# Fighting a Losing Battle



## syoung22 (Jun 15, 2012)

Should I just let this nasty stuff on rocks grow? If I scrub them, its starts coming back within two days. Surprisingly the fish love munching on it, but it doesn't help clean it. Water changes don't help either. I'm frustrated.


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## metricliman (Sep 3, 2012)

Its diatoms. Common in new tanks. It goes away eventually.


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## ChoxRox (Sep 8, 2011)

When I first started, I didn't believe the "it will go away eventually", but it really does. It just takes a few months sometimes.


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## du3ce (Sep 11, 2012)

My tank is a few months old and i dont have any algae growing on them at all


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## syoung22 (Jun 15, 2012)

So if it will go away, in the meantime, do I need to continue cleaning the rocks? Or will they eventually become clean once the diatoms die off? It's such a pain! It's a 90 gallon on a tall stand and I'm up to almost my shoulder when I have to get those rocks out.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I wouldn't bother cleaning the rocks as it will just return.


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## Sidius (Mar 3, 2012)

I picked up a bristlenose pleco when I had the same issues early on in my 90g. He had my tank spotless within a couple days and I never saw another brown spot again. It's insane how fast they can clean even a large tank


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## syoung22 (Jun 15, 2012)

Update: its been over a week now and I didn't clean the brown stuff off of the rocks. It has started fading and I'm getting this, yay!!


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Congrats on the green algae! Looks much better.


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## dengar (Aug 13, 2012)

I just started seeing brown algae in my tank. My tank is a few weeks old. How long do you think it will take for it to turn green? I have 2 T8 bulbs total of 70 watts.


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## syoung22 (Jun 15, 2012)

Surprisingly it only took mine a week. I started turning the lights on in morning instead of waiting till my lunch break. And they stay on till I go to bed around 11pm. Only difference I can think of is 1)I let the brown grow and didn't take out and scrub and 2)lights on an extra 4 hours a day


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## dengar (Aug 13, 2012)

Thanks. What are you using for lighting if I may ask?


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## Ladyfish (Jul 21, 2012)

syoung22 said:


> Surprisingly it only took mine a week. I started turning the lights on in morning instead of waiting till my lunch break. And they stay on till I go to bed around 11pm. Only difference I can think of is 1)I let the brown grow and didn't take out and scrub and 2)lights on an extra 4 hours a day


Good to hear! I've been fighting this same battle over the last couple months, so I'm happy to read the suggestions and hear your success story. Mine is an older, established tank (55g) although the lighting conditions have changed in the room. 
I'll try leaving the lights on longer in the evenings, as well as leaving the rocks alone and not scrubbing it away. I'll throw in a BN pleco I have in another tank, too. Hopefully he will enjoy the feast


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## Ensorcelled (Mar 1, 2011)

Hate to go offtopic a little but am I correct in assuming all your rocks are Colorado River Rocks? Also, glad the algae problem is fixing itself so to speak. I had the same issue for the longest time.


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## sweety (Jan 10, 2010)

Sidius said:


> I picked up a bristlenose pleco when I had the same issues early on in my 90g. He had my tank spotless within a couple days and I never saw another brown spot again. It's insane how fast they can clean even a large tank


 +1 for BN's added 5 1" long young ones to my CA tank almost a week ago & after 20 hours they had the tank spotless


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## du3ce (Sep 11, 2012)

Just noticed last week that my rocks finally have brown algae growing on them after switching lighting setups hopefully mine will turn green soon


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## syoung22 (Jun 15, 2012)

Don't give up. I've grown a nice thick carpet of green in a very short time. Mine now looks like this: :dancing:


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## syoung22 (Jun 15, 2012)

My lighting is Odyssea Quad T5HO, and yes my rocks are Colorado River rock.


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## dengar (Aug 13, 2012)

Do you have any waste issues with them? I have read they are pooping machines.


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## syoung22 (Jun 15, 2012)

I have a circulation pump that does a decent job of keeping the poop off the sand. I have a few dead spots but I can point the pump in that direction and get it off the sand and up to the filters.


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## Randy_G (Nov 3, 2003)

I would bet the fish love that nice green algae !!! Looking very nice !!!


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