How To Get Rid Of Brown Algae? Brown algae can serve as delicious snacks for the fishes you choose to take care of in your tank. However, they can also be ugly things to see in your aquarium.
When the tank owners discuss brown algae, what they are trying to describe are diatoms. These are small greenish or brownish creatures that come with glassy skeletons.
Often, these diatoms are sore to the eyes. That’s why a lot of aquarium owners want to remove them. But, this can be challenging task if you don’t have any idea how to do it.
Thankfully, we’ve listed some of the steps on how to get rid of brown algae in your aquarium.
Overview of Brown Algae or Diatoms
Brown algae are also known as diatoms. These creatures are quite difficult to remove from your fish aquarium. Plus, brown algae also affects the appearance of your tank and can pose harm to your fish.
Also Read: 7 Steps You Should Know On How To Catch Grass Carp
But, what are brown algae? It is an organism containing only one cell with brown color. Also, it has a skeletal structure that has a central component of silicon nitrate.
Brown algae can grow when your aquarium becomes rich in silicon and nitrate levels. Furthermore, it can develop when your tank has high or low lighting. What does it require to live in the aquarium?
It is best to take note that even though diatoms may synthesize food using the sources of light. They do not need the same method as most algae or other plants need to grow. Also, they do not obtain energy from just the light. Diatoms live because of light, nitrates, silicates, stagnant or still water, and water rich in minerals.
What Causes Diatoms?
Here are some of the factors that contribute to the growth of brown algae:
- Excessive amount of nitrates and silicates in the water
- Inadequate or too much light
- Low levels of oxygen
Also, you need to remember that you can usually find brown algae in a newly installed aquarium. Why? It is because of the little light it can get or the excessive silicates in the water.
Plus, too many nutrients and the lack of oxygen may contribute to its development.
Steps to Remove Brown Algae
The problem with diatoms is that no matter how long you turn on or turn off the light source, it can still grow. If you somewhat tried to remove the nitrates and silicates in your tank, but they may persist. Here are some of the ways to get rid of diatoms in your tank:
WAYS TO GET RID OF BROWN ALGAE
In this guide, you’ll get to know how to easily get rid of the Brown Algae that is being the cause of your multiple issues.
If there is a presence of the Brown Algae in your aquarium or plant tank, it can make it a toxic and unsurvivable place for the inhabitants or interrupt food making in the green plants.
To be free of these Brown algae forever, you first need to identify them as there are a number of species available in the Algae group.
How to identify the Brown Algae?
● The simplest way to detect Brown algae in your home water tank or aquarium is by the color which is quite Brown.
Brown algae are commonly rusty brown in color and sometimes appear to be of a mustard color.
The proper growth of these Algae takes place on the thin outer layer of the glass, substrate, and just about any other surface on the water tank.
● The second way you can detect brown algae is by rubbing off your fingertips with the glass. Rubbing for some time, you’ll feel a little gritty on your fingers.
When searching in marine tanks, you may find a creature named cyanobacteria that is much similar to Brown algae.
You can differentiate between cyanobacteria and Brown algae by observing that the cyanobacteria effortlessly comes off the surface.
With Brown algae(diatoms), you’ll be required to rub them off, and then the part that you are touching will come off. It doesn’t peel in the sheets.
But with cyanobacteria, you can easily touch them, pick them up and peel them off on big sheets or clumps.
Do Not Think of Diatoms as Normal Algae
The very first thing you have to take note is that you remove the thinking that brown algae are similar to the standard algae. They may somewhat look quite similar, but they need different factors to living.
Place Enough Filtration or Filter System in the Tank
The next step is to make sure that the aquarium has an adequate amount of filter system or filtration. You need to take note that the hang on the back approach of filtering can cause the water get too much light.
But, of course, it may still depend on the model of the filter you use and the source of lighting in the room.
The Aquarium Needs Water Movement
Then, you also need to remember that although you may put enough filtration, you still need water movement. That way, you discourage the growth of diatoms.
You may obtain the motion of the water by using items called current makers or power heads. These products tend to move the water in the tank.
Perform a Hands-on Work in Your Tank
The next step is to improve your aquarium using your two hands. You have to get rid of all ornaments and plants from the reservoir. Then, you have to only leave the substrate behind, including sand and rocks.
Also, you do not need to remove hardware such as heaters and filters. You have to wipe off the diatoms on the surface of the filters and heaters. You need to scrub them properly off the sand and rocks.
Change the Water
Moreover, you have to know that this step is pretty obvious. All you have to do is to replace 30 to 50 percent of the water tank after scrubbing the substrate and hardware. Later on, you can return the entire plants and decors back into the aquarium.
Repeat the Steps Again if Necessary
If the diatoms still grow, you have to take note that you can repeat all of the steps needed. You can perform these ways every two weeks. But, you can observe that each time you do these steps, the brown algae appears less and less.
WARNING: If the steps provided above may not work for your aquarium, the reason may be because:
- Your tank has too much lighting
- Your aquarium has an inadequate light source
- No enough movement in the water of your tank
Too many brown algae remains in your substrate even after scrubbing
If the steps mentioned still do not work as planned, you might proceed to use these methods:
- Vacuum gravel well
- Utilize silicate absorbing resin in your filter
- Obtain a Plecostomus or Otocinclus in the tank
You need to remember that brown algae do not stick strong enough to the surface of the aquarium. So, you can quickly wipe it away. When you vacuum the gravel using a siphon.
