Brown algae BIG Problem

[king_puma9]

Thanx Tunerx you are my hero! I will check into the phosphates test kit, and iron. I will have to do some more searching online, because I dont have any LFS anywhere around here. After more and more research it does appear like the black beard mixed with the brown.

Tunerx- do you have any ideas how I can do my water changes without having to switch my whole house over to RO? Any help would be very appreciated.

 

[WyldFya]

You need to identify exactly what type of algae it is, then you will know how to battle it.

10K wouldn't do anything, maybe make the brown a little more green or give it a nice sheen. Lowering the temp below the 6700 range would inhibit the browns but increase reds and provide darker greens.

Increasing/decreasing the light intensity won't do much. Changing intensity may initially inhibit growth of one type of algae but promote a different kind. If you go back to the same schedule and intensity it will come back.

If it is thick growing diatoms or brown cyano then you need to do something to control silicates.

If it is actual brown hair algae then you need to do something to lower phosphates and possibly iron. Get an iron test kit and see how high it is. Phosphate test kits are really good at detecting inorganic phosphates but not the organic ones that actually make up the majority of phosphates in the average aquarium.

With a 50-70 percent water change a week you may be providing tons of silicates/phosphates/iron that keeps feeding the algae. Try to adjust water changing schedules based on tests results for nitrates.

Some people are blessed with low phosphate, low silicate tap water; some people aren't. I have a fry grow-out tank that I use only tap water on and grow long brown/green algae on the rocks and glass. On my display tanks, I use HI-S RO/DI water and don't have anything besides what I put in the tank.

Again, brown algae, is controllable with a simple strong lighting. Other forms of algae can be controlled in a much easier means than brown algae. While more intense lighting will cause other types of algae, given good conditions, they will be far slower growing, and easier to remove. Iron does not affect the growth of brown algae at all. Phosphates are not a major cause of brown algae.

 

[tunerX]

It all depends on the algae. You may be confusing diatoms with actual brown hair.

Brown/black beard algae can uptake nutrients and minerals which include iron, phosphates, potassium, nitrates and a few others. Black beard algae can appear brown or black depending on the light intensity. So if you want to increase lighting, all you will do is eventually cause it to grow darker and more lustrous.

Phosphates, iron, and minimal nitrates are all I usually get in my grow out tank. The water comes straight from the well and goes directly into the tank. My well is rich in inorganic phosphates and iron, but has absolutely no nitrates in it since it is deep water. It has has zero silicates.

I have two 29 gallon tanks, side by side, with the same setup, and a single 4 foot light fixture that hangs over both of the them. I change 50 percent of the water every three days. I rinse out the java moss once a week. I don't have substrate but do have a couple field stones or clay pots for hiding and egg laying, so all I have to do is vacuum the bottom glass. Occasionally I will clean some of the glass or rocks if I notice bits of stuff in there.

One tank gets HI-S RO/DI and fed rather heavily. This one has breeding rosy reds in it. The other tank gets tap water, and fed lightly. This is where the rosy red's egg laden, rocks or pots go for hatching. Which one do you think has the brown algae in it? I have been doing this for three years now. I use the different algae, micro organisms that live on the java fern, and light feedings for the rosy fry.