brown algae

quinnfish · 02/08/2007, 03:46 PM

My tank is 2 months old, fish only. I started getting some orange/brown stuff on the bottom and went and got 10 snails to see if they would clean it up. They seem to prefer the top of my tank and the decorative rocks. They aren't interested in the gunk on the bottom at all (I think it is brown algae). I talked to my LFS and she said to stir the substrate up and the filter would naturally clean out the algae. I have not had the best advice from her so I wanted to get some other opinions. My water tests are all great, 2 cardinals and a cleaner shrimp are all happy. If stirring the algae IS the best advice, do I do it a little at a time or all at once? I dont want to go overboard.

cdangel0 · 02/08/2007, 03:51 PM

ahhh, the joys of a new tank - Diatomes - it's just part of the natural cycling of the tank. I have never heard of a new tank NOT getting this.

When the hermits and snails run out of food on the rocks they will move down to the sand / cc bottom.

Just let it be and it will go away in a week or so.

And just to beat everyone else to the punch - make sure you use RO/DI water and not regualr tap as tap water contains phosphates that add to diatome blooms.......

02/08/2007, 03:46 PM	#1
quinnfish Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Arkansas Posts: 14	brown algae My tank is 2 months old, fish only. I started getting some orange/brown stuff on the bottom and went and got 10 snails to see if they would clean it up. They seem to prefer the top of my tank and the decorative rocks. They aren't interested in the gunk on the bottom at all (I think it is brown algae). I talked to my LFS and she said to stir the substrate up and the filter would naturally clean out the algae. I have not had the best advice from her so I wanted to get some other opinions. My water tests are all great, 2 cardinals and a cleaner shrimp are all happy. If stirring the algae IS the best advice, do I do it a little at a time or all at once? I dont want to go overboard.

02/08/2007, 03:51 PM	#2
cdangel0 Moved On Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Delaware Posts: 905	ahhh, the joys of a new tank - Diatomes - it's just part of the natural cycling of the tank. I have never heard of a new tank NOT getting this. When the hermits and snails run out of food on the rocks they will move down to the sand / cc bottom. Just let it be and it will go away in a week or so. And just to beat everyone else to the punch - make sure you use RO/DI water and not regualr tap as tap water contains phosphates that add to diatome blooms.......