You have to get rid of the coatings from the substrate right away. Also, by putting fishes that eat brown algae such as otocinclus and plecostomus, you remove the diatoms in the tank. Also, if the problem is because of the high levels of silicates in the reservoir, you can use resin. A silicate absorbing resin in the tank can be helpful in removing the diatoms.
Find the Algae origin
Almost every problem in the world seems to be possible once you find its root cause. To separate or kill Brown algae, it is required to understand what’s their origin and where they are coming from.
Below, we have mentioned some topics that should be checked as you look to destroy Brown algae from your home.
Silicates
If you have put an excessive amount of silicates in your water tank, you have just sent an invitation to the Brown algae.
Putting excessive silicates in the tank is like hiding in bushes to be safe from a chimpanzee or wearing meat in the cage of a lion.
Silicates are mostly generated when you add new substrate, clay, blasting, and poor sand for the plants.
This is also true that the Brown algae or diatoms are able to eat the silicates but this will take more than a month.
There are some salts containing silicates that are used in marine tanks. So, check out for a better salt if you use such one.
HIGH NITRATE
It is a natural byproduct/result of the nitrogen cycle which is obtained as Ammonia(NH3) after the breakdown of waste of the dead fishes.
There are some beneficial bacteria present in your filters that along with the substrate process the ammonia to form nitrate(N02^-1) that later turns into nitrate.
If not changed properly, water in your tanks can be a good place for the nitrate to form up.
Nitrate is a preferred food for the Brown algae(true algae prefer them also). They can have it like steak dinner with a side of steroids for the stuff.
To keep the Brown algae away, make sure to test the nitrate level in your marine tank less than 20ppm all the time.
Note: To maintain your marine aquarium healthy, keep the nitrate level lower than 20ppm. High-concentration of nitrate fuels up algae outbreaks and can cause fish stress that makes them more prone to disease.
Tip: Do water changes in your tank every week.
Sometimes, your tap water can also consist of nitrate as some water supplies pick up nitrate from natural things such as agricultural runoff or lawn chemicals.
Though the supplied water is not harmful to humans it can be a dangerous drink for the fishes.
High-concentration of phosphates
It is true that every living thing including you(the humans) is somewhat dependent on phosphate as an essential nutrient.
And so, all the marine tanks or aquariums contain phosphate or its residue. We can say that phosphate has become a part of our life and there is no way to get away with it completely.
Though Phosphate is not a bad element for living beings, if the level gets too high, it can boost fuel both diatoms and true algae bloom.
In the context of marine tanks, phosphate is formed by the breakdown of fish waste, uneaten food, and dead plant materials.
Tip: Make sure to have a test of both your tap and tank water phosphate level.
Ways to prevent the Brown algae comeback
Till now, you have learned how to identify the Brown algae and what the possible ways to kill/defeat the brown algae are.
But this is not the ultimate, there is a huge possibility of their return as they grow up very rapidly and under different conditions.
We have prepared a list to help you with preventing the return of brown algae to your aquarium.
Regular filtration
The brown algae prefer the organic compounds as a meal that came from uneaten food, dead fish waste as they break down.
So filtering and cleaning your marine tank or aquarium on a regular basis will surely keep the diatoms away.
Your filter should be rated for the size of your tank as this will play a key role in processing the waste and help in maintaining the flow of water in the tank.
We suggest you add a sponge filter to your tank if the regular filter is not working well. It is very effective in biofiltration.
High-speed water flow
Low-speed water flow in your aquarium allows the Brown algae to anchor onto the surface and grow rapidly.
Increasing the flow of water in the tank will surpass their opposing strength and will prevent their growth.
For this, you should add powerheads and leave no dead zones so that there is no way for the diatoms to come back.
Stop overfeeding the fishes
You may know the fact that overfeeding causes lots of problems, and that also includes diatoms and algae.
It is preferred to supply only the amount of food to your fishes that they can eat in about 30-40 sec.
The fact behind the theory is”The uneaten food will sink to the bottom making tons of nitrates and phosphates that are ideal meals for the algae.
Or,
If the fishes eat too much, their waste will also form more nitrates and phosphates.
Bring in a UV sterilizer
UV sterilizers create a very bright UV or UVC beam that passes through the water killing algae, diatoms, bacterias, and more harmful viruses present in the tank.
Note: Using a UV sterilizer not only kills diatoms and algae but prevents diseases in the aquarium also.
Use RO water
Many water suppliers contain nitrate, phosphate, and added silicates in tap water that you use in your marine tank or aquarium.
For this, you may consider bringing in an RO unit to filter all the unwanted elements from the water and make it suitable for the fishes.
The RO filters make water pass through very thin membranes making it about 95% pure.
Using chemical filtration and protein skimmers
Using chemical filtration, you can easily keep up the brown algae and diatoms away from your aquarium as it reduces the nitrate, phosphate, and silica level.
Protein skimmers are beneficial in cutting down on the need for water changes on a large scale. It is recommended for water tanks over 30 gallons.
Also Read: What Do Freshwater Shrimps Eat? Find Out The Best Food!
Conclusion
Brown algae can be a great hurdle in the way of pisciculture. They are usually grown up with the help of nitrate, phosphate, and silica that are formed by the breakdown of dead fish residue, fish waste, and uneaten food.
It is true that brown algae and its continuous growth can be a pain in the ass, especially for tank owners. What you need to do is to keep your tank clean at all times. So, you have to change the water tank regularly and remove all of the key factors in the development of diatoms.
Also, prompt attention to the vertical growth of brown algae will prevent the rise of more serious problems in your aquarium.
In this guide, we have explained the process of eliminating and keeping away the algae from your marine tank or aquarium.
