# Brown algae on anubias leaves problem



## Cookie_discus

I got brown algae on many of my anubias nana leaves so I am wondering if SAE or Oto cat can take care of it?


----------



## NickAu

The brown stuff is called Diatoms. It's very common with newly set up aquariums & is more common in low light conditions & when the lights are not on for long enough.


----------



## Cookie_discus

NickAu said:


> The brown stuff is called Diatoms. It's very common with newly set up aquariums & is more common in low light conditions & when the lights are not on for long enough.


Here is the algae. Somebody gave me these anubias but the algae already have it on them.


----------



## NickAu

While it looks ugly just leave the plants where they are the muck covering the leaves will disappear in no time especially if there is a little current in the tank.


----------



## Cookie_discus

Funken_A said:


> If you can pull those plants give them a H2O2 bath using food grade 3% HYDROGEN PEROXIDE.
> 
> Lots of info out there. I recently dipped a few anubias using a 50% mixture of H2O2 and tap water and let them soak for about 5 minutes, wiped them down gently to remove as much gunk as possible and then I placed them back into the tank... that will kill the algae. From there it will be all about your tank parameters going forward


Do you guys have any idea what kind of algae are they and what is H2O2? Where I can get those from?

Bump:


NickAu said:


> While it looks ugly just leave the plants where they are the muck covering the leaves will disappear in no time especially if there is a little current in the tank.



They will disaapear on their own? I have strong flow in my 30g long tank as I am using a ac 110.


----------



## Leeatl

Looks like black beard algae to me and if so definitely use the peroxide dip suggestion .


----------



## dragonhqd

Don't use harsh chemicals.

I had over growing algae problem when I first setup my tank. Brown hair algae, brown algae, green algae, you name it... they over took my tank.

Now my tank it's so clear ppl usually think it's not a fish tank when take pictures.

I have in the tank:

- 3 golden algae eaters: they take care of green / brown algae
- 4 siamese algae eaters: thy eat hair algae
- 6 Japanese algae eater shrimps or Amano shrimps: they eat everything 

Goodluck!


----------



## D.Farci

Remove the damaged leaves and then bathe the rest of them in the H2O2 solution (or a 5% bleach solution). Black Beard algae turned white and fell apart in bleach for 20 seconds and hasn't returned. If you leave it, it'll spread. I'd say remove half of the leaves that you have. 

The newest leaf already has a bunch, which means the algae is growing faster than the plant. Usually you get a few weeks out of a new leaf before it starts to succumb...


----------



## Cookie_discus

So I go to my local drug store and ask for pure H2O2 solution? Are they the cleaning solution for contact lenses?

Bump:


dragonhqd said:


> Don't use harsh chemicals.
> 
> I had over growing algae problem when I first setup my tank. Brown hair algae, brown algae, green algae, you name it... they over took my tank.
> 
> Now my tank it's so clear ppl usually think it's not a fish tank when take pictures.
> 
> I have in the tank:
> 
> - 3 golden algae eaters: they take care of green / brown algae
> - 4 siamese algae eaters: thy eat hair algae
> - 6 Japanese algae eater shrimps or Amano shrimps: they eat everything
> 
> Goodluck!


Will also do that. I already bought two sae and I will get some amano shrimps later.


----------



## Cookie_discus

Funken_A said:


> Goto your local drugstore or supermarket and just buy a bottle of hydrogen peroxide. It will say 3% same stuff you can pour on a wound like a scrape or a cut to clean it
> 
> 
> It looks like this
> 
> https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/w...2668&sst=143a4af7-097e-4b37-a872-a203d8c49403
> 
> or this
> 
> https://www.uline.com/Product/Detai...cDOvokDId39zh9XMK7_mUaAqky8P8HAQ&gclsrc=aw.ds


Ok got it. Thank you

Bump: I acutally have question about the lighting. I run a current usa satellite led over my tank and I having full power on both blue and white light which is 15W in total. Is that too much for anubias? I just only have anubias in the tank and I am not planning to keep any other kind of plants.


----------



## ustabefast

How long is the photo-period? Anubias are low light plants so depending on how deep your tank is you likely have too much light for them.


----------



## Cookie_discus

ustabefast said:


> How long is the photo-period? Anubias are low light plants so depending on how deep your tank is you likely have too much light for them.


I having the light to me for 8 hrs each day and my tank is 17'' Height. I just transfer all the livestock from a 57G to this 30G long tank but I do using the same filter and bio media. Before I dont have any plant in the 57g so I just added the plants the day after I downgraded to the 30g long.


----------



## Cookie_discus

Just did a H2O2 bath for my anubias and tried to removed the bb algae as much as I can but some of them are so thick that cant be remove. Are they going to fall apart in the next couple days?


----------



## cyanto

Hope it's okay to re-open thread...I have an all-anubias tank and similar algae therefore trying to find as much info as possible out there!

Hello Cookie_discus, were you able to solve the algae issue and how are your anubias now?


----------



## stuattti

*Black and bright green algae on leaves*

What is really the best way to make it go away?


----------



## stuattti

Cookie_discus said:


> Do you guys have any idea what kind of algae are they and what is H2O2? Where I can get those from?
> 
> Bump:
> 
> 
> They will disaapear on their own? I have strong flow in my 30g long tank as I am using a ac 110.


I read somewhere that if the pH is very high it seems to grow more and more. I am fighting it also.


----------



## Orichid123

i have same issue with some of my plants i have used flourish excel in past but has caused issues with some plants melting away so now i just deal with the alage my guppies and swords nibble on it so they keep it in somewhat control i really do not think there is a real cure for it and finding true siamees alage eating fish are difficult let me know if youfind anything else out


----------

