Brown algae doesnt seem to stop growing... Help.

[Ovidiu]

Hello,
For about 2 weeks brown algae has started to grow on the moss and some of the plants leaves and it looks really bad. I know i can remove it mechanically but i would like to know the cause since my tank is not newly started. I havent got any algae issues since i started this tank but i really dont know how to deal with this brown "stuff". I will list below some details about the set up:

Tank specifications - 30L
Lighting - 11W Osram Compact Light
CO2 - Diy Yeast
Filtration - Internal filter rated at 300 lph
Fertilisation routine - EI 3ml daily
.
Here are some photos too. It looks much worse in reality...

 

[parotet]

Hi Ovidiu

In my 25 liters nano cube with internal filter I used to have this recurring problem (I assume it is happening in a mature tank, not in a new setup). In my case, I found that the corner filter I had (Eheim corner filter, which has a very large inflow sponge) was perfect when I ran the tank in a low tech mode (low light, no Co2, slow growth). Shrimps used to munch very happily the minuscule pieces of debris in the sponge and a weekly rinse was more than enough for getting rid of the excess. However, the times I was adding Co2 (more light, more growth) the amount of debris in in the filter pad was very significant and lead always to brown diatoms outbreaks. I remember it was impossible to take the filter out of the tank without leaving behind a cloud of stuff floating in the water column.
Actually I decided to improve the filtration and I got an external canister... and problems just disappeared. I am not saying you cannot run a C enriched tank without an external filter but you are pushing the system to the limit and thing are more difficult. Dirty filters and low maintenance have always been the cause for brown diatoms in my mature tanks. Just my experience 🙂

Jordi

PS. Do you really need to add 3 ml of ferts (whatever you are adding) to a 30 liters tank lit only with 11w? The plants I can see on your pictures can probably grow happily without much less (actually without Co2 and a very lean dosing). Try to add ferts just once a week after water changes. Much better, look for the Duckweed Index in UKAPS... it will tell you when ferts are really needed and your plants are not very demanding. I know EI fans will tell you that ferts won't do any harm, but in my experience most tanks work without this enormous amount of nutrients

 

[ian_m]

Brown diatoms (as they appear to be) can caused by excess ammonia due to an immature filter and/or too small and overloaded filter for your light level. You haven't stated how old your tank is.

I got diatoms when I went high tech, as I got impatient (after many weeks waiting for tank to mature) and increased my T8 tubes to full strength with reflectors (after using the reflectors as a block to reduce light level) and immediately suffer diatoms. In my case Otto's scoffed the lot and backing off light levels stopped it re-appearing.

I sometimes get diatoms again, after a major plant rearrangement/replant, disturbing the substrate and releasing ammonia and organics (which rot to ammonia). So now after a major plant fiddle I dose Seachem Prime which will remove ammonia and have not seen diatoms appear again.

 

[sWozzAres]

So now after a major plant fiddle I dose Seachem Prime which will remove ammonia and have not seen diatoms appear again.

How often / how much Prime do you dose?

 

[ian_m]

How often / how much Prime do you dose?

Dose equivalent for the tank, so 5ml per 200litres.

 

[Paulo Soares]

Dirty filters and low maintenance have always been the cause for brown diatoms in my mature tanks. Just my experience

100% agree with you. For several years i suffer from this matter till i finally bought a really good filter.
Actually i clean the filter every month. And every month i took off the baskets there i find the ceramic material full of the brown dust inside...
I took of the baskets of the filter, clean the ceramic material with the water inside the filter it self.
After i put all the water that is inside the filter in a large plastic recipient and let it rest for 10 minutes.

After that period all the brown dust is in the bottom of the recipient, than i grab it very carefully (the recipient in forder for not shaking it to much) and return the water again to the filter with the baskets clean and allready installed on it.

Since i have this maintenance routine, never had this brown issue ever again.

NOTE: Also i terminate my Silicates level in the water by using RO.
Also stoped using "Ei". In my opinion the salts doesn´t help either if overdosing! (for instance having more than 10 PPM nitrates..)

Compliments

 

[parotet]

100% agree with you. For several years i suffer from this matter till i finally bought a really good filter.
Actually i clean the filter every month. And every month i took off the baskets there i find the ceramic material full of the brown dust inside...
I took of the baskets of the filter, clean the ceramic material with the water inside the filter it self.
After i put all the water that is inside the filter in a large plastic recipient and let it rest for 10 minutes.

After that period all the brown dust is in the bottom of the recipient, than i grab it very carefully (the recipient in forder for not shaking it to much) and return the water again to the filter with the baskets clean and allready installed on it.

