Brown algae !!!

[ismenio]

Hy

Well,i have on plants a brown thin layer (less than a 1mm) of an algae i think.
And the glass of tankk has the same problem.

What is wrong?
Can anybody help me please?

Regards

Isménio

Water Tests all API

pH 7.5
NH3/NH4 0
NO2 0
NO3 30 ppm
PO4 2 ppm


Setup

Tank 360 L 90*80*50 cm
Sunsun with 2000 L/H with UV always off
Lightning 2 * 55W 7200K Total 110W 4 hours day
One layer of sand

Plants

Aponogeton Crispus
Cyperus alternifolius
Eichhornia crassipes

Fish

11 Goldenfish and Fancyfish

 

[Biollante]

Diatoms!

The brown stuff is likely Diatoms, nothing to worry about most new tanks go through this. Just wipe it up, vacuum it up, in ten days to three weeks it will be gone. If it persists I will tell you the cause, I have a similar situation.

Why is the UV always off?

Aponogeton Crispus is going to want more light, tends to like high end of medium to high lighting.

Eichhornia crassipes wants high to very high light. Needs room on the surface to flower, a beautiful plant, but more of a pond plant or large open aquarium.

Cyperus alternifolius is not an aquarium plant at least in the usual sense; it is a large tropical swamp plant, going on terrestrial, which likes a lot of light.

Biollante

 

[ismenio]

Thanks Biollant.
The tank isn´t new, have 2 months or more.
Beside it´s near a large door of glass, he has plenty of natural light all the day but never have direct sun light.
UV light from the filter i never turn on because i don´t no how many hours he should be on, even the advantege of the UV light.
The plants beside the brown algae are fine, got floures and they grow fast.
Day by day i have to clean de glass apart this the water is very transparent.

What should i do?

Best regards

Ismenio

 

[Biollante]

Two months is still 'new'.

I live in a high ambient light place and do use it, to the extent that some of my tanks are without light fixtures.

Give it time, the Diatoms should subside.

I like UV 24/7 and since I have been measuring ORP, I am a real believer. At minimum, use UV, two or three days after water change.

Biollante

 

[Biollante]

{This is the one I was going to post before your reply}
{As always if you are happy then just ignore.}



I was asleep at the wheel!

The ‘fish’ didn’t register with me, Goldenfish, are we talking, Goldfish (Carassius auratus) small ornamental freshwater, coldwater fish?

Would the ‘Fancyfish’ be Guppies, like, Poecilia reticulate?

If so; read on, if not, don’t bother.

The Goldfish prefer cooler water; the guppies can do well in cooler water as well.

For a cool water tank I would recommend these or similar very available plants:
• Egeria densa, it is an anacharis, very good oxygenator that does well in a variety of water and lighting conditions, should be the first to start pearling.
• Egeria najas is an anachris, a good oxygenator, under good lighting a pretty plant that is said to give off antibiotic substances, which helps fight the dreaded cyanobacteria.
• Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' is beautiful with golden color, best in small groups. It requires good light.
• Myriophyllum elatinoides is sometimes referred to as the Christmas Tree plant, likes medium lighting, this one can take higher temperatures and won’t be happy under 22 C.
• Bacopa monnieri is a nice plant that gets along in most water conditions.

I would recommend this direction for fish, plant compatibility, I always recommend over planting at the start.

I highly recommend doubling your lighting. I would also at least double the photoperiod.

These plants will suck up the nutrients, so good dosing is important.

The Goldfish (Carassius auratus) are messy fish. Certainly, at minimum 50% weekly water changes, the more filtration, the better and turn on the UV device.

Biollante

 

[aquabillpers]

Isménio,

Just to confuse things a little, I reduced the lighting in a 2 WPG (T12), 15 inch deep tank to 9 hours a day. The tank had been set up for 10 months and was doing fine. It had no CO2 injection.

Soon it began developing a coating of brown algae on the sides and substrate. The plants stopped growing, except for some crypts. Other algae appeared.

I increased the light to 11 hours per day. Now the tank is almost back to where it was.

In addition to being caused by excessive silicates, brown algae can also be caused by inadequate lighting. You might try increasing the photoperiod.

Here's a link to a brown algae article.:

Algae Reference - Brown Algae

Good luck.

Bill

 

[ismenio]

Hy Biollante

I will use UV, two or three days after water change has you say, and i will wait more 1 or 2 months perhaps.
And they are Goldfish (carrasious auratus), and Fancy (goldfish) was my mistake, sorry. (Fancy Goldfish are orandas for example).
In september i wiil be on vacations and i will try the plants you told me, the goldfish like to heat the plants so i will try to buy the big ones ( perhaps they will not heat them)
And i do really ater changes of 50 % all weeks and i will double the light and time.

Thanks for all , i will post were the changes, i hope for best.

Regards

Ismenio

 

[scottward]

I'm no expert, but I'll add my 2 cents worth.

I have brown algae develop in my tank when the tubes start to get old. Even though the output of the new tubes is a certain wattage, because they dim over time eventually they are not putting out their rated amount.

I guess the same thing could happen even with new tubes if the tank isn't getting quite enough light.

In my experience, a film of brown algae forming on plant leaves and the glass has always been due to insuffient light.

I easily proved this to myself by replacing the tubes; once I did this, the brown algae didn't come back.

Just my 2 cents, might help.

Scott.

