# algea that looks like fish poop?



## Aqualady (Jan 14, 2013)

FYI....ottos will love diatoms


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## Ras (Nov 7, 2013)

Aqualady said:


> FYI....ottos will love diatoms


so that's what this is? diatoms?


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## Ras (Nov 7, 2013)

btw whats the minimum number of ottos you can have while still keeping them happy
I am not sure I can do 6, depending on their size ... I still had plans of stocking a pair of GBR and a small school of ember tetras


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## urbach (Apr 16, 2009)

If you trying to get rid of algae, 1 otto to 1 gallon else 1 otto to 5gallon.your photo period way to high, used to be 16hrs and now 12hrs. Algae will continue growing with light available. You have to go blackout till algae disappear. Photo period best between 6 till 9hrs. Try to change your cfl to tube as cfl light is uneven. As for your algae presence, can't see clearly. Maybe BBA, that not diatoms. Diatoms usually brown in color and clump together.


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## Ras (Nov 7, 2013)

urbach said:


> If you trying to get rid of algae, 1 otto to 1 gallon else 1 otto to 5gallon.your photo period way to high, used to be 16hrs and now 12hrs. Algae will continue growing with light available. You have to go blackout till algae disappear. Photo period best between 6 till 9hrs. Try to change your cfl to tube as cfl light is uneven. As for your algae presence, can't see clearly. Maybe BBA, that not diatoms. Diatoms usually brown in color and clump together.



it is brown and clumping together lol
click on the pic for a zoom-in
I can lower the photo-period. I thought it would make up for using such low lighting


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## urbach (Apr 16, 2009)

This how diatoms look like. Yours ain't looking anything near it.


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## Ras (Nov 7, 2013)

hmmm I see the difference
well it doesn't look like black beard algae judging from the pics.. its little brown clumps of algae that form a line...looks like brown fishpoop strands but the only fish I have are kuhlis 
it doesnt seem to harm the plants or anything other than the wisteria looks a little droopy
at any rate will the otos clean this as well?
my old BNP loved it before I had to re-home him


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## urbach (Apr 16, 2009)

I still can't figure out what algae is that. No clue. Oto will clean soft algae. Amano shrimp best all rounded. Best is to combine 3 algae eating crew. Oto, amano shrimp and nerite snails.


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