# Need help identifying



## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

Here are some pics of the dreaded brown stuff. I have removed by hand and it comes back with a vengeance.

Any help with what it is and how to get rid of will be much appreciated!!!

Tank is about 6 months old.


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## Green024 (Sep 19, 2009)

It looks like Brown Rhizoclonium, or BBA.
What size tank is it and what do you have for filtration?
It appears it could be a flow issue. Add a powerhead or two.


Do you use co2? If so, than its too low, or its fluctuating to much.
If you don't add co2, how do you do your water changes? Maybe try letting your water sit for a while before adding it to your tank during a water change.

"If you have a low light tank without CO2 injection then not doing any water changes will help. This is because tap water often has lots of CO2 dissolved in it which causes CO2 levels in your tank to fluctuate. The algae respond to this a lot quicker than the plants do."

Check this site out, tells you everything you need to know about algae.
http://www.jsctech.co.uk/theplantedtank/algae.htm

hope this helps.... nice discus by the way!


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## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

Thanks for taking the time to respond!!!

Here are some answers...

Do you use co2? - No, I do not...I have taken to the low tech thought.

If you don't add co2, how do you do your water changes? My water changes are taken straight from the tap.

If you have a low light tank without CO2 injection then not doing any water changes will help. I was figuring this was my problem. I had religiously performed 50% water changes weekly until I had surgery. Then for about a month it was every 2 weeks -- then BLAM this stuff started to happen.

Is there anything that will eat it? I have no other algae in the tank other than this.

Light are 2 55w HO on for 7 hours a day. I have kept them off for a week but to no avail.


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## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

Just read your link.

This stuff is not black...but a light brown. I am using 2 Rena XP3's for filtration. There seems to be plenty of water movement as this stuff is flapping in the "breeze"!!!

It is not on any plants nor on any mechanical equipment.


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

I remember seeing a tank that had this algae literally EVERYWHERE a long time ago... wish i could find the link to the journal. It was pretty amazing. I'll let you know if i find it.

Looks like beard algae, but it doesn't have the bright green color like BA...


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## Green024 (Sep 19, 2009)

I think your Issue is with your light. You can try removing one of the bulbs, and maybe raise it further away from the surface of the water.
All most any tank with a t5HO light setup with 2 bulbs on it needs co2 and ferts to balance it out. See the following link to see some great information on lighting.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/105774-par-vs-distance-t5-t12-pc.html



gparr said:


> Is there anything that will eat it? I have no other algae in the tank other than this.


"Siamese Algae Eaters are known to eat BBA so can be used to control this algae.
Overdosing Flourish Excel will clear it up." A small side not to this quote, try spot treating the algae with some excel or h2o2 AFTER you turn off your filters.

What size tank is it? 75 or 90?



AzFishKid said:


> Looks like beard algae, but it doesn't have the bright green color like BA...


I have a bad case of BBA right now, and it is Brown. *Edit* I think it started out green


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## Centromochlus (May 19, 2008)

Green024 said:


> "*Siamese Algae Eaters are known to eat BBA* so can be used to control this algae.
> Overdosing Flourish Excel will clear it up." A small side not to this quote, try spot treating the algae with some excel or h2o2 AFTER you turn off your filters.
> 
> I have a bad case of *BBA* right now, and it is Brown. *Edit* I think it started out green



BBA and Beard Algae are two different things, i think.

BBA (Black Beard Algae)/Brush Algae:









Beard Algae:


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Don't know what it is called (BFA? Brown Fluff Algae?), but I went through this in several aquariums, incl a 10 gal and a 250 gal tank. It appeared a few weeks to a month after setting up the tanks. In each case, it went away by itself after several weeks. It can really test your patience, because everyone want a shiny sparkling tank, and this alga makes it appear like a crud collection.

Previous posters gave you quite a bit of different recommendations, I tried a few too, but in the end I am not sure what caused it and why one day it was gone.

My recommendation would be to keep doing what you are doing to keep plants healthy, and wait it out. There are animals who will eat it, ghost shrimp for example, but honestly it won't help much. 

With these algae that appear early in the stage of a planted tank it seems like you can let them get really thick, and they exhaust themselves (perhaps the specific nutrient conditions they need) and then go extinct. It can take a while though.


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## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

Green...sorry the tank is 120g.


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## Green024 (Sep 19, 2009)

So whats your plan on attacking this algae gparr?


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## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

Green...I really don't know yet!!!

My plants are healthy...Discus are spawning (although I thought I bought all males!!!).

I might just wait it out and see how bad it gets.

I just finished my thesis for my Masters degree and am heading to Disney World until Sunday...will take another look when I get back and see how bad it has gotten.


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## Green024 (Sep 19, 2009)

Take out one of the t5 tubes from the light fixture before you leave for your trip is my suggestion. If it does not work without having both bulbs in, than slap it back in. 

Since you don't have co2, less light would be the best chance of slowing down or stopping it before it continues to spread further.


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## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

OK...I have performed a water change and also pulled out 1 T5 bulb and everything operates normally.

I am heading to the airport now and will return Sunday night. Will check in and let you know if there is any difference.

Man...I have got a nice stand of it on the substrate now...would love to come back and see it somewhat diminished!!!


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

Glutaraldehyde for the win. (Flurish Excel or Metricide)


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## J.farrand (Jul 12, 2010)

Reducing the light will help and constant removal. I used a UV sterilizer before and that helped me through a bad year-my first year-of all types of algae attacks. On the bright side you have discus that are spawning so it's not a sign of an unhealthy tank.


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## j-gens (Dec 11, 2008)

looks like rhizoclonium... not sure how to battle it but it kinda went away on its own in my tank... i was pulling it out each week with my waterchanges.. but then it stopped growing and started to subside... i also had started dosing excel at the time till my tank got established... so that may have had something to do with it


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## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

Here is an update...

I got back late last night and oh man!!!

Take a look at the pics!!!

HHHEEELLLPPPP!!!!!!!


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

It gets really thick before it goes away. Unfortunately, we are not talking a couple of days for it to disappear... more like a month or even two. If you use this approach, you need a lot of patience, and manual removal doesn't help it much.

Many of us aren't patient enough to wait it out. I've tried a lot of things to battle algae, in the end, ignoring it for a while seemed to hit it the hardest.


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## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

Wasser...so if I am reading you correctly...I should just continue on as normal? Weekly water changes, just hand removal for aesthetics only...and just be patient and it will subside with time?

Thanks...much appreciated!!!


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

At this point yoeah you just need to keep up on the water changes, make sure you are not over ferting, USE EXCEL, and maybe even do a blackout for a few days...

Tell me more about the substrate. It looks like most of it is there.


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## gparr (Jan 5, 2004)

I do not fertilize except fert tabs once every 6 weeks.

Substrate is Turface.

I will look at getting some EXCEL!!!


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## EntoCraig (Jun 7, 2010)

Good luck. Algae can be a serious battle.


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