Brown Algae...can I Help It Go Away?

[Cheffi]

My tank finished cycling 10 days ago and the glass, sand and rocks were covered in brown algae. I was told it would go away but if anything its got worse on the rocks and looks a little furry. It's even over the newer rocks I only put in last tuesday (monday today). I have put a Cleanwater filter bag in but is there anything else I can do to get rid of it quicker?

 

[xJake]

Vacuming the gravel and wiping it off are really the only ways to get rid of it. (Besides waiting as it will eventually go away.)

 

[flamingonhot]

Simply scrape most of the really nasty stuff away, keep up with the water changes, and just wait. It should be either replaced by better more desirable algae or just go away.

 

[newhobby]

I had the same problem with brown algae for several months. I am now using a product called Algae Destroyer....haven't seen the brown stuff since.

 

[Boxermom]

I wouldn't recommend adding any unnecessary chemicals. Not a good idea, IMO. Best thing to handle brown diatoms are otos. They eat it up!

 

[Callum]

will a bristlenose plec eat brown algae? all my plec eats are algae tabs and the plants (lazy bugger) even though my current tank is covered in hair algae

 

[Cheffi]

I wouldn't recommend adding any unnecessary chemicals. Not a good idea, IMO. Best thing to handle brown diatoms are otos. They eat it up!

Def no oto's going in this tank!! Ref the BN eating brown algae. I was told that no fish will touch the brown stuff.

The Cleanwater stuff I've added isn't chemicals as such its a mixture of baked clay beads and special resins which absorb phosphate, nitrite and nitrate. I must say the water atm is crystal clear.

 

[Boxermom]

Bristlenose will generally not eat brown diatoms. Otos will, they are very well known for doing so and have done so in ever single tank I've ever had.

As far as the chemicals, I was referring to the Algae Destroyer. Its better to try to correct and manage the problem naturally than to add chemicals. Brown diatoms disappear as the tank ages, so its not necessarily the Algae Destroyer that got rid of it or is keeping it away, either.

 

[Arfie]

Otto's half cleared my last batch up and the amano shrimp finished the job off

Arfie

 

[Ferris]

Hi Cheffi,

Otto's would have a good go at diatoms but they probably wouldn't last 5 mins with the Mbuna. I remember in my early days of fishkeeping, I added 3 Otto's to an Mbuna tank and the next morning, all i had left was 3 heads bobbing around.

 

[Cheffi]

Hi Cheffi,

Otto's would have a good go at diatoms but they probably wouldn't last 5 mins with the Mbuna. I remember in my early days of fishkeeping, I added 3 Otto's to an Mbuna tank and the next morning, all i had left was 3 heads bobbing around.

EEuuuk! No worries Ferris, I don't like them anyway and won't be adding them to the tank. The rocks look like the Malawi are very heavy smokers

 

[Steve_R]

Hi guys, you are mentionng Ottos....is that an Otinculus?

Thanks
Steve

 

[BrassMan]

Hi guys, you are mentionng Ottos....is that an Otinculus?

Thanks
Steve

I was wondering the same thing, people keep talking about Ottos, what are they?

Paul

 

[jayjay]

Otto's are otocinclus there are different species of them aswel.

 

[BrassMan]

Otto's are otocinclus there are different species of them aswel.

Cool, thanks. I wanted to look them up and now I can

Paul