chickadee

HELP!

I have a really bad case of brown algae. I have taken everything out of my tank every two days (decor, gravel water 100%, filter and fish) and completely cleaned walls and bottom and everything I can get to (inside and out) but it has gotten into my BioWheel and I don't think I can change that without causing a real problem. I heard it is sometimes caused by lighting, but I don't know what to do about lighting because I use a screw-in type fluorescent type bulb and I don't know what my options are.

I am thinking of getting an algae eater but I have heard they can get large. My Betta is the only fish in the 5 gallon tank, but I don't want to really crowd him. What can I do? Is there a medication that will take care of this? I really feel I can't keep taking him out of the tank as he hates it and I have to chase him around the tank to get him out. I am afraid I'll hurt him sometime.

I don't think this would have started but I was sick for a few days and couldn't clean the tank and when I got back to him I had these little brown spots on the tank wall. I feel terrible now I can't get rid of it. Any help I can get will be appreciated.

I will get a replacement BioWheel if that is what is recommended, but the manufacturer said not to ever do it.

Thanks,

Shalom,

Rose

Butterfly

A couple of Ottos or a Bristlenose would be perfect.
Carol

newbie101

i have had the same problem for the last week and a half and my pleco hasnt done a thing about it! i cant figure out why it wont go away. its on my gravel and (fake ) plants, and i think theres a little on the decorations. none on the glass though (phew).

Gunnie

Rose,
The brown algae usually shows up in a new tank, and generally disappears in a month or so. If you are using an incandescent light source, then you probably have no live plants in your tank, and your light source may be part of the reason you have the brown algae. Next time you go to WalMart, get one of the flourescent bulbs in the fish department to replace each incandescent bulb. This will brighten up your tank and hopefully kill off the brown algae. Another issue is if you are doing that much cleaning (decorations, tank walls) every 2 days, you may be cleaning "too well", and instead of dying out the algae just grows back. I know it's ugly, but it should go away. See if the brighter lighting does the trick.