# Brown algae in my HC and plants turning brown! Help friends...



## cradleoffilthfan (Jan 19, 2009)

Even though I have my own algae nightmares, I am not a newbie to plants(although it might look like it if you saw my new-ish high tech setup, it's not good either), however, I have grown HC before in a 10 gallon with 40 watts of PC lighting over it. I dosed fertilizers with liquid seachem nitrogen, phosphorus, trace, and did water changes once a week. I had do it yourself co2 using yeast also being added to the tank via powerhead. What kind of fertilizers are you using, what kind of lighting are you using and what kind of substrate did you choose? Also, what are your water params?


----------



## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Brown algae in newly setup tanks is normal. What you are experiencing are diatoms (not an algae).

Diatoms are harmless and will go away as the tank matures. They are, however, very unsightly. Otos are well known for eating diatoms.

The most difficult time for a tank is usually the first couple of months when it's started. So don't let the things that happen in the beginning discourage you. As you tackle the issues that arise and the tank matures, things will settle down, and you'll finally be able to enjoy the tank you originally envisioned.


----------



## Maki808 (Jun 20, 2012)

*Thanx friends!!!*

It actually is growing and I just do water changes weekly like everyone says and just like complex said I just have to deal with it for couple months... Lol! The substrate is Ada 9 liter soil. Finnex led lights, co2 system... Good setup but just have to be patient with it... Thanx peeps for the responses!!!


----------



## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

If your tank is cycled, you can add otos (_otocinclus_) to eat the diatoms. They love them, and they're cute little fish, as well. Look for otos with plump bellies. The ones with skinny bellies are starved and have a higher mortality rate the first few weeks. Once they're fattened back up, they're usually pretty hardy fish.


----------



## Maki808 (Jun 20, 2012)

Had 2 otos and just bought 3 more... ill see what happenes after a week..


----------



## Maki808 (Jun 20, 2012)

This brown crap ain't going away... It's stuck on my HCs and I have white crystal looking strands on my plants any green spots of algae growing... Is this normal or should I rip all these plants out and throw my tank out the window of my apartment... I live on the sixth floor as well... Irritated!!! Lol...help me out friends...


----------



## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Can you take a picture of your tank and of the algae? The more pics, the better. That will help us get an idea of what you're dealing with so we can better help you.


----------



## HunterX (May 19, 2012)

Complexity for president! He is a lot of help!


----------



## Maki808 (Jun 20, 2012)

Still trying to download pic from my lame. Computer!!! I'll try by this weekend... Thanx


----------



## sjb1987 (Feb 23, 2012)

i have the new tank diatom stuff too....my old man told me to try to spot treat it with excel....turned white within a few hrs...hasnt growed back where ive spot treated it...neat little experiment....i knew i was gonna get diatoms even though i used substrate and switched a canister filter over to it that i also had on my big tank..normal


----------



## ThatGuyWithTheFish (Apr 29, 2012)

I'm having the same problem. Is started out as very white strands and turned brown and clumpy. I think it might be dead plant matter, as I dose excel daily and that does nothing. Do you think shrimp will clean that up?


----------



## sjb1987 (Feb 23, 2012)

diatoms feed off of silica...once the silica is used up and the tank matures then it will go away...i know my fire reds eat it though...ive took a clipping from one tank and moved it to my other and they were all over it


----------



## HunterX (May 19, 2012)

Be careful with spot treating HC with H2O2 directly. I did that and it killed mine. I was pretty aggressive with it though. 3ml per gallon. It didn't bother the HC until I hit it directly though.


----------



## Aquachic (Apr 6, 2011)

http://sunflowersnaps.blogspot.com/2011/12/my-fish-tales.html

My rubbermouth pleco seems to love all types of algae and he eats and eats. He never gets very big. He's actually one of my favorite fish. I think of him as my mini hippo. As he's stabilized in my tank his coloring has gotten really nice - kinda like this ladies (see the link). He's one of the few that stays small.


----------

