# brown algae won't stop coming!



## bobbo268 (Jul 5, 2013)

How do i keep that pesky brown film from forming on everything?? I have 2 moss balls, and a good chunk of java fern live plant in the tank, and have no problem with green algae, but the brown stuff keeps coming back. I clean the ornaments and fake plants in old tank water, and then a week later i have to do it again. it comes off easy, but its becoming a PITA. I have a 29 gallon, i used reverse osmosis water, and have a silicate removing cartridge (that i cut from a full sheet) added to my bio wheels cartridge slot, but this stuff doesn't stop. someone help please! I have 2 small cichlids and 4 bloodfin tetras, and its completely cycled and water tests show everything is good.....


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## oyster dog (Jul 2, 2013)

Reduce the amount of light in your tank. You can 1). Reduce the total wattage of bulbs, 2) raise the lights higher above the water, or 3) reduce the amount if time the lights are on.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 5, 2013)

right now i have blue led for 1.5 hours before light comes on, then the flourescent for 8 hours, then led for 1.5 again... the light is on a standard hood mount (the regular kind that comes with aquarium kits).... too much light? (its not in direct sunlight) i thought live plants were supposed to take away the nutrients so algae couldn't grow...


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

It's a newer tank, right? You're going to get those diatoms.

I seem to get them with increased light. It's the other way around for others. Try a full week with reduced light, like oyster suggested. Try 4 hours of the flourescent only. As long as your plants aren't negatively affected, you'll be able to see if it's the light that is the source.


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## MSullins (Oct 16, 2013)

Have you checked your phosphate & nitrate levels in the tank? If they are high, that may be the cause of the constant algae growth (as the high levels allow algae to grow easier)... You could use Seachem Purigen to lower the Nitrates in the tank (it also works on ammonia and nitrite and is good for a whole years use just follow recharge directions).. and get a commercial phosphate remover to get rid of the phosphates in the tank.. Dr.Foster and Smith sell a good phosphate remover.. Good luck with the battle :dancing:


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## MSullins (Oct 16, 2013)

MSullins said:


> Have you checked your phosphate & nitrate levels in the tank? If they are high, that may be the cause of the constant algae growth (as the high levels allow algae to grow easier)... You could use Seachem Purigen to lower the Nitrates in the tank (it also works on ammonia and nitrite and is good for a whole years use just follow recharge directions).. and get a commercial phosphate remover to get rid of the phosphates in the tank.. Dr.Foster and Smith sell a good phosphate remover.. Good luck with the battle :dancing:


******* I forgot to add.. If you are using any kind of Buffer to raise the Ph of the water you will naturally have high phosphates (the buffers contain high levels of phosphates to aid in "buffering" the water) and you will not want to invest in a phosphate remover.. as it will do you no justice because it can lower the effectiveness of the buffer, and you would always be introducing phosphates back into the tank... The Seachem Purigen is still a good investment though.. :thumb:


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## triscuit (May 6, 2005)

I think you are over cleaning... the brown algae is part of the new-tank syndrome, and will go away if left alone. By cleaning it, you keep the conditions in your tank favorable to more brown algae. Reducing light and food could help, but stop cleaning any substrate or decor for a few weeks and see what happens. Water changes as usual, though.


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## Steve C (Oct 9, 2011)

I know some people say that BNP didn't help clean the diatoms in their tanks, but I have had the diatoms in every one of my tanks when first started, put a pair of 5" albino male BNP's in and the tank is spotless in less than 48 hours. I've had great luck with all my BNP eating it.


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## Tejay (Jan 22, 2013)

I have the same problem as you and started a similar thread sometime ago.

I went as far as bleaching everything to get rid of it!

My tank has been established for months a well.

I am up to trying seachem phosguard, I just haven't got around to it yet.


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## Miacova (Aug 3, 2013)

I have to mimic Steve c's comment a on adding couple BNPs, I also added 6 Nerite Snails and my tank is free and clear of Diatoms for the most part, I may get a little bit here and there but sooner or later the BNP's or the Nerites clean it up.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 5, 2013)

i do have one 2 inch BNP that i forgot to list. I found this (below) on another website regarding light.... so this basically says add more light, well, by 2 hours. i guess my whole thing (as well as many i'm sure) is my family likes to look at the fish but cant see when the lights not on. so basically try less light for one week, then more the next?

