Brown Algae on my Plants

[Plursa]

I have a 55 gal planted tank. For several months my plants have been doing great and it seemed I had found the sweet spot balance of light and fert, with almost no algae growth. I'm now getting a lot of brown algae growing on my plants. When I did this weeks water tests my nitrate was up a little, so I did about 15% water exchange. I haven't tested again yet. Do you think it was the increase in nitrate that caused the brown algae spurt? And what's the best way to get rid of the brown algae now that I have it?

BTW, I love reading everything all you fish folks have to say. I've learned so much since I joined the forum! Thanks!

I'm afraid the photos don't show the algae very well.

[Whitecloud09]

Hello there @Plursa,

the algae on the glass looks sorta like diatoms which isn’t really a algae but I am not completely sure. The pictures are kinda tricky for me to identify the algae. But since your asking how to get rid of this algae here a few tricks I like to use:

Make sure my lighting is right where it should be, being on a timer for a more consistent schedule.

Get some algae eaters, and honestly nerite snails or something if that sort will definitely help with that kind of algae. I am pretty sure…

Change the water. Regular changes of water can help prevent algae from growing. Definitely thinking that you change your water consistently every week or so….

Add some floating plants if the light is bright or there is more light in one spot then another, add floaters to block out some of that light. But if this is diatoms then there is a chance that that is just what is the part of fish tanks, all tanks will have diatoms eventually in some time of the tanks course.

Fertilizer. Adding root tabs easy green, having the right balance of macro nutrients and micro. And again, you have mentioned that you had a good balance, but I have a question, what is your fertilizer schedule? 
These questions are kinda simple but important. And I am sure you are doing them, but we just wanna make sure. Again, you might already have a clean up crew. Last question for you @Plursa, what is your water hardness?
Hope this makes some kind of sense lol. Maybe someone else can help more, but just here to give my advice, since I have experienced a similar situation in one of my aquariums. 
-Whitecloud09

 

[Plursa]

I have 3 Otos, 4 Nerite snails and 6 catfish along with 6 Buenos Aires, 3 Columbian, 12 Neons and 5 Serpaes.  My LED light is on 8 hrs. a day; 3 hrs at 100% and 5 hrs at 70%. I fertilize with Easy Green, Phosphorus and Iron once a week and with minerals for the snails. Once a month I use plant tabs for the root feeders.  pH is about 6.4, total hardness 75. If I don't fertilize,  I have zero iron, phosphate and carbonates. My nitrite is always zero and nitrate is usually around 25-50. This past week it was up to almost 100. That's when I did the water change. 

Is there some way, other than taking them out and using reverse respiration, to get rid of the brown algae?

 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/22/2024 at 4:48 PM, Plursa said:

I have 3 Otos, 4 Nerite snails and 6 catfish along with 6 Buenos Aires, 3 Columbian, 12 Neons and 5 Serpaes.  My LED light is on 8 hrs. a day; 3 hrs at 100% and 5 hrs at 70%. I fertilize with Easy Green, Phosphorus and Iron once a week and with minerals for the snails. Once a month I use plant tabs for the root feeders.  pH is about 6.4, total hardness 75. If I don't fertilize,  I have zero iron, phosphate and carbonates. My nitrite is always zero and nitrate is usually around 25-50. This past week it was up to almost 100. That's when I did the water change. 

Is there some way, other than taking them out and using reverse respiration, to get rid of the brown algae?

 

Vet interesting, hmmm, hard to say. You are doing everything very good and your schedule is brilliant btw @Plursa, so idk. Maybe I would just do reverse respiration. Personally. But let us see if any plant experts show up here.

[lefty o]

as long as a plant isnt super delicate, brown algae can usually be rubbed off with your fingers.

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/22/2024 at 6:44 PM, lefty o said:

as long as a plant isnt super delicate, brown algae can usually be rubbed off with your fingers.

Yeah, this is what I do it’s my Amazon sword, and anubias plants. In my 20g. Just do it every week or every few days. @Plursa. 

[Plursa]

I can do that, there's just a lot of plants to clean, lots of leaves. The substrate is soft and the plants are fairly easy to take out. So I'll do that with the ones I can.

Thanks everybody! It's so nice to be able to ask the experts!

[PonyPlantedTanks]

From the pictures it doesn’t look like enough algae for me to be concerned. As long as it isn’t prohibiting plant growth, I’d say your algae eaters will take care of it before too long. And if any plants get covered in algae, just snip them off so the plant can focus on growing new leaves!

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/23/2024 at 1:08 AM, EricksonAquatics said:

From the pictures it doesn’t look like enough algae for me to be concerned. As long as it isn’t prohibiting plant growth, I’d say your algae eaters will take care of it before too long. And if any plants get covered in algae, just snip them off so the plant can focus on growing new leaves!

Yes, and some times it just eventually goes away. But the nerites and algae eaters will get on it!! nerites especially, those lil guys love them some diatoms.

[Plursa]

Thanks!

[Plursa]

Well, I took out all the plants and some of the wood and used reverse respiration for a good 12 hrs. Almost no change in the brown film on the plants. It doesn't rub off easily and the Otos and snails don't seem interested at all. What else could it be? I also get a huge amount of spiderwood fuzz which I manually remove on a regular basis. It eventually goes away but it's very unsightly. Any suggestions?

[Pepere]

Is this a fairly new tank?

[Plursa]

Tank was started on January 29, 2024.

[Pepere]

I have two 29 gallon tanks and one is free of any visible algae.  
 

