Is my substrate causing brown algae?

[waytoodeep03]

I have been using this as my substrate for years.

https://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/567124O/3mtm-colorquartztm-ceramic-coated-crystals-brochure.pdf

It looks good however I believe it has silicates in it that causes the brown diatoms to live and multiply.

I am sick of it as soon as I clean my tank I have about 3-4 days and its blooming again on my glass.

So I am looking to remove it completely from my tank.

I wanted to know if there was any type of substrate that helps prevent the brown algae? I was even thinking of going back to using rocks at the bottom

 

[TheWolfman]

A few questions, what size tank? What's the stock? What are your nitrates prior to water change? How much water are you changing/ how often? What type of food do you feed? These things could be contributing to your algee issues.

 

[waytoodeep03]

A few questions, what size tank? What's the stock? What are your nitrates prior to water change? How much water are you changing/ how often? What type of food do you feed? These things could be contributing to your algee issues.

Tank is a 90 gal high two fluval fx4's
Stock are 4 cichlids about 3 inches and a common pleco at about 10 inches .
Feed oncer per day so northfin pellets.
Nitrates are less that 20ppm after a week.


I also have another tank a 200 long with a dovii, 2 large parrots and another 12 inch pleco. two fluval fx6

Same food once per day. Nitrates are a little higher after a week. about 20-25ppm however, The tank also has the same substrate and also gets the brown bloom as well.

The two common denominators are the same water source and the same substrate.

I even tried chemipure with no luck. The water looked clear and crisp but it did nothing for the algea. I wipe the algea off during water change and they are right back within a week.

 

[TheWolfman]

I don't think it's your sand, I get some brown algee as well and I run bare bottom. I contribute it to stocking with large fish and feeding. I'd be interested to hear what others think.

 

[Fishnerd360]

Is your tank near a window? It could be getting algae from sunlight. My tank gets sunlight and has brown algae on my substrate.

 

[Luke tomkinson]

sunlight??

 

[bathawk]

I have quite a few tank the one's nearest to window's tend to get the brown algae the most it also grow's very fast I have a tank that is away from any windows and there si no brown algae in that tank although there is some hard green algae present.

 

[Richard203]

i have sand iin my tank i was battling diatom got pool filter sand and its made in silicate and datom feed on silicate. since my fish died im removing the silicate sand and trying to find some sand that doesnt have siilcate in it