Brown algae

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

Hi there’s been brown algae and I know it’s nothing to worry about it’s just it’s kind of getting everywhere the gravel, decorations, glass and it’s starting to worry me because I started to tank about a 5 months and not any kind of algae grew except white algae and the brown algae started to grow last month and I thought after you get a tank after a month green algae is supposed to grow so what’s wrong with my tank?

[BuzzDaddy21]

On 4/27/2023 at 3:17 PM, Helpwithmy_snailpls said:

brown algae

I`m not smart enough to know why, but I also have same stuff mainly on the glass.

I just scrap it off with a razor blade and leave it alone.

I had one filter hose that would fill up with that stuff and drive me crazy. (Hose was plastic, doesn`t happen with a clear rubber hose.) 

I get green algae on the glass of another tank, same thing I just scrap off and don`t worry about it.

I`m not sure if anything is wrong with your tank.

 

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

After you take it off the glass do you let it float and let the filter take it

And would a tooth brush work

[Kurt Brutting]

What is your water parameters and your light schedule? Pictures would help and what is your dosing routine if your using fertilizers and nutrients? 

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

I can’t test my water right now and I have the light switch on from 8am to 11pm and I clean the tank every two weeks but from now it’s everyday be weekend

 

[BeeGryphon]

That's a lot of light. I think 12 hours is the absolute max recommended and most people do less than that. Try cutting back a few hours and see if that helps with the algae growth.

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

But google says the more light the better because brown algae grows in low light

[Tanked]

On 4/27/2023 at 6:53 PM, Helpwithmy_snailpls said:

But google says the more light the better because brown algae grows in low light

Brown Algae is more likely to grow where plants don't.  The Algae is using what ever nutrients that the plants aren't using. I would start here: Feeding less, more frequent water changes, and/or adding more plants.  Test, or have your water tested. You want to keep the Nitrates in check.

I am guessing that your lighting may not be an issue for now.  I have one tank with a 16 hour light period, a lot of plants and no brown algae.  I have another tank with a weaker light on an 8 hour timer and a few plants. This tank has a recurring brown algae issue.

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

I have no plants

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

On 4/27/2023 at 3:34 PM, BuzzDaddy21 said:

I`m not smart enough to know why, but I also have same stuff mainly on the glass.

I just scrap it off with a razor blade and leave it alone.

I had one filter hose that would fill up with that stuff and drive me crazy. (Hose was plastic, doesn`t happen with a clear rubber hose.) 

I get green algae on the glass of another tank, same thing I just scrap off and don`t worry about it.

I`m not sure if anything is wrong with your tank.

 

Do you just scrap it off the glass and let the filter take it? Also could I do that but with a toothbrush

[Tanked]

On 4/27/2023 at 6:40 PM, Helpwithmy_snailpls said:

I can’t test my water right now and I have the light switch on from 8am to 11pm and I clean the tank every two weeks but from now it’s everyday be weekend

 

Having no plants is not a problem, but a few floaters such as Hornwort might help. If you are not keeping plants, than lighting is mostly for your benefit. Set your timers for when you are usually in the room enjoying the aquarium. I'm not sure what you mean by "clean the tank".  Are you cleaning the tank every day?  It is possible to make the tank too clean, and that will cause your cycle to crash.  A 25 percent weekly water change including a gravel vacuuming and scraping down the glass should be adequate in most situations. 

Remember that changes require weeks, not days.  As the others have mentioned, any information you can give us about your setup and routine will help.

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

no I spelled that wrong I meant “now it’s every weekend so every Sunday”when I cleaned the filter there was as brown algae I might have to get a new one

[BuzzDaddy21]

On 4/28/2023 at 11:40 PM, Helpwithmy_snailpls said:

Do you just scrap it off the glass and let the filter take it? Also could I do that but with a toothbrush

Yes, but sometimes it just settles on the bottom.

I`ve tried using a brush of sorts but I found a razor blade works better for me. Be careful around the silicone seams.

I also don`t do water changes but instead just add water when needed, I removed all lids on tanks.

 

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

What is a silicone seam

[BuzzDaddy21]

On 4/29/2023 at 12:29 PM, Helpwithmy_snailpls said:

What is a silicone seam

Where the glass meets usually edges and bottom.

I have gotten to close and did cut into the silicone but didn`t notice any problems.

It might take a lot of cuts to harm the seals, but I try and stay away from them.

I don`t have any acrylic tanks.

[Tanked]

On 4/29/2023 at 12:19 PM, Helpwithmy_snailpls said:

no I spelled that wrong I meant “now it’s every weekend so every Sunday”when I cleaned the filter there was as brown algae I might have to get a new one

I thought that might be the case.  As children we were told to take down the aquarium weekly and clean everything, gravel included.  That was wrong, but who knew?  For now, I would cut back on the feeding and give the aquarium time to adjust to your new maintenance schedule.

[Darax]

My tank had brown algae on three sides. I scrape the front. I added a bristlenose pleco. It was an adult from another established tank. 75 gallon aquarium. Two days. Zero brown algae. 

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

So I cleaned the glass with a tooth brush and the houses and no brown algae so far and it turns out my ph is to low and that's why merman been acting weird I have the ph up but I am trying to figure out if my tank is a 5 or 10 gallon and I don't see anything about it and I got a live plant and some brine cube treats do I have to smash them? 

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

I think it's a 10 gallon bc the filter says model filter 10G

[Helpwithmy_snailpls]

So I add less than 1/2 teaspoon?