# Plants growing (brown)algae, plants shoots growing out of stem abnormally. Why?



## William77 (Feb 4, 2008)

Heya all,

kinda new to planted tank. but using a 2nd hand co2 tank with selonoid (2 bubbles per sec) and using liquid n root fertilizers. Oh yar, and a 55w light ( i think) from C328.
BUT still...... all my plants, including my spikey moss, start to grow little by little, those brown algae. And the plants doesnt grow normally, shoots start jetting out from the stems. WHY ah? (lights on 7 hrs per day now, down from 8)


William


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Hello William... Welcome to APC :mrgreen:

_How many gallons is your tank?..._ Brown algae (diatoms) is common in a newly and/or low light tanks. The side roots are normal in stem plants.


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## William77 (Feb 4, 2008)

trenac said:


> Hello William... Welcome to APC :mrgreen:
> 
> _How many gallons is your tank?..._ Brown algae (diatoms) is common in a newly and/or low light tanks. The side roots are normal in stem plants.


Its a 2 feet tank. Yap i'm kinda NEW........ But how to get rid of it? its like eating into my plant's life i think. Esp the Mosses.

PS: New shoot growing out of the stem plants........hmm seem.....ugly thou. (not too sure) But i read before somewhere if the water is good, plants wont just grow new shoots out of stem anyhow? Not sure again. I m a noob. but hopefulyl 1 day will have a beautiful aquascape tank to call my own  :mrgreen:


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Brown algae will eventually go away on it's own as the tank matures. In the meantime you could get some Otto's, they make good diatoms eaters.

Those side roots are ugly, but very normal in some stem plants. You can trim them off if you like or hide those particuliar plants behind other plants that do not grow them.


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## DMHdispute (Oct 23, 2007)

Im confused, does he mean shoots or roots? Both are normal as far as i know though.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Different stem plants grow aerial roots differently, and they also grow side shoots differently. Lobelia cardinalis small form, for example grows aerial roots profusely, but they are all hidden so you can't see them. Others aren't nearly as considerate.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

I think a picture would be a great help...there seems to be some confusion as to whether you have new stems growing from your plants or aerial roots. As TrenaC stated, side shoots (actually new plants) are common in most stem plants as are the aerial roots Hoppy mentioned.

I assume you are adding fertilizers to the tank since you seem to be getting new growth.


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