![]() For instance, with moderate light (especially blue light) and high silicate in the water, diatoms will predominate, but with low silicate and high phosphates red algae might predominate. The exact mix is highly variable and dependent on things like light and nutrients. If you examine most “brown algae” under a microscope you will find it is very roughly about 50% porous detritus and organic “slime” (thus the “slimy” feel) and 50% a mixture of diatoms, other algae, cyanobacteria, bacteria, water molds, flagellates, ciliates and many other microscopic critters. The term “brown algae” is somewhat of a misnomer. In the hobby a brown film in the aquarium is commonly called “brown algae” or “diatoms”. On the other hand the following “natural” decorating scheme allows brown algae to fit in without much of a problem: Natural decorated aquarium The Science of “Brown Algae” The following “pink” aquarium will have HUGE problems with brown algae: Aquarium with a pink theme If one wants to decorate with white buddhas and pink plants, one will have huge problems keeping brown algae at bay. A little brown on brown sandstone rocks, driftwood and green plants is quite natural and acceptable. Personally I’ve learned to decorate in such a way that the brown algae is just part of the “natural” look in the aquarium. There will ALWAYS be some brown algae in any aquarium. So cleaning the algae actually just makes the problem worse! So if one cleans the algae away constantly it never matures and most fish never start eating it (snails and plecos are an exception). But after a few months it becomes much more nutritious and fish will eat it. Initially “brown algae” is poor in nutrients and most fish typically won’t eat it. The “brown algae” will get worse, then it probably get better in three months or so. ![]() Only do water changes when the nitrates hit 40 to 80 ppm. Feed the fish lightly, only the amount of two eyeballs per day per fish in dry food. Stop any fertilizing, stop vacuuming the substrate, stop cleaning the filter, stop cleaning the ornaments or the back walls in the aquarium. The best thing to do is to do NOTHING, just let Mother Nature do what Mother Nature does, namely set up a good ecology in the aquarium. ![]() ![]() And all their efforts are exactly the wrong thing to do. And then they can’t figure out why it keeps coming back. Newcomers to the hobby often have great problems with “brown algae” and do all sorts of things to prevent it from occurring. The hobby will be a lot easier if one just decorates with the notion that all the ornaments, gravel and rocks need to look just fine with brown algae on them. ![]() If you want to spend hours every two weeks or so one can clean all the ornaments in an aquarium with bleach. Bushy nosed plecos and snails can normally remove most of it.Ĭleaning off brown algae on the front glass is just one of the weekly chores all aquarium hobbyists do. If one just leaves “brown algae” alone it will lessen in four to six months. The terms “algae” and “diatoms” are misnomers in that there are many different organisms which can predominate in a brown film on an aquarium surface. “Brown algae” or “diatoms” occurs in all aquariums. Brown Algae in Freshwater Aquariums “Brown Algae” in a Nutshell ![]()
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