why this brown algae

[STEVIE00]

my tank as been running for 4mnths now

ive noticed this brown algae in my tank
its on my intake and outtake pipes and on some
other items too
all my water readins r great

i was told that m lights should be on 9hrs is this enough
pls help cos i think its gettin worse it feels really slimmy
wen u touch it

 

[WILDER]

If you have algae problems get some bottom feeders, do you over feed and how often do you maintain your tank.

 

[OohFeeshy]

I've got that too but its not that important to get rid of it IMO. I might see if I can get a trio of pygmy cories to go with my betta when I get him.

 

[Dubby]

my tank as been running for 4mnths now

ive noticed this brown algae in my tank
its on my intake and outtake pipes and on some
other items too
all my water readins r great

The brown algae is due to low lighting conditions. It is also the first algae to appear. So if you have never had algae before then this is normal and will go away shortly. You can use algae eaters like shrimp, SAE, mollys, plecs to clean it up as well.

How much lighting do you have?

 

[STEVIE00]

THERE IS 2 TUBES IN MY HOOD I AV THE LIGHTI9N ON FOR ABOUT 9HRS

 

[reg2k2]

Try replacing the bulbs.

 

[STEVIE00]

the tubes r new the tanks only 4mths old

 

[The-Wolf]

STEVIE00, It sounds to me like you have a diatom bloom; this is not an algae, but a higher form of life than algea.
diatoms often occure in low light, you can increase the hours of light in your tank to 12 and they should dissapear.
otos will eat diatoms as will apple snails.

also if you light tubes are std you may want to think about getting something like gro-lux or plant-gro, these would help prevent the return of diatoms.

 

[reg2k2]

Light intensity in standard flourescent tubes should diminish in about 6mo., incandescent less.
If the above tips don't work for you, keep it in mind...works for me.

 

[Jo1980]

If the wolf is right, then you may want to keep them.... Apparently they produce iron for plants, and provide photosynthesis....


Diatoms - Phytoplankton
"The diatoms are perhaps the most well-known and beautiful of all the phytoplankton. They typically inhabit cold, nutrient-rich water, but, in fact, they are found just about everywhere. Benthic forms (cells that live attached to the bottom) are common in rivers, lakes, and even the seashore. Their characteristic yellow-brown color is caused by fucoxanthin, an accessory pigment. Accessory pigments assist chlorophyll in catching radiant energy by having absorption bands at different wavelengths than chlorophyll. In this way, changes in the spectral distribution of light can be compensated by making more accessory pigments. This ability of diatoms and other phytoplankton to change the amount and type of pigments in response to changes in the intensity and spectral distribution of light is called photoadaptation.
The principal "ingredient" that enables phytoplankton and all photosynthetic organisms to use light energy is chlorophyll. This amazing molecule captures photons from the sun and transfers them down a chain of electron-transfer components that assist in the manufacture of energy in the form of ATP that can be used to synthesize cellular components from carbon dioxide. In the process, electrons are "stolen" from water, resulting in the production of oxygen as a byproduct. It is worth our while to briefly examine this process of photosynthesis and to understand how light capture results in the uptake of carbon dioxide and the synthesis of organic compounds."

Jo.

 

[STEVIE00]

tx so much for ur posts

 

[Germyzero]

I suggest you use fish that just eat a lot of algae like algae fish.

 

[CathyG]

Is this "algae" on the outside or inside of your filter tubing? If it is on the inside, it is not algae but a build up of mulm (fish/plant/food waste) that has adhered, and is to be expected. It will not harm your fish, or the bacteria in your tank, but it could potentially cause blockages on your pipework if too much builds up (especially if the pipework kinks or where it bends into the tank) Just keep an eye on it and clean the pipes every few months.

 

[The Mohave Kid]

I see brown material on my fake plants and a fuzzy material on my ornaments ... I assume they are algae .. I 'll have to look at it under the scope .. anyway my Tiger Barb seems to eat it very frequently ... I speculate perhaps that this is a reason he has made it so far ... the tank is new and still cycling his other two pals have passed on ... they did not seem to feed on this material ... cycling with fish is a bad idea.

Good Day ... B)

 

[STEVIE00]

tx all lets hope it clears soon