# brown algae on older leaves



## rygar126 (Oct 16, 2004)

all my plants are doing well except that brown algae grows on the older leaves. even the fast growing plants like my dwarf sag has algae growing on its older leaves. all my levels are fine. 5-10 ppm nitrate, 0.5 ppm phosphate. my c02 is not doing so well however. i dont have any c02 running right now. for some reason there is no bubbles coming out. i just changed it two days ago. i have my light on 12 hours a day. do you think its excess lights? all my specs are below. thanks guys


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

12 hours of lighting is good, N03 & P04 look good.

Did the algae start when the C02 quit working? 

Otto's wil help take care of brown algae.


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## rygar126 (Oct 16, 2004)

no.....the brown algae was always present. whats ottos?


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## sn8k (May 24, 2004)

He's just suggesting that you get a few ottos to take care of the algae issues you are experiencing. They do a fine job at keeping nuisance algae in check.


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## grungefreek (Oct 9, 2003)

Is the algae a dark brown??? Does it look like the leaves with the algae are kinda dying, or at least not very healthy looking???? Cause i have the same problem, im pretty sure its a nutrient deficiency of some kind, though im not sure what. I have several Otto's and they dont clean that type of algae. Can ya take a pic of the older leaves so we can see what it looks like?


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## rygar126 (Oct 16, 2004)

i dont have a digital camera right now. maybe you can take a picture of your plants so i can compare mine to yours. and yes to all your questions.


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## grungefreek (Oct 9, 2003)

Ok heres the algae im talking bout.

















Not sure what nutrient deficiency is causing it, havent investiaged yet as im off to New zealand for 3 weeks, so by the time i get back, my tank is going to be in ruins anyway. Hopefully someone may be able to identify the problem for the both of us.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Looks familiar. I don't think Otos (Otocinclus affinis, algae eating little catfish) will do much with that.
To a certain extend, algae are part of our hobby. The more you get into high-light, high fertilizer dosing tanks, the faster plants grow, and the less algae you encounter. Slower growing plants naturally collect a biofilm and brown and green algae, even if your levels are perfect. Pruning the older growth helps a little.
In any case, as you get your CO2 back up, plants will take off and grow out of it.
:fish:


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## rygar126 (Oct 16, 2004)

grunge that is exactly how my plants look. with your glosso, it kinda looks like my tank. all my plants grow pretty fast but i hate how after a while the algae starts to build up. i now have 15-20 ppm of c02. it was the stupid air valve. i had to add sealant to stop the air leaks.

wasserpest, are there any other nutrients i should monitor, other than phophates and nitrates?


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## grungefreek (Oct 9, 2003)

Hmm maybe CO2 is my problem. I run a HOB filter, which i inject the CO2 into, and apparently these take away alot of CO2. When i get back from NZ ill be doing a big post titled "what deficiency's do i have" cause im in all sorts ATM, but i now have test kits so hopefully someone can help me roud:


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## trenac (Feb 15, 2004)

I have this same algae growth on my tropical & Amazon swords in a balance tank. I have found that nothing eats it; not my SAE's, Otto or snails. So I just clip those leaves off that are affected, mostly the older leaves.


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## travis (Nov 17, 2004)

I've run into that type of leaf algae before. I'm not sure if it was a form of cyano or BBA but it was corrected by stabilizing CO2 levels in the tank. Large fluctuations in CO2 levels in a high light, high nutrient tank can definitely cause problems with algae. Hope things are working out roud:


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