# algae on my Limestone in my Mbuna Tank.. how to rid it?



## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

So I have this brown algae all over my big attractive Limestone in my Mbuna tank and although the cichlids graze on it and I know its somewhat beneficial... I can't help but to find it EXTREMELY ugly!!

So how do I get rid of it and stay rid of it?

(I'm growing up some BN fry from about 1.25" so they should be good in a couple months to help out)

Specifically which parameters am I trying to control to stave off algae


----------



## Comic Sans (Apr 21, 2009)

sounds like diatoms. They create shells out of free silicates in the water, and generally are associated with new tanks or not enough light. Unfortunately there isn't much you can do about them. Oto cats are known to eat them, but not much else.

They should wipe off easily. Keep up with your water changes and they should eventually disappear as the silicates are used up and/or green algae outcompetes them for nutrients.

I'm just getting over a diatom bloom (i hope) in a tank I recently set up.


----------



## jschall (Apr 2, 2009)

If you want to lose the silicates that let them grow, get some phosphate-adsorbing media. It'll adsorb both phosphates and silicates, and is usually rechargeable in brine.


----------



## illusions2281 (Jan 25, 2009)

i too have the same issue but i've just said ok my lime stone and dead coral pieces are just going to be brown. I had a spare piece of limestone that turned super brown and when i re-scaped my tank I didnt really have a place for it. i did nothing but leave it out the sun and with in a couple days it looks brand new again.

I've thought about removeing my coral pieces and letting them sit in the sun. but i assume the algae is good for the eco-system of the tank. and as of a few months ago the build of brown algae turned green in other parts of the tank and brown on the corals turned an almost black color.

One good idea that i've heard is to have 2 pices and a swap/rotate them out each water change or every so often. that keeps them looking good. I am however wondering if now that my tank has fully cycled if i could clean on off (by leaving in the sun) and if it would remain white if i were to put it back in.


----------



## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

When I do my WC this evening I'll see how stuck on it is and maybe scrape some off.. Maybe I'll pull out all the rock next time and clean all the rock off.. Its times like this when living in an apt kinda sucks because a power washer in a driveway or yard would make short work of it...


----------



## BoostedX (Mar 1, 2009)

Get a couple of simease algae eaters (the real ones not the flying fox). They cleaned my tank up within a week. Im actually trying to grow algae right now for my mbuna. You could also take down your lighting time and that will help out a little with the algae. With diatoms you have to clean your filters also. You will be suprised at how murky the water that you used to clean the filters will be when you clean them. Just make sure you use tank water for this..


----------



## klumsyninja (Aug 14, 2008)

I don't think SAE's would last too long in this tank actually. I did turn down my lights yesterday and I cleaned my 2215 last week so we'll see how it goes.. Thanks for your help everyone.


----------



## BoostedX (Mar 1, 2009)

Let us know how everything goes.


----------

