but comes back in a week. My temp is at 80 . I had my lights off after the big wash for 5 days than it came back. what to do?

That does sound just like diatoms. W/ cichlids if you have african cichilds an algae eater (pleco) will not do you any good, their living conditions are not compatable.

I would cut down on the daylight time, do more frequent water changes, get a "polyfilter" to put in the filter that you are using (you can find those in a lot of you pet stores and I know Foster and Smith have them as well, they cost about 8-9 dollars) it will cut down on the phosphates in the water which will help get rid of the diatoms, feed the fish less (the excess waste in the water will feed the diatoms).

I had diatoms in all of my cichild tanks when they started, the worst "diatoms" were my recent nano reef (SW). the polyfilter was a new addition that really helped.

BTW LED lights are supose to be really great, they are supose to cut back on energy use, etc they will soon take over place of metal halides and power compacts ... but I don't think they will have an impact on diatoms, or any nucience algae the nucence algae has a "mind" of its own in a nutrient filled tank.

DARB · November 26th, 2008

Thanks for all the in put.

ER9 · November 28th, 2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveangela1

That does sound just like diatoms. W/ cichlids if you have african cichilds an algae eater (pleco) will not do you any good, their living conditions are not compatable.

I would cut down on the daylight time, do more frequent water changes, get a "polyfilter" to put in the filter that you are using (you can find those in a lot of you pet stores and I know Foster and Smith have them as well, they cost about 8-9 dollars) it will cut down on the phosphates in the water which will help get rid of the diatoms, feed the fish less (the excess waste in the water will feed the diatoms).

I had diatoms in all of my cichild tanks when they started, the worst "diatoms" were my recent nano reef (sw). the polyfilter was a new addition that really helped.

BTW LED lights are supose to be really great, they are supose to cut back on energy use, etc they will soon take over place of metal halides and power compacts ... but I don't think they will have an impact on diatoms, or any nucience algae the nucence algae has a "mind" of its own in a nutrient filled tank.

in addition to what else has already been mentioned this could also be your problem. this was my problem...excess nutrients except i was adding mine via ferts for my plants. i cut down my ferts to two days a week instead of 6 and all my brown algae went away.

Similar Aquarium Fish Forum Threads
Thread	Fish Forum
Brown stuff on edge of plants	Algae
green and brown stuff on my collum	More Freshwater Aquarium Topics
brown stuff all over...	Freshwater Beginners Archive
Brown stuff on plants	Freshwater Beginners Archive
HELP!!!!!!! 1 of my Neon's has brown stuff.	Freshwater Beginners Archive

Fish Forum Thread Tools
Show Printable Version