Cleaning brown algae off fake plants/tank deco

southpaw

southpaw

Lefty
Jun 7, 2007
720
0
0
55
Tennessee
I have noticed here the last few weeks I have been getting alot of brown algae on my fake plants and tank deco and some forming on the glass.... Tomorrow my plan is to remove it all and give it a good cleaning while I do my weekly 40% WC ..... Question about this is there enough good bacteria on my deco and plants to cause a mini-cycle if I clean them all off good?? My plan is to not do a deep gravel vac this week and mainly get the surface stuff as to not fool with the bacteria in the substrate too much incase the the deco cleaning is holding alot of good bacteria that will get washed off.

Does this sound ok or will I be ok cleaning the stuff off and doing my normal pretty intense gravel vacumming like I do every week??
 
you'll be fine, the gravel and fitler media should defiantely have enough of a bacteria colony
 
Thats what I was thinking but wanted to run it by everyone here.... I will wait another week to rinse the filter media out too so that should help.

I am just tired of the brown mess that is forming on my stuff...... may adjust my lights to not stay on so long at night to help keep it from happening as much in the future. I have them on from around 2:30 in the afternoon until 10:00 at night plus the tank gets some natural sunlight (not direct sunlight) during the day before the lights come on.
 
actually, unlike green algae, i dont think decreasing light helps. Brown algae are diatoms.

Ive actually heard slightly increasing the light could potentially help. Or try adding a silicate absorbing resin in your filter.
 
and of course, it might just be easy to brush it off every so often, it brushes off rather easily.
 
ok...wasnt sure if the brown algae grew like the green stuff or not so might just leave the lights as-is for now.
 
davexstumpe said:
and of course, it might just be easy to brush it off every so often, it brushes off rather easily.
Click to expand...


That is normally what I have done for the last couple weeks...just kinda brushed it off before I do my water change and vacuum as much of the stuff out as I rub it off
 
I do not agree to the addition of plecs nor any other fish as a solution for that matter. Not all plecos thrive on algae alone and will need varied diet.
 
Cleaning brown stuff off plastice plants. On a regular basis thru the dishwasher cycle is my suggestion. I know it works, I have done it.

FOOD for plecos: They need algae tabs, sliced zucchini-don't bother peeling it. I do this for all my bottom feeders.
 
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