Algea

[osubuckeye]

I have a new 40 Gallon tank that I added 4 Serpia Tetra to on the 15th of January. I am using real plants and currently have the light (120 Watt 50 volt) on for 12 hours. Last week I started seeing a thick web like algea on the glass of the tank and a rust like algea on the leaves of my plants. I slowed down the amount of food over the last four days to nearly zero and have reduced the light to 10 hours per day. Any ideas????

[OrionGirl]

Fertilizing? What kind of plants? CO2? Color of the algae?

[osubuckeye]

I am not fertilizing and am not adding CO2. The algea is dark green and web like on the glass and brown on the leaf of the plants. I have several different plants, (2)bananna plants, (2) Cryptocoryne balansae,(3)Cryptocoryne moehlmannii. Thanks

[FisheyLisa]

Plantgeek.net

specifically:
http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9

I have that brown stuff too. It seems to wipe off. I think it is the red/brown algae described there, but I wasn't certain. depending on your fish, some eat algae and it is ok to leave a little on the glass. I have spotty green stuff, which I only clean from the front glass, and every so often from the other sides. It sticks on well so you need a scraper.

Anyway that site will make it mostly clear- in your head that is.