# Brown alge on rocks n plants



## capt42a (Apr 17, 2012)

Help, I started a 46 gal bow front aquarium about 6 weeks ago. I noticed within the last few days I'm getting brown alge on my rocks n artificial plants. I cycled the aquarium using the filter pads and bio wheel out of my established 60 gal. Aquarium. I currently have a 2 alge eaters and they don't seem too interested in eating the alge off the rocks and plants. Does anyone have a solution to getting rid of the brown alge ? Or is it benificial ?


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## Manafel (Sep 4, 2011)

What you have is actually called diatoms, they are common in freshly established aquariums. I haven't really read a total cure for them, but over time as your tank matures, they go away, unless you have silicates in your water(which it thrives on). I always just scrape it off whenever I do my Water changes. Hopefully someone can come in later with better advise.


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## capt42a (Apr 17, 2012)

Thanks for the reply. Looks like I may have to live with it. I took the advice of a friend since they were out of crushed coral he suggested I use live sand. I did use Carribean live sand below my brown gravel. It raises my ph like I was using crushed coral with it.
capt42a


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## capt42a (Apr 17, 2012)

Emptied the sand out of my 46 gal bow front, washed the aquarium, gravel , rock caves, heater , uv sterilizer, everything that was in the water in the aquarium. It was fine for about 2 weeks and the brown alge returned with a vengance. Help me get rid of the brown alge please !


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## dregan29 (Oct 3, 2012)

Like already stated it is diatoms. Unless you have a water supply that is high in silicates or something in the tank leaching it out, it will pass. There are several species of fish and inverts that will readily eat it. Otocinclus being one of the more popular and efficient. They are small so you will need several in a tank of that size. Be aware that once the diatom stage passes they, or any other living thing you introduce to battle the diatoms, will still need a food supply.

With that said if you can live with cleaning for the next few weeks or so while it passes, I would of that route instead of getting a fish you may not really want later.


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## capt42a (Apr 17, 2012)

Thanks for the reply, I've removed all traces of sand and will try to wait it out for a couple of weeks.
capt42a


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

They will tend to go away over time. There is no given point that they go away. It took over a year before I started seeing most of mine go away. For the most part, you just have to live with it.


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Like Ben said, It can take a while. Every once in a while they may recede then come back again, but over all that is an easy algae to deal with. Good luck!


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