anyone ever let brown algae cover all sides of aquarium?

[cigars]

I think it looks awesome.How do you get so much growth?

I never clean it and I use finnex 24/7 lighting

Brown algae is diatoms. They don't last as they are caused by raised levels of ammonia/ammonia spikes. If they last, you have a problem. If you leave it uncleaned, the diatom phase will die out. The left over film will eventually get colonised by proper green algae, and the lot will turn green. I have a hillstream tank so I am trying to grow algae on purpose in there. It doesn't look good and I can barely see the fish as I don't bother cleaning the front glass either in order to provide more surface area. But the fish are happy and healthy.

Hmmm interesting this tank has been running for 1.5 years or so I test my water parameters every week (I’m one of those) mostly for nitrates I do not have auto drip so I’m the janitor I do check also for ammonia not weekly but usually twice a month never had any not even a trace. I have also checked after heavy feedings multiple times to see if there is any ammonia never seen any. Damn so I have dead brown algae in my aquarium doesn’t even provide any nitrate reduction lol. I add salt every once in a while because the bass injure themselves during feedings and from fighting, where the salt lands in turns that entire area of algae bright green then it turns back to brown after a few weeks any thoughts on this?

 

[cigars]

I never clean it and I use finnex 24/7 lighting



Hmmm interesting this tank has been running for 1.5 years or so I test my water parameters every week (I’m one of those) mostly for nitrates I do not have auto drip so I’m the janitor I do check also for ammonia not weekly but usually twice a month never had any not even a trace. I have also checked after heavy feedings multiple times to see if there is any ammonia never seen any. Damn so I have dead brown algae in my aquarium doesn’t even provide any nitrate reduction lol. I add salt every once in a while because the bass injure themselves during feedings and from fighting, where the salt lands in turns that entire area of algae bright green then it turns back to brown after a few weeks any thoughts on this?

I found some pics of it

 

[Gourami Swami]

I used to always let algae cover the back of my tanks.
Here's a picture from probably 8-10 years back

Nowadays I like to use 3d backgrounds better

 

[cigars]

Could high silicates in tap water also cause brown algae, this is what I think causes the growth in my tank (aside from lighting)

 

[MrsE88]

Here are some pictures from when I let the algae grow in my tank. I get direct and indirect sunlight on all my tanks all day. I only wipe the front and maybe one side on each tank. But I have plecos and snails now that keep all algae down to being almost nothing in all tanks.
I kinda liked the algae for a while. I didn’t get background glare as bad, but I hated the algae growing on the decor. Had I only kept rocks and wood it may have looked fine, but on plastic plants it looked horrible.

 

[tlindsey]

Could high silicates in tap water also cause brown algae, this is what I think causes the growth in my tank (aside from lighting)

Yes

 

[Gourami Swami]

Could high silicates in tap water also cause brown algae, this is what I think causes the growth in my tank (aside from lighting)

yeah, I think there is more to brown algae growth than poor water quality or nitrates/ammonia. I have always had brown algae grow in my tanks, even though I do 2x week water changes and nitrates never even reach 20ppm. I think it is because of minerals and other chemicals in my tap water.

 

[Coryloach]

Brown algae is diatoms. They don't last as they are caused by raised levels of ammonia/ammonia spikes. If they last, you have a problem. If you leave it uncleaned, the diatom phase will die out. The left over film will eventually get colonised by proper green algae, and the lot will turn green. I have a hillstream tank so I am trying to grow algae on purpose in there. It doesn't look good and I can barely see the fish as I don't bother cleaning the front glass either in order to provide more surface area. But the fish are happy and healthy.

I didn't want to point any fingers at anyone with my above comment. It seems I have offended some but diatoms are related to ammonia levels/bioload and can be very easily reproduced if one wanted to. Has anyone ever kept fry and fed them on the heavy side? Or has anyone done a complete makeover of a planted tank and stirred up some gunk from the substrate? Or has anyone set up a new tank and faced the famous regular diatom outbreak that comes with new setups?

There is ammonia 24/7 in a fish tank, so when one claims they've got zero ammonia, its unrealistic. One can only claim they had zero ammonia at the moment they tested the tank. Ammonia goes up and down, depending on the bioload and efficiency of filtration, tank set up, etc...Diatoms is reality of fish tanks. There's no offence meant. My advice is to consider diatoms as a sign of heavy bioload/possible mini spikes. If that's not the case, great, only time will tell.

 

[cigars]

I didn't want to point any fingers at anyone with my above comment. It seems I have offended some but diatoms are related to ammonia levels/bioload and can be very easily reproduced if one wanted to. Has anyone ever kept fry and fed them on the heavy side? Or has anyone done a complete makeover of a planted tank and stirred up some gunk from the substrate? Or has anyone set up a new tank and faced the famous regular diatom outbreak that comes with new setups?

There is ammonia 24/7 in a fish tank, so when one claims they've got zero ammonia, its unrealistic. One can only claim they had zero ammonia at the moment they tested the tank. Ammonia goes up and down, depending on the bioload and efficiency of filtration, tank set up, etc...Diatoms is reality of fish tanks. There's no offence meant. My advice is to consider diatoms as a sign of heavy bioload/possible mini spikes. If that's not the case, great, only time will tell.

No offense taken my friend only inquisition as we all can always learn more in our hobby especially me, I like the look so I leave it. My comment about ammonia was that through some research I read that what you are saying is obviously correct so I test with what is available to the average aquarist I have tested multiple times after heavy feedings in the morning at night multiple times a day etc trying to see/find the issue no ammonia shows up on the test kit. So I linked it to possibly what’s in my tap water not saying or ever will dispute that there is never any ammonia in aquariums what would the BB thrive on. So I am going to ask another question

Could TDS cause brown algae as well? I have never checked this always wondered if this could be an issue as well. Hoping through some conversations here those that do not like it can check test and possibly fix the issue or just clean it before any pics posted up on mfk/.

So we know
1. Diatoms (brown algae)
2. Could be caused by ammonia/ammonia
spike
3. Excess Silicates (tap water?)
4. Poor Tank husbandry?

Forgive me I’m learning here so please feel free to add correct anything I missed or said incorrectly

 

[markstrimaran]

Before
About 18 months later, with salt water reef led, fixture.