# Brown glass spots



## antconsig (Feb 11, 2008)

Hi all,

My 72 gal bowfront has been established since January. I've noticed, since then but worsening lately, brown spots on the glass in the rear of the tank, below the output of my penguin 350 and near the intake of my Fluval 405, the front along the bottom line of substrate, etc. I am not sure what it is or how to make it go away. I don't want to start dumping chemicals recommened by LFS employee who will sell you whatever they feel like, etc so I know this is the best place to go for answers. I can post pics if anyone needs them to help me out. Also, if I wipe it with a paper towel, it does come off, but getting to bottom of the back of the tank is tough


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## hey_wood1981 (Apr 7, 2004)

Try an algae scraper if you haven't already.


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## mittzgame (Oct 3, 2006)

Its brown algae, completely normal, especially if you have substrate/rocks/deco's etc that have silica in them. My mag float does a great job for the stuff I can reach but it sounds like hey_wood's recommendation of an algae scraper would be best for the back of the tank. I've never used one so I don't have an brands to try, but you can check the review section to see what is there.

:thumb:


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## ibr3ak (Jan 4, 2008)

The brown algae will eventually go away, it's been about 5 months since I've switched from river rock to marble/slate type and at first the rocks were completely covered in brown stuff with some patches on the glass where a rock touches it, recently though the brown started dissappearing slowly off the rocks and I barely have it on the glass anymore, and coincidently enough the mbuna started grazing on it.

Here's how the tank looked with completely covered brown algae on the rocks, I don't have any recent pics, but now it's only patches of brown and is going away slowly revealing the original grey:


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## copasetic (Nov 26, 2007)

A simple scrub pad for 99cents a bag will take the algae off with no risk of scratching the glass.


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## antconsig (Feb 11, 2008)

Where would I get those? LFS? Or Home Depot? Does it have an name?


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## ibr3ak (Jan 4, 2008)

Most lfs sell the green "sheets" of glass cleaner pads relatively cheap, you can cut them to size.

Something like this:


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## CUBLUEJAY (May 8, 2008)

Better yet... Get a bristlenose pleco for your tank. I had the same ugly brown algae problem shortly after setting up my tank. There was no way I wanted to take the rocks out to clean them and have my arm in the tank all the time wiping off the glass. So I got 2 albino bristlenose plecos and within 2 days all of the brown algae was gone and has been like that ever since.


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## antconsig (Feb 11, 2008)

I wanted to get a bristlenose but the guy at the LFS scolded me and told me that the water parameters were too different for chiclids and pleco's, and that the chiclids would eat them otherwise so I didn't get one. Do you think it would be safe?


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## ibr3ak (Jan 4, 2008)

Alot of people keep a bn with their africans, the experience varies though, some say the pleco is too shy and gets beat up by mbuna, some have not had any problems making the 2 coexist.

antconsig what's your lfs?


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## hey_wood1981 (Apr 7, 2004)

a bushy nose will be fine in your tank.they are small and can hide if needed. i have one in my 90 gallon with peacocks, some yellow labs and a polit. you can also get algae pads on a hadle to get those hard to reach places without sticking your whole arm in the tank.


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## antconsig (Feb 11, 2008)

LFS is Reef Encounters in norther NJ


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## CUBLUEJAY (May 8, 2008)

Mine are doing fine in my tank with africans. I would suggest turning the lights off when you put the BN in though. My africans were a little curious at first, but now my BNs hide during the day and do work on the algae at night. I highly suggest getting one!


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

A lot of bristlenose do get killed by the aggressive mbuna, but one of mine survived and the glass is much cleaner.

The scrubber can be purchased at the grocery store, just make sure you get one without soap.

My favorite algae remover for the bottom near the substrate is an old credit card.


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## Zaela Sedai (Jul 24, 2008)

I have no issues having my BN in with the Africans, and my tank is spotless  He fights off everyone else for his greenbeans too. Best algae cleaner ever! And adorable ta boot!


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## copasetic (Nov 26, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> My favorite algae remover for the bottom near the substrate is an old credit card.


i will have to try that one.. I use the cheapest sponge at grocery store the soft green colored scotch brite on one side of a sponge.. Only time im scared of scratching glass is if u have a fine piece of substrate on the pad. but that would take a diamond wouldnt it lol?


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## joker76 (Dec 4, 2007)

get a nice algae eater clean tank right up


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Oh it's definitely right to worry about picking up a grain of substrate in a sponge and scratching the glass. I scratched all sides of my 125G tank badly within a week of buying it new before I realized what was happening.

Now I used the scrubby thing on a handle from the fish store for glass high up away from the substrate, and credit card to get glass down into the substrate.

And I think it was Joea that said he has very fine scratches that came from the scrubby thing itself, maybe too much pressure?

I'd hate to think what I'd do to acrylic!!


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## barbarian206 (Apr 2, 2008)

my malawi eat it up they tend to love it so i leave it :fish: :fish:


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## slimbolen99 (Apr 28, 2006)

I've used the plastic lid of the tetra cans of fish food. They're plastic and you can place them flush against the glass for a nice fit. Plus, alot of the deitrious gets trapped inside the lid and you can siphon it out easily! Never had a scratch.


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## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

I have had a BN in my mixed mbuna tank for several years now. He does a great job cleaning the tank, and he's big enough now that nobody bothers him.


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## antconsig (Feb 11, 2008)

Any issue with PH or water temp? The LFS guy made me seem like a barbarian to put a BN Pleco in with Mbuna


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## kj23502 (Jul 29, 2008)

I'd love to put in a bn, but my lfs never gets albinos. Since I'm in the boon docks i'll have to order online. I'm less than thrilled about the shipping charges :?


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## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

My BN does great. He has grown from about 31/2-4 inches to about 7-8 inches. He has some big, bushy tentacles on his nose, too. I guess that mean it is a male. He is a blotchy brown/tan.
Likes his algae wafers, I will have to give him some green beans, do you steam them a little first?


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