And if me cleaning it causes it to come back, and i just leave it, once it gets to a certain point will it start to go away on its own (because its a diatom and not actually algae?) or will i still need to clean it eventually, just have to be super careful in the timing?

(no additives)

*Adjusting Photoperiod*
_Brown Diatom algae do well in low light conditions. Increasing the photoperiod gradually will prevent the diatoms from taking a foothold in your aquarium. Do not exceed 10-12 hours a day as these conditions will favor diatoms as well._


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## krinkletoes (Aug 22, 2013)

by all means, I am not a expert but this is has been my situation. I decided about 4 weeks ago to take all decorations out of my tank and scrub them down and replace. 2 days later my holy rock was turning brown and was starting to look disgusting. I decided to let it ride and not do anything but let it ride. Now there is just a small tinge of brown and it is hardly noticeable. I think like Triscuit said just leave it alone and it will eventually go away.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 5, 2013)

It is gonna kill me to leave it but if it will end it faster, so be it. It's so much work, and much less work to do nothing 

If that doesn't eventually work I'll try something else, probably mess with the light. Thanks again everyone for the input


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## bobbo268 (Jul 5, 2013)

MSullins said:


> Have you checked your phosphate & nitrate levels in the tank? If they are high, that may be the cause of the constant algae growth (as the high levels allow algae to grow easier)... You could use *Seachem Purigen* to lower the Nitrates in the tank (it also works on ammonia and nitrite and is good for a whole years use just follow recharge directions).. and get a commercial phosphate remover to get rid of the phosphates in the tank.. Dr.Foster and Smith sell a good phosphate remover.. Good luck with the battle :dancing:


Will the Purigen harm plants? Reading reviews, some said it made their plants wither and almost die....

if you click this link and look at the 1 and 2 star reviews, there is quite the catastrophic reviews of tanks crashing and so forth....
http://www.amazon.com/Seachem-116016506 ... Descending


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## MSullins (Oct 16, 2013)

bobbo268 said:


> MSullins said:
> 
> 
> > Have you checked your phosphate & nitrate levels in the tank? If they are high, that may be the cause of the constant algae growth (as the high levels allow algae to grow easier)... You could use *Seachem Purigen* to lower the Nitrates in the tank (it also works on ammonia and nitrite and is good for a whole years use just follow recharge directions).. and get a commercial phosphate remover to get rid of the phosphates in the tank.. Dr.Foster and Smith sell a good phosphate remover.. Good luck with the battle :dancing:
> ...


Personally I think these are people who didn't follow directions right.. I have been using it for months now, and I love it. like right now our tap water has ammonia and nitrite in it due to the lakes turning over... It helps the biological filter a lot..* Nitrates *stay at 5-10ppm even with all the extra ammonia and nitrite.. And as far as plants go they will be fine, this doesn't remove any minerals plants need, just the toxic waste fish don't need... I know this because my dad uses it in his tank and his plants are growing like crazy... Just follow the instructions carefully..

*again follow the directions carefully!!!!* if you decide to try.. 
IMO it is totally worth it,, Great stuff!!


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## tobin2u (Mar 25, 2013)

Might try adding a pleco fish of the right size, They really do love algae !


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## ilm121209 (Jul 23, 2013)

i honestly didnt read all of the posts, but i read the first few. if im not mistaken, diatoms do well in low light. *** read that actually covering the tank can remove them for the time being because no light over about a week will kill them off, but they will come back. i havent tried it though. *** also read that increasing light will turn the brown into green and then you just have to control the green. im going to try this on the new 55 i just set up. in theory though, having the other plants in the tank will make the green algae take longer to get a strong foothold because they are stealing the nitrates. also if you are as strict on water changes as i am, it will take longer. i know a girl with guppies who does waterchanger like once a month or less and always forgets to turn the light off at night, nice lush green algea, never had a spec of brown. how does that make any sence? but this is another interesting thing i read about the other day, if you get the black algae, dosing the tank with hydrogen peroxide can wemove it within a week. its crazy but i saw the guys process, it worked and no fish seemed to be affected by it. id really like to look into that a little farther.


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## bobbo268 (Jul 5, 2013)

well i left the light alone, and cut feedings down to every other day and didn't clean the tank deco......... it slowed down the brown, but now the tops of the deco where it was brown is slowly turning to that lush furry green....... so maybe i'll have to play with the light after all and cut it back a few hours.


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## ilm121209 (Jul 23, 2013)

I don't mind the green. And they love it haha


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