# Brown algae crisis



## Aqua Hero (2 Sep 2017)

Right so I started a new scape a few weeks ago and at the start it was good. The monte carlo carpet was growing fast and the moss was transitionin well.

Then after 1 1/2 weeks I decided to dose my ei ferts (I hadn't used it in several months). A few weeks later I get this brown algae plague. I added amano shrimp and cherry shrimp and they have helped a bit but I want to end it fully.

My co2 is on 2 hrs before lights come on. Lights were on for 8hrs (now it's on 6hrs).

Tank specs:
60 litre tank
Beamswork EVO planted version  (10cm above tank)
Filter: tetra tec 800
Pump: 800 Korna pump
Plants: monte carlo, mini Xmas moss, weeping moss, flame moss, hydrocotyle sp Japan , dwarf hair grass

I was doing 10ml a day of micro and macro (alternating days) but now I'm dosing 5ml.

I need help guys. My plants are still growing fast but I hate this algae. Also after trimming my dwarf hair grass it started to melt like crazy. Is this normal


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (2 Sep 2017)

LED lighting is bright - bright light = lots of fertz + lots of co2 + good flow. I would incease fertz regime to 15mls and reduce your lighting period to 5 hrs and monitor plant condition if possible raise the lighting hood up to reduce the intincity of the lights say 12" from the top of the water / tank.

paul


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## xim (2 Sep 2017)

Algae eaters (Amano shrimp and Oto's) don't help much for this type of diatom.

Trimming HG while it's just starting? You should not have done that. They are trying hard to build up biomass and you just destroy it. Well, I know there is this info about "cut it, it will grow faster", that's not true. At least for the initial state.


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## Matty123 (2 Sep 2017)

Aqua Hero said:


> Right so I started a new scape a few weeks ago and at the start it was good. The monte carlo carpet was growing fast and the moss was transitionin well.
> 
> Then after 1 1/2 weeks I decided to dose my ei ferts (I hadn't used it in several months). A few weeks later I get this brown algae plague. I added amano shrimp and cherry shrimp and they have helped a bit but I want to end it fully.
> 
> ...



Been there done that and bought the t shirt. Diatoms come about because of too high intensity of lighting. I had a right case of it when I first set up my first tank with LED's. Crank down the lighting. If this can't be done with a dimmer like mine has then cover up the glass/plastic cover to your LED's with gaffer/duct tape. You wanna get your lighting to around 10%. Your tank will look drab but the majority of your plants won't suffer. Keep it down for around 5 weeks until your plants have recovered then ever so up it gradually. If you don't change your regime as suggested above then it'll just come back. It's ferts co2 and good flow with regular water changes that grow plants not necessarily mega watts of lighting! 


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## Aqua Hero (2 Sep 2017)

alright i have changed the lights to a weaker one thats less intense


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## Aqua Hero (4 Sep 2017)

But what snout ferts. Do I still dose them


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## techfool (4 Sep 2017)

I have this with a six week set up. I've reduced lighting to less than five hours a day as that's when I'm home. 
Plants doing okay. The algae is abating, probably just a matter of time with this brown stuff.


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## Aqua Hero (4 Sep 2017)

Okay but I still need to know about my fert dosing


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## Matty123 (4 Sep 2017)

Aqua Hero said:


> But what snout ferts. Do I still dose them



Yes. Don't stop dosing as you'll only make things worse. Algae don't care about nutrients, it's lighting they love. Keep up your regular dosing which will aide your plants recovery. This also applies to your co2 injection and daily liquid carbon additives. 


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## Aqua Hero (4 Sep 2017)

Cheers for that. 

So far I have cleaned my filter and removed all the brown algae in the tubing etc. Cleaned my diffuser, removed as much physical algae as I could and decreased the lighting significantly.

Hopefully my plants will recover and things can start moving again


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