Brown Slime or Brown Algae

[smb]

I think you took my 1% of the problem and ran with it.

I'm thinking that with 99% surety that's is because of excess nutrients. I would say that most aquarium problems can be traced back to overfeeding or bad husbandry skills.

Please don't take this as me saying neglect. Sometimes I'm afraid to say this because I don't want to insult the aquarist and the aquarist shouldn't ever feel that way, but IME, this is what is usually the problem.

 

[skiltrip]

SMB, don't take this the wrong way, but you are quite condescending in your replies sometimes. This isn't the first time I've seen you reply in this manner to a post/question.

I didn't take 1% and "run with it". I definitely don't overfeed. Rarely do I see more than a couple specs of food hit the bottom. My tank maintenance is weekly and I follow the standard procedures as advised on this forum as well as other sources.

If there is something I am doing wrong, I'd be happy to be corrected.

I would say that most aquarium problems can be traced back to overfeeding or bad husbandry skills.

I am talking about one problem specifically, not "most" aquarium problems. In talking about it, I am obviously looking for a solution, not for a finger pointing. Perhaps explain more specifically you mean by "bad husbandry skills" so I might see if there is something I should be doing that I am not, or something I am not doing that I should.

- Kip

 

[reg2k2]

The algae in my tank is a dark brown coating and also appears on plastic plant leaves.
Changing the bulbs, as Anna noted (btw--wb), always takes care of it for me.

 

[Alien Anna]

The algae in my tank is a dark brown coating and also appears on plastic plant leaves.
Changing the bulbs, as Anna noted (btw--wb), always takes care of it for me.

Yes, and all of my tanks are covered in it at the moment, due to my neighbour turning off all the lights when I was away on holiday (she was trying to reduce the temperatures of the tanks). One bulb really needs replacing, but I've been trying to eek it out as long as possible. I think my eeking is coming to an end

 

[smb]

SMB, don't take this the wrong way, but you are quite condescending in your replies sometimes. This isn't the first time I've seen you reply in this manner to a post/question.

I am never condescending in any of my posts whatsoever. I'm sorry you feel that way but my replies are never meant that way at all. Just because you view it as such, doesn't mean it was meant that way.

I didn't take 1% and "run with it". I definitely don't overfeed. Rarely do I see more than a couple specs of food hit the bottom. My tank maintenance is weekly and I follow the standard procedures as advised on this forum as well as other sources.

What I meant by that was you didn't even reply to my other points whatsoever before is all.

I am talking about one problem specifically, not "most" aquarium problems.

Well, unless I am there and watch you everyday, I have to go with what "most" aquarists do as a generalization.

In talking about it, I am obviously looking for a solution, not for a finger pointing.

I really think you are blowing this way out of proportion. It's not "finger pointing" when I try to help someone out and come to a solution.

Perhaps explain more specifically you mean by "bad husbandry skills" so I might see if there is something I should be doing that I am not, or something I am not doing that I should.

Ok, now after you give me a dressing down and call me condescending you mean to tell me you didn't even know what I meant and you still took offense and shot your mouth off like that?


I take great offense that you call me condescending and imply that I talk down to people and finger point when I am only trying to help everyone. It is not a reputation I would like to be known by, and frankly, feel it is unjust for you to say so.

Now I'm going to be paranoid every time I post a reply to try and help someone wondering whether they're going to take it the right way or not, and I feel others reading this will also see my posts in a different way now just looking for something that isn't even there.

If anyone else feels like I am condescending when I reply, please let me know and I will leave here. The last thing I want to do is hurt this forum or make anyone I reply to feel bad.

 

[Alien Anna]

Now I'm going to be paranoid every time I post a reply to try and help someone wondering whether they're going to take it the right way or not, and I feel others reading this will also see my posts in a different way now just looking for something that isn't even there.

If anyone else feels like I am condescending when I reply, please let me know and I will leave here. The last thing I want to do is hurt this forum or make anyone I reply to feel bad.

SMB, I know how you feel because my Asperger's Syndrome means I make a lot of mistakes in communicating with people and often cause offense without meaning to.

However, I came the conclusion that I could do one of two things:
1. Avoid communicating, for fear of making mistakes, and become very lonely and isolated as well as depriving more tolerant people of my friendship.
2. Say "What the heck - it's not going to kill them!" and just accept it as something that just happens, like the weather. As long as I have a good humour about it and am willing to apologise if people are offended, it shouldn't be a problem.

You may not have AS like me, but people vary in their abilities to communicate sensitively (generally men are worse at it than women, but there are many exceptions). If you are good at it, great! If not, there's little you can do about it so you might as well learn to live with it.

So somebody felt you were condescending? Well, they have a right to their own feelings. You obviously didn't intend to be, which is the important thing. I don't think it's worth getting totally paranoid over, however, and if it was unintentional and you still can't see it, it's not likely that pointing it out to you is going to help any, is it? I don't think you should leave the forum just because you aren't as sensitive as you'd like to be! Otherwise, half of us would have to leave with you!

 

[CFC]

I have been likened to being a subtle as a brick thrown through your front room window and have had some huge rows with some members of this site (yes you silver ) when they havent liked a reply ive made to one of their questions and i have no intentions of leaving the site.At the end of the day if you think you might get offended by some honest answers then dont ask the question.
IMO everyone over feeds their tanks, myself included.In the wild most fish scratch out very meager existences with food being scarce for many months of the year and enjoy nothing like the protein rich nutritious diets their captive counterparts get.It is these protein rich foods which when excreeted cause the problem of excess nutrients in the water, to maintain lower levels of nutrients in the water fish should really only be fed once every two days,twice weekly water changes will help too.
Your light tubes may be (as mentioned by AA) not up to the job,most set ups come with just a standard household tube fitted which are no good for aquarium use other than to see your fish,a tube designed for planted aquariums will give the correct spectrum of light needed to reduce brown algea and help plants grow, adding reflectors will help the light to penetrate the water all the way to the substrate.

 

[tommyhum]

Alien Anna is right.i for one had a quarrel over a misunderstanding with my friend recently.But i don't go all out to said "hey i will not befriend with him again".It is not good to isolate yourself over a small matter.

 

[smb]

Thanks everyone. I have no hard feelings or was going to leave if it was only one or two people felt that way. Only if I was doing something wrong and most felt that way is all.

Thanks again and I just hope everyone knows I never mean to act more knowledgable than anyone else even if I can't communicate that very well online.

 

[skiltrip]

I do apologize if my reply was taken as an attack of any sort. Perhaps my frustration is misdirected as this brown algae thing is driving me out of my mind.

Anyone on this forum that has seen my posts or corresponded with me in any way, knows that I am not one to get overly sensitive about stuff, and I'm rather pleasant if I do say so myself.

Thanks everyone who has given me helpful advice on this topic. I'll keep on using the advice I have gotten until this problem is licked. thanks again!