 

[dutchy]

What caught my eye is the dimensions of the tank. 90x80x50. If it's really 80 cm wide 2 tubes are not enough to get a good spread, so the light is not enough, hence the brown algae. Looks like you need more tubes to get enough light in there. Of course a photoperiod of 4 hours is not enough. 10 hours is better.

regards,
Dutchy

 

[ismenio]

Thanks to all, Aquabillpers, Scottward, Dutchy and Biollante.

The tank has really 80 cm wide, the carassius auratus need big tanks.
I have increased the light to 11 hours per day, and i have request another lightning (i think this is the term) with 2 bulbs of 55W in total will be 220 W of light.
Mean while i have open the curtains to have more natural light (they were closed for the same cause i have the photoperiod of 4 hours, i thought the brown algae was too much light. )

Another question if you don´t mind, shoul i fertilize with the macro k ?
Should i add micros ?

Regards

Ismenio

 

[Biollante]

Yes by all means dosing macros and micros, I use and recommend the Estimative Index (EI) method.

Biollante

 

[ismenio]

Amazing Biollant
I don´t have instaled the new lightning, but i have extended the photoperiod and open the curtains, and guess !!! The glass now have green algae and are rising green algae in the plants too.
Who knows, konws has we say in Portugal.

Thanks to everybody.

Now i will start the EI and get new plants, a lot of them to change the old ones that my dear goldfish have ...snack ...eat.

Regards

Ismenio

 

[jbrazio]

Who knows, konws has we say in Portugal.

Algas verdes.. não quer dizer que as coisas tenham melhorado !
Também tenho dessas coisas vermelhas.. no meu caso ainda esta a ser tratado mas quer me parecer que é falta de CO2, andei a brincar com os ppms..

Cumprimentos,
João.

 

[ismenio]

Viva João

Pelo menos são verdes, sempre são mais bonitas


Translating

At least they are green, they are more pretty

Thanks

 

[Biollante]

Indicador saudável!

Viva João

Pelo menos são verdes, sempre são mais bonitas


Translating

At least they are green, they are more pretty

Thanks

É provável que não demonstra que as "algas marrons ', eu ainda acredito Diatoms é mais provável, provavelmente a luz baixa, silicatos combinado com carbono orgânico dissolvido, DOC e talvez até mesmo partículas de carbono orgânico, POC desencadeou a floração de diatomáceas, a adição de luz tem permitiu que as algas verdes para superá todos. Meu palpite é que as plantas estão ou estavam em um estado enfraquecido acrescentando, sob a forma de Mulm, para o carbono orgânico disponível e, talvez, tornando as plantas até um pouco mais de um deleite saboroso para os peixes.

Acho que as algas são um pouco mais de um indicador de saúde, acredito que grandes mudanças de água, talvez a cada dois ou três dias, o aumento de CO2, maior ou melhor iluminação e limpeza das algas estão em ordem.

A criatura alta, que compartilha meu espaço gostos e mantém peixes de água fria, Orandas sendo a criatura alta favoritos. Aqueles caras lá amor legumes; suborno é um do melhor método de mantê-los longe das plantas. Abundância de áspero, em bruto, bem como branqueados, alface (Romaine e tal), abóbora, frutas e assim por diante sendo a chave. Saudável crescimento das plantas são geralmente menos tentador.

Biollante

 

[Biollante]

Healthy Indicator!

Viva João

Pelo menos são verdes, sempre são mais bonitas


Translating

At least they are green, they are more pretty

Thanks

It likely does demonstrate that the ‘brown algae’, I still believe is most likely Diatoms, likely the low light, silicates combined with Dissolved Organic Carbon, DOC and maybe even Particulate Organic Carbon, POC triggered the Diatom bloom, the addition of light has allowed the green algae to outcompete everyone. My guess is that the plants are or were in a weakened state adding, in the form of mulm, to the organic carbon available and perhaps making the plants even a bit more of a tasty treat for the fish.

I think the algae are a bit of a healthy indicator, I believe large water changes, maybe every two or three days, increased CO2, increased or better lighting and cleaning up the algae are in order.

The loud creature that shares my space likes and keeps cold-water fish, Orandas being the loud creature’s favorites. Those guys love there vegetables; bribery is one of the best method of keeping them away from the plants. Plenty of rough, raw as well as blanched, lettuce (Romaine and such), squash, fruits and so forth being the key. Healthy growing plants are generally less tempting.

Biollante

 

[jbrazio]

Off-topic

Google translate is like cheating ! ;-P

 

[Biollante]

It Is Cheating!

Google translate is like cheating ! ;-P

Yes!!!

I love Google!

Biollante

 

[ismenio]

Well, the loud creature that shares yours space have good taste
Orandas and company are amazing fishs and the probably the ones that start this hobby.
But has i say i will buy new plants , a lot of plants and i will start fertelizing.
Them i will see what happens.

Regards

Ismenio

PS: The google translate is a .... , you now.

 

[ismenio]

Well, this is the one

The plant at the right side i thought that she will died, but for my suprise another one have born and after a week she have gone out of water and today she have i new leaf.
The plant at the middle will go out of tank, is turning brown and isn´t a plant for tanks realy.
As you can see i have a plenty of light and the brown algae have disapear as long i have open the curtains and increase the hours of light.
Now i´m trying to get adult echinodorus grandiflora but is hard to get and i ´m afraid that she will die since she needs has i strong light, i think !
I´m using only KCL for fertilize.
Now i have NO3 at 10ppm but PO4 at 10ppm, i dont understand why ?
I still doing every week 50 % water changes.

Regards