brown algae getting worse

hops523

New member
I set up my tank a few weeks ago, and had live rock in there to cycle it. After awhile the tank started to get brown algae on the sand and the glass. I was told this was a good thing, and it show that the tank is cycling well. I tested the water and everything was good. So I added 1 snail, 2 hermits, 1 royal gramma, and a coral frag. Everyday the brown algae keeps getting worse and worse, and its making my tank look pretty bad. I scrap some of the algae off of the glass, but it just starts floating around the tank. I was obviously going to get some more snails and hermits, but will they all take care of this?
 
let it cycle, a couple weeks is puts you right inline to have your algae bloom. Just be patient and it will get better. Remember the best way to be successful in this hobby is to be patient and well educated. While it is adjusting just troll the RC boards and soak up as much knowledge as you can. Good Luck!!
 
yep sounds like diatoms look somthin like thisi got them in my new setup to.. sux huh..
Mine started about a month ago and i think there finally starting to let up

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uh oh. I guess I better take back some of the livestock I got? Will this throw off my parameters?If so I think that is why my kenya tree has closed up for a few hours now.
 
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Snails, fish, and hermits should be ok as long as your water tests out ok. Seems a bit early to me for coral but maybe not?
 
my diatoms went away as well, and my green hair algae completely took over from 1 rock where I thought it was harmless to the entire tank. Be careful of that! Remove as much as you can from the tank. I have real bad brown hair algae issues now that is being stubborn and taking a long time to get rid of.

good luck
 
The weird thing now is that my kenya tree is wide open now. I will test my parameters again though.So can I scrape off all the brown algae in the tank now? Or do I have to leave it?
 
From my experience with this, is you can scrape off the algae, but don't let it get caught in other rockwork, bec. it will just spread even more. When doing a water change either a siphon or python, scrape some off (i use a turkey baster), then siphon it out of the tank, scrape some off, remove it from the tank. Repeat this step until your satisfied. Until you eliminate the "fuel to the fire" or the nitrates and phosphates it will keep coming back with light. Given time, it will slowly go away.
 
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