# How to minimize brown algae growth?



## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

Ok so I know that some brown algae is a "new" aquarium is normal and I'm pretty sure it is caused by my lights. I didn't have much brown algae before I switched from the stock lights on my 55 gallon to a 4 foot two 32 watt bulb T8 fixture with one 6500K bulb and one 5000K bulb. My plan is to try and add some plants but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I know that most plants don't mix well with Mbuna but I figured I would try some of the "recommended" plants for these guys. The tank has been set up for about 6 months and the problem only occurred after I switched the lights. My nitrates are kept below 20 and I feed twice a day, 30seconds each time.

I run my lights from about 7:30 AM until 6 PM as I feed them about 8AM and 5:30 PM. These are the only time I can feed them during the day without buying an auto feeder device. Do I have my lights on too long? if so what should I do? The room has 2 windows and a french balcony door (I think that's what it is called) so I can let in natural light if needed but IDK if that would help, and my room still seems pretty dark with the blinds open. The fish all go into the rocks and become less active if only the blinds are left open and the lights are off.

Here are some pics of the brown algae. How bad is it? should I be concerned or let it be? I have wiped it off before and it comes back within a day or two.

Notice the small holy rock, by the airline hose is completely brown and my other stuff is a mix of brown and green algae. Some of the brown on the main holy rock is mineral deposit but a lot of it is brown algae as well.

Untitled by philipgonzales3, on Flickr


Untitled by philipgonzales3, on Flickr


Untitled by philipgonzales3, on Flickr


Untitled by philipgonzales3, on Flickr


Untitled by philipgonzales3, on Flickr


Untitled by philipgonzales3, on Flickr


----------



## albita (Oct 12, 2013)

Be patient. It will get better. Mine just started resolving itself within the last week or so and I've had my tank up a couple months longer than you, I think. I also have a bristlenose pleco in there that helped during the "where did the white go?" period. Now, I supplement his food.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

You could try running your lights on a timer. Turn them on for an hour or so in the morning, and then a few hours in the evening to feed again and enjoy your tank. Clean your rocks prior to the change and take note of any changes in growth for two weeks. For me, it doesn't matter how much light my tank gets. I always have diatoms. So I just let them grow on the decor and wipe it off the glass.

Off topic, but in the second photo it appears that the L. Caeruleus is holding but it could just be the picture. It also appears she's holding in the reflection, but also quite thin. Again, could just be the picture...


----------



## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

Thanks for the info I will be patient and set the timer to be off for a period of time between their feedings. I have a timer I just wasn't sure if it was OK to have the lights off in the middle of their light cycle or what not.

I took the pic right after feeding them. Like basically during feeding as I work 9 to 5 and then I have to head off to night school. This is normal for them to look like that during feeding right? Lol just making sure.


----------



## apmorgan93 (Jan 29, 2013)

It took about 6 months for it to finally go away for me. Scrub it off before you do a WC so you attempt to suck out as much of it as you can. I cut down my light cycle some as well. But which did help. Once the green algae comes in this stuff will pretty much disappear. It felt like it took forever to get to that stage.


----------



## christy_lee (Jun 25, 2013)

oy. I'm just developing this problem myself. I do what apmorgan93 said. I scrub as much of it off the rocks in my tank as possible and the glass. Thats the only places I have growth of it so far. And then I do a water change. Its kept it regulated pretty well over the last few weeks.

I actually don't mind some of it on my rocks though, it adds a sort of more natural look to the tank.


----------



## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

philipgonzales3 said:


> Thanks for the info I will be patient and set the timer to be off for a period of time between their feedings. I have a timer I just wasn't sure if it was OK to have the lights off in the middle of their light cycle or what not.
> 
> I took the pic right after feeding them. Like basically during feeding as I work 9 to 5 and then I have to head off to night school. This is normal for them to look like that during feeding right? Lol just making sure.


It could just be a mouthful of food, which could indicate too much food being offered. Or just a fish that got to the food first. Either way, make sure they're eventually swallowing all the food and not spitting it out.


----------



## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

Cool, it was easy enough to clean it off and yea having a little on the rocks isn't sucha bad deal. I cut down on the light cycle. Maybe I am overfeeding a tad so I will cut back a bit. Thanks for the tips.


----------



## scooby68 (Sep 27, 2013)

My 5 month old tank has outgrown most of the "brown bloom" I stripped all the decor, filter tubing etc. and cleaned it at about 12 weeks. My room is a southern exposure and get alot of sunlight, I close the blinds and put black film side panels on it making it a one view tank. I have no problem to speak of now, clean the glass and anything brown about every two months. Yes, they are a little less active, in a shady room, but when I come home the lights go on from 6 pm to midnight for my "shifted" daylight period so far it works fine for me.


----------



## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

Not to hijack this thread, but did not want to start another thread about brown algae...but have a question.

I have 2 125 gallon tank. Both are heavily stock. One tank has hap/peacocks (tank #1), the other has mostly Frontosa and a few haps/peacocks (tank #2).

Both tanks have the same sand substrates.

Filtration for tank #1:

a) Aquatop cf500uv
b) Aquaclear 110
c) Marineland Penguin 350B

Filtration for tank #2:

a) Fluval FX6
b) Rena Filstar XP-XL

Maintenance is identical for both tanks as I change 25% water weekly, turn on the lights same time, same duration, feed the fish with same food, once a day and skipping one day a week. Temperature is set @ 80, using 2 each Aqueon Pro 250.

Water parameters pretty identical for both tanks.....nitrate around 20ppm.

Set these tanks roughly a year ago.

Question:

Tank #1 - No brown algae

Tank #2 - Scraping brown algae every week.

These 2 tanks are both in the basement, hardly getting natural light.

I am dumfounded why I am having brown algae issues with tank #2. Is it the Frontosa in tank #2 that is causing this ?

Any ideas is greatly appreciated.


----------



## testtube (Jan 23, 2014)

If you have an algae problem get a pleco cat fish. I once had a tank years ago with algae so bad you could not see clearly into the tank. I put a pleco in the tank and it was clear of the algae problem in just a few days.


----------



## Solo227 (Jan 14, 2014)

+1 on the BN pleco... I had a strong outbreak that kept growing consistently for almost 2 weeks. I had several quarter sized spots around the tank. My filter intake was cover in brown and pretty much everything had had in the tank. Even the large gravel substrate has algae around the edges.

I purchased a Pleco last weekend and he has cleaned 95% of the algae off in the week. They work fast and you start seeing a change within 2 days once they get acclimated to the tank.

And this is all from fish that isnt even 2" long in a 55 gallon tank.


----------



## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

@chopsteeks - I bet your UV filter in tank #1 is killing a lot of the brown algae (which will float around the tank until it finds a good surface to latch on to).


----------

