Brown-ish algae?

[xjenuhfur]

Okay so this isn't my tank, but it's my roomies. And she came back from our Easter break (wednesday-Sunday) and there was this nasty brown algae in the tank. Which is really strange because there is a moss ball in the tank. The algae was starting to take over the rock in the tank and a fake bamboo plant, and it was brown. I don't know if she did a wc before she left, but I've never had any kind of problem like that before. Can anyone help? She's currently doing a 100% change and cleaning off all the decorations with hothot water. I didn't have a chance to get a picture before she started cleaning. Sorry. :)

[aqua001]

Your roommate should get an alge scraper. Also, try to cut down on the amount of light the tank gets. Change the water more often and, if possible, try to get a line plant in there to take up all the nutrients that alge needs to grow.

[xjenuhfur]

The tank didn't get an abnormal amount of light, the light was off all break, but I will let her know the photoperiod is too long. There was a moss ball in there, and I've heard that they basically stop most algae, which is why we were confused as to why it grew?

[Micho]

Originally Posted by xjenuhfur

The tank didn't get an abnormal amount of light, the light was off all break, but I will let her know the photoperiod is too long. There was a moss ball in there, and I've heard that they basically stop most algae, which is why we were confused as to why it grew?

Since moss balls are technically algae they'll outcompete algae for nutrients. I suggest telling your roommate to check her water parameters, may be too much of nitrates. Brown algae will usually grow in lower light situations, so it's not the matter of too much light, increasing the amount of light won't help either it'll just create black or green algae which is harder to clean off. . .

One way she could handle it is that if she increased the photoperiod and add in live plants, the plants will absorb the excess nutrients and starve off the algae.

Or another is to get an algae depending her tank size. . . .

Really algae isn't bad or anything it's a sign that the tank is healthy in tanks with live plants. . . It just looks bad.

[Olympia]

I'm pretty sure brown algae is the one that grows when there is too little light.

[xjenuhfur]

It's a 5 gal hex, and the betta didn't tolerate ghost shrimps in the tank, let alone anything else. And the tank is too small for any friends other than shrimp.

But she did a 100% change, and I'll tell her to have lights on in the tank for, how long?

[Micho]

Originally Posted by xjenuhfur

It's a 5 gal hex, and the betta didn't tolerate ghost shrimps in the tank, let alone anything else. And the tank is too small for any friends other than shrimp.

But she did a 100% change, and I'll tell her to have lights on in the tank for, how long?

Brown algae is caused by too little light as said by me and Olympia, I would say keep the lights on for around 8 ~ 10 hours, though I can't guarantee that the brown algae won't be replaced by black or green algae.

I highly suggest that she get some easy care plants to outcompete the nutrients and starve the algae. Or she'll have to manually scrape the algae off if she doesn't like it.

You could get a Nerite snail to help with the algae. One snail and a Betta would do fine in a 5g.

[xjenuhfur]

Okay so 8-10hrs a day, possible live plants and/or a nerite snail.