The other has been having a brown algae issue rumbling on and off for a bit now.  
 

Most of the plants are free of any visible algae but my Cardinal Lobelia had been repeatedly getting covered by it.  I pulled them and tossed them for now figuring I could reintroduce from my other tank once the problem dissipates. 

For now I have it appear on the glass and need to be cleaned off weekly, but nonebof it on the plants since pulling the Cardinal Lobelia.

I also just pulled a bit of SRepens as It was getting covered with green algae that was not cleaned up resolved with 2 RR sessions.   
 

I am not shy about pulling infested plants,  especially if it just a single species or two, out as I figure you are removing a store of the algae from the tank, and I can reintroduce later once it is resolved…

 

I am currently in flux as I have switched to Dry ferts estimative index and increased co2 and put in a better light and increased intensity.  The Algae issues did preceed these changes though.  
 

It is frustrating, but as a general rule brown algae tends to be self limiting…

Are your tank temps higher now due to summer since the issue appeared?

 

[Plursa]

Temp is stable at 79*F. 

[Pepere]

Is 79 where you normally keep it year round?

[Plursa]

Yes.

[Pepere]

Looking at your photos I see lots of yellow leaves.  Always a sign that plants are not really happy…  you mention that they were doing well before the algae.  Did you notice yellowing before the algae?  Do you have pics from earlier you can look at?

can you outline

On 7/22/2024 at 4:48 PM, Plursa said:

My LED light is on 8 hrs. a day; 3 hrs at 100% and 5 hrs at 70%. I fertilize with Easy Green, Phosphorus and Iron once a week and with minerals for the snails. Once a month I use plant tabs for the root feeders.  pH is about 6.4, total hardness 75. If I don't fertilize,  I have zero iron, phosphate and carbonates. My nitrite is always zero and nitrate is usually around 25-50.

What light do you have?  How much easy green are you dosing? What do you have for plants? What has your water change schedule looked like?

can we get a photo of the entire tank front on?

 

I know, lots of questions… but helps to understand more…

[Plursa]

I have a Hygger LED, 72 watts, 3346 lumens. I dose 5 pumps Easy Green 1x week. I have Java ferns, anubias nana, anubias congensis, anubias barterii, saggitaria, rosette sword, Java moss ball, banana plant and dwarf lily. They all seemed to be doing great, only slight yellowing on the edges of old and new leaves, but new growth and great roots. I use my domestic water that has gone throu

[Plursa]

Sorry, I bumped the send button!  I use my tap water that has gone through a softener, so I have zero carbonates, iron and phosphates. My pH is low, about 6, no nitrite and nitrate around 50-75. I'm using Fluval substrate which I know gives a lower pH. I don't have any way to test potassium, should I be dosing that as well? And the plants aren't as yellow as the photos make them look.

Thanks for all your help!

[Pepere]

Is your tap water 50-75 nitrates? Or your tank water?

 

how often and what percentage water changes?

And a whole tank photo would be helpful.

Have you tested water that does not go through a softener?  Ie kh gh ph, iron…Softeners typically add sodium to treated water which doesnt do plants any favors….

Edited August 1 by Pepere

[Plursa]

I just did about 15% a week ago. And I only do them about once a month. The nitrate reading is from the tank. And I have tested the prefiltered water: pH 8.4, carbonates 240, total alkalinity 180, iron, copper, lead, zinc, phosphate, manganese all zero. KH and GH are off the charts with API titration kit. Sodium chloride is high in both the tank and pre-softened water.

I hadn't thought about the sodium before.

[Pepere]

On 8/1/2024 at 1:30 PM, Plursa said:

I hadn't thought about the sodium before.

Yes. Especially if you are not doing water changes and are topping off with softened water…

so current tank KH and GH are?

 

[Pepere]

 

On 8/1/2024 at 1:30 PM, Plursa said:

KH and GH are off the charts with API titration kit

We are talking the drop test where each drop added is equal to 1 degree of hardness right?  It isnt a graduated color change but you keep adding drops until the color changes…

 

I am so thankful that my water comes out the tap with just over a degree of GH and KH.  I just add some calcium and magnesium and I am done….

[Comradovich]

You know, I also use softened water. My issue lately has been Black Beard Algae, which started off as brownish bits on the ends of leaves. There's a number of things you can do to control it. I think I may start adding Easy Carbon next, see if that knocks it back a bit. Hydrogen Peroxide dosing is cheap, and can work wonders, too. If you are comfortable removing plants and the like, get yourself a small spray bottle and try hitting it with that in addition to the tank dosing. It'll usually turn reddish and die if you expose BBA to H2O2 spray. Irene's got a really good YouTube video on dealing with BBA, which goes over the exact dosing. Can't remember if it's on her channel (Girl Talks Fish), or the main Aquarium Co-op channel. It's not that long of a vid. 

If it begins to darken, you'll know you've got the dreaded BBA. I notice from the pics that the plants showing the algae seem to be located near the bubble feature you've got. BBA loves current. To the point where it almost exclusively grows on plants, wood and rocks near the outflow from my HOB. That bubbler could be creating enough current to give you a mild BBA outbreak. If a particular leaf looks pretty covered, you can always trim it. The spores will still be in the water, but that can keep it minimized. I normally trim off dead leaves and stems anyway, since BBA filter feeds off decaying plants.

Yeah, can't say for sure that it is BBA at this point, but the same things that work on BBA also work on other types of algae. It can't hurt to try a few things.