Really bad case of brown algae

[jeffro426]

MY 55 gallon Mbuna tank over the last few weeks has really been having some brown algae problems...i can take all the rocks out and clean the glass and everything really realyl well and within 2-3 days its back and with a fury. I do 25-35 percent water changes every week. Somone one told me to increase the lights and throw some live plants in there to choke it out...well, i went from 30 watts to 80 watts and put several anarchis, java fern and java moss in there and if anything, the plants are growing great, but its just worse! HELP!!!!!

[Gulp]

I too am starting to get the brown stuff....... I was told to DECREASE the lighting, so I have been leaving the light off during the day........this is not helping. Does anyone know what really works? :D I do NOT want to put any chemicals in the tank.


EDIT: I just did a search and found a little info.....but everything just said to "wait it out" in the threads I found. How long? The tank has cycled and all tests are good.

[Gulp]

I guess no one has an answer Jeff....... :(

[PumaWard]

I would start doing more frequent water changes. Maybe 2-3 times a week doing 25% water changes. This will help remove the nutrients that the algae is feeding on.

[Uncle Bete]

Hi,
I'm just getting back around aquariums again, and I'm slowly remembering all the how's come's, why's, when's. etc. But I'll try to help:scratch:

I think the brown stuff is more of a diatom type thing going on.

Gulp, you right at the point with your aquarium that the brown stuff likes to show up(from my experience). The best thing I know for you is to do the waiting game:( Usually anywhere from a week to maybe 3 weeks. Then the green stuff will come around and you get to start playing the what can I do to lower the organics of the wonder system I have without compramising this that and the thing.

jeffro, how long has you tank been going?

P.S. I don't have much experience with cichlids except for my Frontosa. He tries to rip plastic plants apart, and pretty much acomplishes it too, he has a down right atred towards them! lol
But, if you can grow plants with buna's, is there any possibility that you could get away with Oto's in there(I am thinking this is a rediculas idea, but, never know). Oto's Love that brown stuff. Maybe 4 in a 55 would have it gone in a week(as bad as yours sounds). 12 of'em would be knocking on the glass the next day for algae waffer's;)

[jeffro426]

Its been running for about 3 months or so...it started to show up about 1 month into the tank running and has progressivly gotten worse. I tried bumping up the water changes to 3 times a week and it seemed to not get any better.

[Captain Hook]

Ottos are good for brown algae.

[Aquarius0015]

If I remember correctly, diatoms are an indicator of a lot of silica in the water and it just takes time to get it all out. I had it once, it went away after 2 weeks.

[PumaWard]

I don't think otos would hold up very well, especially in the hard, alkaline water that rift lake cichlids love, and with the aggressive tendancies that I have heard Mbunas have. I bristlenose pleco or two would be a better idea.

[MelJr]

I had brown algae in a couple of my aquariums when they were a couple of months old. This is a good link on the algae http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/algae/diatoms.shtml I bought some algae eaters and mystery snails but I think time was what got rid of the brown algae.

[Captain Hook]

Puma good point I missed the mbuna part. Thanks for the correction.