# Brown Fuzz Algae



## Mr. Fish (Apr 24, 2012)

I'm not too familiar with this type of algae, never came across it before maybe one of you have?

I just planted some DHG Belem in the back row of my tank.. for some reason the fuzz just keeps covering it no matter what I do. Tried excel spotting, lower lighting, higher lighting, manually remove every day, increase flow, increase co2 etc.. Nothing works

It seems real easy to remove but it grows back quickly and only seem to target the DHG.

*Specs:*
15 Gal Rimless
Eheim 2215
HOB Azoo 60
Aqua Soil
Pressurized co2 and excel every other day
USA compact PC bulbs (40wx2) 8 hours 1 light, 5 with both
EI dosage


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## cradleoffilthfan (Jan 19, 2009)

Is that the same type of algae as the post right below this one? It seems to look similar.....What does it feel like?


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## SaltyNC (Jun 26, 2012)

Do you turn your CO2 off at night? I have been having issues with this same algae in my DHG. I was turning CO2 off shortly before lights-out, but in my small tank with a good deal of surface agitation, I was quickly losing the CO2, and it was constantly swinging as evidenced by my pH and drop checker always being blue in the morning and green during the day. I now have my CO2 running even when lights are out with only a few hours where it is turned off at night, and my CO2 level is holding much more steady, and this appears to be reducing this type of algae. What I have left, I have been removing with a toothbrush. I also was given a present of ramshorn snails (did not want!) on some plants, and I was religiously squishing them each morning and evening, but I finally decided to just let them reproduce and clean the algae for me. My amanos and otos weren't touching it, and my nerite snails couldn't eat it fast enough or would not spend much time on it. The ramshorn snails seem to be eating it very well...at least, they are all over the area where it grows, so I assume they are eating it. They are so tiny at this point, it's hard to tell.


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## Mr. Fish (Apr 24, 2012)

cradleoffilthfan said:


> Is that the same type of algae as the post right below this one? It seems to look similar.....What does it feel like?


No I believe the algae in his thread is different. That type looks more like a fungus, I also had that one on my hc till it slowly killed it off .

This one is more brown and green in some areas and feels real delicate .. I believe its hair algae.


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## Mr. Fish (Apr 24, 2012)

SaltyNC said:


> Do you turn your CO2 off at night? I have been having issues with this same algae in my DHG. I was turning CO2 off shortly before lights-out, but in my small tank with a good deal of surface agitation, I was quickly losing the CO2, and it was constantly swinging as evidenced by my pH and drop checker always being blue in the morning and green during the day. I now have my CO2 running even when lights are out with only a few hours where it is turned off at night, and my CO2 level is holding much more steady, and this appears to be reducing this type of algae. What I have left, I have been removing with a toothbrush. I also was given a present of ramshorn snails (did not want!) on some plants, and I was religiously squishing them each morning and evening, but I finally decided to just let them reproduce and clean the algae for me. My amanos and otos weren't touching it, and my nerite snails couldn't eat it fast enough or would not spend much time on it. The ramshorn snails seem to be eating it very well...at least, they are all over the area where it grows, so I assume they are eating it. They are so tiny at this point, it's hard to tell.


I see ur theory but I don't think keeping ur co2 on all night has anything to do with it ..plus its not safe for the fish . I also got the ramshorn snails but remove them every chance I get.. I've tried everything to keep this algae from growing but nothing works. 

Somebody help


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## SaltyNC (Jun 26, 2012)

Mr. Fish said:


> I see ur theory but I don't think keeping ur co2 on all night has anything to do with it ..plus its not safe for the fish . I also got the ramshorn snails but remove them every chance I get.. I've tried everything to keep this algae from growing but nothing works.
> 
> Somebody help


Mr. Fish, I'm pretty sure what you have is rhizoclonium algae. It can be green or brown. Tom Barr suggests that this kind of algae can be induced simply by adjustments to CO2.

Just for the record, I don't keep the CO2 on all night, but close to it, and because I am holding the level steady, it is not dangerous for the fish due to my high surface agitation. That may not work on every tank, but on a 6 gallon tank like mine, with high surface agitation, I'm off-gassing the CO2 quickly. Also, my plant mass isn't very dense, so the absorption rate of CO2 with lights -on VS lights-off is negligible. When I left the CO2 *OFF* for 14 or more hours, my CO2 level dropped quickly. This caused a very wide swing in my CO2 levels every day, and algae began to manifest itself...specifically the same kind that you are experiencing. I may be able to begin injecting CO2 a couple of hours before lights on and achieve the same results, and that would probably be the better way to handle it, but the end result is nearly the same -- that is, to keep my CO2 levels nearly constant while the lights are on. I have never had my CO2 levels rise during the night, which would produce the potentially dangerous situation for the fish.

Here is the discussion I referenced, above. Maybe you can find a technique that will assist you in this discussion.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?p=513436#post513436


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## SaltyNC (Jun 26, 2012)

Another discussion:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=159144


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