PlanetCatfish.com

Hi

I have a problem with brown algae. I clean my tank one a week but by the time the 7 days is up its not look great! Its really bad on the plants, especailly nubias and now getting on the j.fern. It builds up light films on the glass and patches all over the substrate too. I believe this is down to high phosphate levels in my area as my nitrates are not high.

The only cure I seem to read about for this is buying otos! However I currently consider my tank fully stocked - but what does everyone else think? I know lots of people go by the 1" per gallon and some 2" per gallon...

I have a 18uk gal tank with an eheim external canister filter and ...

1 X pearl gourami
8 x cardinal tetras
4 x net cory

I believe this is about 28" once fully grown but considering I have bottom, middle and top dwellers all mixed up I think this is about right.

So do you think I could house some otos?

Yes, I think you could. The trick to keeping more fish than the "adviced stocking rules" is to change more water more often and having a good air-stone added to the tank. And plenty of extra filtration of course, but you have that already.

However, brown algae is an indication of a "newly set up tank", which usually goes away with time.

You'll need to feed the otos with lightly boiled courgette (a 6mm slice microwaved with a little bit of water for 20 seconds - rinse with cold water to stop it "cooking") once the algae is gone. You'll need to leave it in there for quite some time, they probably won't touch it for 24 hours or so.

--
Mats

Hi thanks for the reply.

I have heard people say this before about brwon alage but got the impression they more meant during cycling becasue of the ammonia and nitrites, however although my tank is 'new' its fully cycled and has no ammonia, nitrites and low nitrates.

Sometimes I think it is more useful to think of aquariums undergoing ecological suuccession rather than the very simplified view of "cycling". After all, that term is usually used to refer to the very beginnings of what over time become a much more complex mix of organisms an their interactions.

It seem that for most aquariums the next stage is the establisment of some diatoms and simple algaes. Once some plants are added and fish of course the system becoms more complicated. The higher plants usually reduce the availbility of macro and macronutrients. Small amphipods and various microscopic worms such as polychates and nematodes become established and over time time, different balances of organisms rise and fall. This happens in freshwater aquariums just as it does in the better known and discussed reef tanks.
Similar phenomenon, just the names and roles played of the organisms are discussed less in the context of freshwater aquariums. Every aquarium is different.
The timing of the succession can be altered by something as simple as being overly obsessive about cleaning that can result in the delaying of the formation of what was once referred to as the "balanced" aquarium. Back then, the importance of water changes was not reconised and aquariss wrongly placed great stock in "old" water. We now are aware that regular water changes dilute accumulated pollution and evaporites and benefit the aquarium. The complexities I described are occurring in the substrate, all submersed surfaces and of course in the filter.
As a general rule of ecologies, the more complex they become the more stable they are.

Wow thats interesting - I must admit that I do like the aquarium nice and clean. Also a couple of weeks ago I got a new algae scraper, I didnt do a great job as it was the first time I used it, the next week it hadnt got so bad. I cleaned it really well and it has come back worse - so i gues it makes sense.

I will try to leave a bit behind but it is difficult becasue I like seeing my fish in all their glory!

I will give it a couple of months and see if it all calms down as the tank matures and re-asses! Thanks again- everyone is always so helpful on this forum!

Just keeping the front glass cleaned will not set the process back any.

How about adding plant food? I normally add some once a week - should I stop?

This is just my opinion, but especially in the beginning I would not add liquid fertilizers until the tank has shown significant plant growth. The exception would be the use of substrate fertilizers for the feeding of rooted plants. Personal favorite is the Nutrifin Plant Grow Sticks. I prefer them as they are time release fertilizers and mainly feed the plants directly through the roots but dissolve fertilizer does reach the water column where stem and floating plants can still benefit.

The use of liquid fertilizers is a trickey proposition.
Especially in the first few months of being set up. The fertilizers in the water are often stimulating as much algae growth as plant growth. Planted tanks with CO2 are much more complicated systems than those without. I recommend that you read the material on planted tanks and fertilizers by going to this website: http://www.thekrib.com
There is a great deal of very useful information there and if you can't find he answers to your questions there... well, good luck.