# Help Is This Brown Algae



## inkslinger (Jan 1, 2005)

Is this Brown Algae ?
I had re done my 110g tank with a new pump and filter system and had been
running for about 1 1/2 months. Is this what Brown Algae looks like?
It only grows in the middle of the tank where the center brace of the tank is ?
Is this cause by filter not cycle yet?
Not enough Light , I have 3 pairs of t5 54 watt's and only use 1 pair for 6hr.
I only have 6 small plants and 2 medium plants in a 60x18x24 tank?
I have plenty of flow with 2 returns and a 1100gph pump.
Fish I only have right now is 8 Black Skrit Tetra an 2 small Otto's

What can I do to correct this ?


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## Glaucus (Oct 11, 2009)

To me this looks like hair algae / green algae. It is not brown algae. In my newly set up tank i am now facing hair algae too. In my tank this algae is growing mostly on the highly lit areas, e.g. the bogwood close to the light source. I am going to to bring back the photoperiod. Meanwhile I will do some parameter checks to see if anything is amiss. In your case to much light and to few plants are causing the problems i think. Cut back light until you have more plants.


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## catwat (Oct 5, 2009)

inkslinger said:


> Is this Brown Algae ?
> I had re done my 110g tank with a new pump and filter system and had been
> running for about 1 1/2 months. Is this what Brown Algae looks like?
> It only grows in the middle of the tank where the center brace of the tank is ?
> ...


Looks like brown algae since it is on the gravel. You could manually vacuum it out when doing water changes. It may take a while to get rid of. Once your tank has settled in, it will go away on its own. Ottos would help as they eat it. Surprisingly enough, young Rosy Barbs (about an inch) love it; although I am not sure they would make good tank mates for tetras.


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## orlando (Feb 14, 2007)

I have ran into this horrible stuff on such a grand scale you have no idea. I tried everything, even a complete tear down and it still came back. 

I tried Ottos, nothing. They would not touch it. The day I added 100 Amanos it was all gone in 24hrs


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## inkslinger (Jan 1, 2005)

This algae when first appear , I only had on was 1 pair of t5 54w for 6 hour {108w} And this algae started on the gravel in the center of the tank, an above it is a 1/8" center brace and glass cover an no co2 .


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## inkslinger (Jan 1, 2005)

Will it looks to me that my algae battle is over now , My Dc is still the same transparent blue,I added more Fe, an I have 2 pair's of t5 54w 6hr's a day , I'm also keeping my co2 bubble count to 3bps, I don't know if my Nu-Clear 547 cycle that did it or my other settings but gravel has been clean of algae since last week tooth brush cleaning .
My sword and 5 stem plants are growing bigger now , I still need to add more.
I don't think this came from low oxygen I have a 1100gph pump with a Mazzie when I'm not pumping co2 in at night I got a lot of flow movement in my tank for a 60x18x24 tank.
My algae started in the center on the gravel not on plants or glass , Toward the end of the algae cycle it spread more to left side of my tank where I have 4 small plants, On the other side it did not reach I have a large sword and 5 stems growing real good. I still need to add a lot more plants in my tank.
IMO: My BIO Filter was not cycle yet and low on ferts , The only test kit I have is for KH, an PH , I do need to get PO4 , an KNO3 test kits


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## doubleott05 (Jul 20, 2005)

i had this and destroyed it with tetra algae control and a black out for 2 days. it did damage a few plants a small bit but they recovered nicely. 


now.... its back i dont wanna damage my plants again but it looks like im gonna have to do the same thing again. 

any suggestions. i dont have the money for 100 amano's either

Thanks
Elliot


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