brown algae diatoms

It varies with how often the silica is replenished. Contact your water utility and find out how much is in your water source. If you have high levels of silica, you may be in for a long ride. There are many critters that consume them--3-4 otos would fit in your tank and help out. But, I'd give the tank at least 6 months before making that choice.

Also, with diatoms...they don't like a lot of flow. So if you can get a powerhead in your dead spots, that would help a lot. That is what i did and they are gone now. I have white marine sand too (look VERY ugly). So get that water movin

I have this same algae and my tank is cycling. I think it developed from adding the established filter and water and gravel from my other tank that had it. In the old tank it didn't develop for months though and I would just scrap it off.

Should I just leave it? Is it unhealthy to my cycle? It's only on the ornaments currently and I DEFINATELY DO NOT want to add an algae eater type fish or shirmp right now since i'm cycling.

Diatoms are not harmful, just unattractive. It's not unheard of for the silica tests not to detect the problem--the diatoms are using them up, leaving few in the water column. Removing as much of the dead ones (ie, those that are coating things) will help significantly, but it can be an ongoing battle for a while.

Just let it be tornangel. I assume you're doing a fishless? Just let the algae go through its life. If you want, clean it up, just rub it off and do a big water change. Remember to dose back the ammonia after the change!

For both of you, it's always a good idea to give the local water company a call. They're usually more than happy to help you out, especially if you don't act like a holier-than-thou investigative reporter on a witch hunt, in other words if you're polite, so will they be. Anyway, ask them to send you their annual water report assesment or whatever they call it. It's just a breakdown of all the water parameters like pH, hardness, Ca hardness, Mg hardness, alkalinity, trace metal concentrations and the like. It will probably come as a table which will list both the concentrations measured, reported as an annual average, and the local/state/federal water quality standard so that you can put the numbers in perspective. It gives you a good idea of what you can expect from your tap. You can also take the opportunity to ask them if they use chlorine and chloramines or just chlorine. You can also ask if they add phosphates to the water, it helps as a buffer and to preserve the pipes but may factor into your algae wars.

I set up a 20g tank about 2 months ago. Seeded it with filter media and plants from my established 75g. It's home to some skunk botias and a molly. After a few weeks brown algae showed up, some of it quite thick. Strangley enough there's no algae past the halfway mark on the tank, which is the water line during a 50% weekly change.

Since this is my low light, low maintenance tank, I decided to let nature take it course and see what happens. It's almost completely gone now. So, if your prepared to wait and keep a rigid water change schedule it should go away. I know otos take care of this stuff but I wasn't about to put some in with skunk botias.

happychem said:

Just let it be tornangel. I assume you're doing a fishless? Just let the algae go through its life. If you want, clean it up, just rub it off and do a big water change. Remember to dose back the ammonia after the change!

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Sorry to tell you I am not doing fishless which is why I'm concerned weather I should do anything or not. I have my betta, and two panda cories and one albino and a neon. Don't worry I test everyday and change the water according to the tests. This is my first tank and I jumped the gun and I had a lot of mixed messages before I got on this forum completely. At least I wasn't a total dope and DID NOT start with all new materials. Betta's were my first fish I went through three and finally felt comfortable to upgrade to the 10 gal.