Hi, I have a question. What is the difference between green algea and brown algea? How can you tell the difference? The ornament rock in my tank is getting covered with a green colored algea (i'm assuming). Now the plants (i have plastic ones) have brown spots on them. Almost like they are rusting. It does come off if I rub it. Is any of this dangerous? I have yet to get a pleco. Before anyone says anything I will be getting a bristlenose pleco. I wan't a smaller one and so far all I can find are full grown ones.

Will the algea be okay to leave in there until I can find a pleco?

Thanks, Laurie :kit

Oh yes Hun, Algae is more just ugly looking to us. It wont hurt the fish or the tank, green algae is like plants it just uses up the nitrates in the tank, brown algae is actually Diatoms, it wont hurt the tank its just a forum that grows with low level lights and high amounts of nitrates......If your going to get a goldfish safe pleco I wouldn't clean it, this will give the little one something to much on when he gets there

Thanks KOKO. Hopefully I will find my pleco soon so I don't have to continually look at the nasty brown spotting everywhere.

Laurie

Brown algae is also VERY VERY common in fairly new tanks (0-6 months ish) regardless of light level.

Actually my Rubber nose pleco has taken all my brown stuff away hes an amazing fish. My dede tank was covered with this stuff for years, I placed my rubber nose in there and it was gone in a week.

Cool thanks!!!!

Laurie

My rubberlip does seem to enjoy the stuff, but I think he's too small to make a big dent in it in my 29g. In the 10g he was generally able to keep it about 50% controlled. It doesn't bother me though, I just wipe it off once every week or two.

Rubberlips are great though, I like the way they look better than bristlenoses personally, though the bristlies seem to be much more popular.

Yeah in my 36 gal tank My rubber nose does a great job on the back wall and the sides, but I admit I have to clean the front one once every two weeks.

In my 20 gal he cleans the whole thing. In the 45 he does the back

I guess I have another question. Do you have to have a piece of driftwood in the tank for the pleco? I have the rock ornament in there and I was going to put a hanging plant on the back of the tank as an extra hiding place for him, will that be enough?

Laurie

I dont have any wood for any of mine, These kinds of plecos dont really need it they will do fine with just a nice hiding spot for the day time.

These fish are night time guys so you wont see to much of them during the day light hours.

Thanks. I was hoping I didn't have to put wood in there. It takes up so much space. I'm trying to give my goldies as much room to swin as possible.

Laurie

From what I've heard...

Brown algea = bad

Green algea = good

*is it spelled as algae or algea? I'm confused...

Sorry it is actually spelled Algae. I tend to transpose certain words.

Laurie

Well its not bad to the point of hurting the fish, just means the either the nitrates are high or there is low light level in the tank.......I think most tanks will get this from time to time.

I guess I have another question. Is the algae what makes the water stink? I have recently noticed this odor that wasn't there before. Could be just me tieing the 2 together, or is it something else that makes the water smell?

Laurie

When the water smells it is due partially to that and the nitrates. Do you have kit for the that?

What you could do is a 30% water change and change the carbon in your filter this should get the smell out Hun

Brown algae will bloom in almost every new tank during the first few months regardless of light level or nitrates. My nitrites are less than 10 and and I have 55 watts of power compact flourescent lighting over my 29g (much more than the "stock" lighting of most tanks), and the brown algae is starting, b/c the tank is only a month old. It just happens.

Green algae is starting to win out in my betta tank, however, which also has less than 10 nitrates but only has a 10w twisty flourescent light (not much light comparitively, lots of light lost b/c of bulb/reflector design). I did not change anything to make the green algae win, its just happening as the tank ages (its been set up since the end of Feb).

If your tank is reasonably new, I don't think there is anything wrong with it having brown algae, it should go away in time. Spending huge amounts of effort fighting it will just get frustrating. It's not bad, it isn't hurting the fish, and it is only rarely a sign anything is wrong with the water imo.

I have driftwood in the tank with my pleco, and always have (when they were in a 10g I had just a little 4 inch piece in there for him), he doesn't seem to spend much time on it though, but I have seen him munching on it once or twice.

Thanks.
I do have a test kit for the nirates. It has been reading 10 for alittle over a week. I've been battleing my nitrites they are at 2 for 2 weeks, they were at 5 for 2 weeks. It seems that I notice the smell usually the next 2 days after I do a water change. I have been trying to change the water 2 times a week, usually 50% and then 30%.
I will change the carbon though. I have a Whisper 40 on the tank now but my Emperor 400 is on its way. We just ordered it from Big Als. I'm hoping the new filter will work wonders with my cycle.

Thanks again
Laurie :goldfish