Brown Algae everywhere

[SarahO]

I’ve been doing a fishless cycle for just over a month, and the ammonia and nitrites recently returned to zero. So I decided to clean it today (hence the low water level), and it’s not even making a dent in the amount of algae in the tank. What can I do? Just keep cleaning it weekly until it’s under control? Should I add something like AlgaeFix? Please let me know! I have a fish that I’d like to add to this tank when it is ready. 

[Guppysnail]

Brown diatoms.  It shows up in most new tanks and will fade away in natural course on its own. Many fish eat it once your cycled or it just dies out. No worries that means your on track for a very healthy tank

[Guppysnail]

Ps scrubbing it does not help it actually a living thing not algae it will just redeposit on another surface

[Ben_RF]

So brown algae is really normal during the early months of a fish tank. In most cases it goes away as things balance out. 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

OR! It's an excuse to add algae eaters!!!!

[MDoc]

My snails looking at this tank like 😍😍😍

Like other said, it's perfectly normal. 

[SarahO]

@xXInkedPhoenixX any suggestions?? 

[xXInkedPhoenixX]

Nerite snails are GREAT at algae eating if you're not ready for fish. I started with Otocinclus and I love them. I wouldn't be without either now. But of course once the algae is destroyed you'll have to make sure they have other food. 🙃

[Patrick_G]

You can also take out the hardscape and epiphyte plants and clean them off with a soft toothbrush. For the gravel you can vacuum it with the siphon that you use to change the water. 
Folks have already mentioned a clean up crew. I have Amano Shrimp and Otocinclus Catfish. They’re both fun to watch and do a great job cleaning up the algae. 

[Guppysnail]

Bladder snail will wipe a tank clean every nook and cranny of diatom but you will have a population explosion that will die off and be self regulated once the diatom food source is under control and rptheir faces are adorable to watch noming it all 😁

[Phantom240]

Not gonna lie, that yellow bladder snail looks pretty awesome

[Guppysnail]

On 7/19/2021 at 5:26 PM, Phantom240 said:

Not gonna lie, that yellow bladder snail looks pretty awesome

It shimmers gold under the light

[Patrick_G]

On 7/19/2021 at 2:26 PM, Phantom240 said:

Not gonna lie, that yellow bladder snail looks pretty awesome

I was thinking the same thing! 😀

[The Goatee]

My first tank a year ago (20 tall) had brown everywhere after cycle. Nerite snails plus three platy fish ate almost all of it in 36 hours. I had a shrimp tank that had stubborn brown dust algae on glass for months. Constant scrub battle each week. A single nerite maintains it and keeps it clear. Haven’t scrubbed at all in 2 months.