Since i have this maintenance routine, never had this brown issue ever again.

NOTE: Also i terminate my Silicates level in the water by using RO.
Also stoped using "Ei". In my opinion the salts doesn´t help either if overdosing! (for instance having more than 10 PPM nitrates..)

Compliments

Hi Paulo

I agree with you that the filter maintenance is very important. In my case, I don't even rinse the filter media with the tank water... Quick rinse under tap water and back to the tank. No problem at all. Another important trick I have learnt through the years is: "is it fast? Is it easy? Then you will do it". I clean my filters every other month, my tubing every other week and my co2 diffuser every week or every other week... But it's a kind of assembly line: fast and easy protocol.

Jordi

 

[Ovidiu]

Thanks for the quick replies,
@parotet
I was hoping i wouldnt need an external filter for this little tank but you might be right about this. The smallest external filter i have is Jbl e901 but i think it could be too big.
I tried to find the "duckweed index" but i got stuck after i clicked a couple of links but i will take your advice and i will add ferts only once a week after the water change and go from there. I started dosing daily after i added the co2 because i thought that the plants willl have a higher demand of nutrients.

@ian_m
Well the problem with this filter is that it never matures because it is so small and i am only using it for water circulation and mechanical filtration. I dont understand the corelation between the overloaded filter and my light level. The bioload in the tank is minimal as i have only couple of snails that feed only on the diatoms.
The tank is started since 1st of january so its about 3 months old.

So far the best solution for me is to reduce the ferts to only once a week.

The second solution would be to add the e901 external filter that i have but only if it is necessary because its very difficult to install it in a Tetra AquaArt aquarium as it is closed and the only way in is through the openings on top that would make the install of the pipes very difficult and ugly looking.

 

[parotet]

Hi Ovidiu, hi all

I was hoping i wouldnt need an external filter for this little tank but you might be right about this. The smallest external filter i have is Jbl e901 but i think it could be too big.

It is... I use a JBL e401 for 25-30 liters tank but it is really in the limit. Anything more powerful will be too much.

I tried to find the "duckweed index" but i got stuck after i clicked a couple of links

The Duckweed Index was created by one of our members @dw1305, brilliant method. Here you have a few links that might help:

http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/duckweed-index-ferts-advice.21003/
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/plants-with-deficiency-of-something.21284/
http://www.planetcatfish.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=36231
http://www.plecoplanet.com/forum/showthread.php?t=10083&highlight=Duckweed+index

Jordi

 

[ian_m]

I dont understand the corelation between the overloaded filter and my light level

A high light level (with corresponding CO2 and ferts) produces a "bio load" from the plants as well, which is one of the reasons a 50% weekly water change is required with a high tech tank.

However diatoms are generally a short term issue and will go away of their own accord as tank/filter matures. Can be aided by Ottos and even shrimps.

The tank is started since 1st of january so its about 3 months old.

Only two months, so may not be mature, which is why you are seeing diatoms.

 

[Ovidiu]

Hello,
@parotet Thank you very much for the links. I will definitely take a look.

@ian_m
Thank you for the explanation and you are probably right about the fact that its a short term issue. I am going to cut down the ferts anyway and stick to a weekly dosage. Today is the first day i see the snails actually going for the diatoms and they seem to do a decent job

Really apreciate the help you have given me in such a short period of time... Thank you again everyone.

 

[zozo]

I got them too in my new tank.. Those diatoms do not attach realy firmly, if you take a relative soft flat paint brush it is brushed off very easily without disturbing anything. If you do this during water change, gently brush the rocks and or wood and syphon the dust out at the same time. It realy dusts off very easy.. 🙂 Those very cheap small flat brushes sold for applying glue are perfect, not to hard not to soft and you can bend them a bit so it's easier to get around the corners.

 

[Ovidiu]

@zozo
Hi zozo and thanks for your advice. Tommorrow im doing the next water change and i am going to use a tooth brush. You also gave me good ideea from the picture u attached so i will definetely give it a try if the tooth brush is too harsh on the plants. Cheers!

 

[zozo]

I use both occasionaly. The bend brush on a stick does very good on daitoms and hairy algae, soft on the leaves and get into places which are not accessible with a tooth brush. 🙂 Or smaller stones are also easily brushed, with a tooth brush i would push them around in the substrate. But must say i made a setup not realy easy to maintain, lots of tiny pockets where dirt settles down.. 🙂

For plants it's safer to just use your fingers to clean them..
Look at George's maintenance video, might give you more idea's.