Plants fine but got a brown algae on 'em

[cavin1]

I need some advice please. I have a number of plants in my 60G aquarium, but they are becoming coated with a dark brown algae type material. Doesn't seem to affect them at all as they are flourishing. But it looks terrible. I use a total of 26 W from the mini-compacts , that should equate to 104W. And two Corallife mini compacts rated at 10Weach, thus a further 80W, GT of 184W or 3W/G. Not sure if that's the correct way to count these mini's or for this purpose do we use the actual wattage, ie 10 & 13 W?? Now my W/G becomes <1W/G.

Hope I have not scared you off !! Anyhoo can someone help, BTW I have not fed them for several weeks. (I read somewhere thatr over fert could cause this isue.) :wall: :help::help:

 

[jameshilljr]

what are your other params- Nitrites,nitrates,etc?

 

[MrGoodbytes]

Maybe I'm missing something but how does a 10W lamp put out 80W of power?

 

[Star_Rider]

Maybe I'm missing something but how does a 10W lamp put out 80W of power?

spouted on may of the mini compact spiral lights. uses 10watts out put equivalent to 20 or 40 watts...or something like that.

brown algae.. could be diatom. usually indicative of excess silicates in the tanks, new glass aquarium?

 

[calivivarium1]

Do you have any pics? It could be brown algae(diatoms) or something more along the lines of what currently have in my paludarium. I am trying overdosing excel... I'll try and take some pics and post em if I can

 

[Arakkis]

you can always put in something to eat it. Ancistris plecos, nerites snails. etc

 

[Bk718]

you need to use the actual wattage not equivalence.

 

[cavin1]

Thank you, that's what I suspected, good info. To answer anpother ref 8 watts = 32Watts, these are compact fl lights, spiral type, their equivalenc is 1:4 (out)

 

[cavin1]

spouted on may of the mini compact spiral lights. uses 10watts out put equivalent to 20 or 40 watts...or something like that.

brown algae.. could be diatom. usually indicative of excess silicates in the tanks, new glass aquarium?

No not a new aquarium, Des Cavin (Photos of plants this PM.)

 

[KarlTh]

The equivalences are to incandescent lights, but WPG calculations use fluorescent wattages anyway, so no conversion. It's low light therefore which is your problem.