I have a 32 gallons tank with 3 orandas and full of fake plastic plants.

Lately, I've noticed that I am starting to get brown algae on most of the fake plants, so 1 day I took all the plants out and washed off all the alage, then 2-3 weeks later, these plants are full of brown alage again...

I would like to know are these brown algae warmful to gf?

Also how often should I wash the fake plants?

ops, i mean are these brown algae harmful to gf?

No, the brown algae isn't hamful to the goldies. It's just not always the most attractive thing. Probably once or twice a month is how often you should wash them. It's recommended to use old tank water to scrub them off in, or if you use tap water, put some dechlorinator in the tank right before you add the fake plants back in.

Put a couple of oto catfish or chinese algae eaters and you won't have to clean those plants again.

thats what i say, but i like snails and plecos more, thye get the job done quicker

I am having the same problem!!! I have a beautiful palm plant in there that looks like it is full of rust. It has been getting worse for 2 weeks now. I'm waiting until one of the lfs gets in the bristlenose pleco I want. We're going tonight to see if he has arrived. (i say this like i've ordered one, i haven't i'm just particular when it comes to finding the right one). I hope I find one soon I really don't lood forward to taking all the plants out to clean them.

Laurie

My solution to this problem is to have a couple of sets of plants. Take the dirty ones out and soak them in boiling hot water and then leave them out in the sun for a few days to dry. The algae will soon die off. Meanwhile, have your other set of clean plants in the aquarium. Then when they get dirty, remove them, and replace with your newly washed and dried plants. I find nature does the most quick and efficient cleaning job.

Yeah I have brown algae too, but mine reappears every couple of days and I have to start scrubbing again. But it is finally starting to let off, cause I think my tank is FINALLY getting to that final stage of cycling. The levels of everything haven't been high in ages, but there has still been measurable amounts of nitrite and ammonia...(between 0 and .25 ppm). It should go away as your tank gets fully cycled, unless you have a lot of phosphate in your water. Then they will probably be your permanent guests!!

Maybe get some plants instead of adding fish which adds to the waste of your tank...so you tank doesn't do a nice mini cycle in between. Plants will be competing for the same wastes that the brown algae uses...

Just a thought!

I have this alge growing on my real plants!!!!

I think this is as it is a new tank and not quite cycling correctly as of yet... I will wait hope and see if it goes away!

JAW

put in some amano shrimp

Would removing your plants and scrubbing them off, disturb your cycle? Would you kill off too many bio bugs by cleaning them?

The reason I am asking is because my fake plants are sickning right now. They need to be washed badly!!!


Jessica

<_< I had brown algae in my old tank, I hated it, doesn’t look very nice and its so hard if not impossible to get rid of. The only good thing I found about brown algae was that it made the toy sunken ship in the tank look aged. <_< Oh, and another good thing is that its not harmful, but most people still don't want it in their tanks.