[IntrovertEJL]

Lately my filter has started turning brown, and at first I thought this was normal, but then it turned completely brown:

Now it's definitely spread to the rest of the tank. It's not super visible in this picture, but to me it's most visible on the leaves of my anubias and in the gravel:

I've been anticipating that this might happen, so my plan is to get a nerite snail, some algae tabs for it in the future, possibly a timer for my lightbulb, and some new plants (water wisteria and possibly frill, from Petsmart). I currently give my plants (anubias nana and java fern) about 10 hours of light a day, but I've read that 8 hours is better, so either I'll make a note to myself to give the tank less light time or buy a timer. As for the nerite snail, I've read that they're hermaphrodites, so even if there's only one it will still produce eggs. I also read that mystery snails have to have two snails to produce eggs, but they aren't as efficient at getting rid of algae as nerites are.

I'm thinking I may have to replace the filter cartridge, since it's all filled with algae. I haven't cycled my tank (partly because I'm not entirely sure how to, and don't have the money to buy a master test kit), but I know that starting over with a new filter cartridge will remove any BB colonies that my current cartridge might have.

My tank is a 2.5 Aqueon mini bow with the blue fluorescent Aqueon lightbulb, and the same aqueon quiet flow that the tank came with. I've also baffled the filter with a Fluval C2 filter sponge.

So do you all have any suggestions?

 

[Islandgaliam]

Are you using the light that came with the tank? I have 2 of them and changed the lights to colormax 10w (may be 15w, can't locate the box at the moment) and that made a big difference in my plants.

I am interested in knowing about the brown algae on the filter. I had the same thing, but assumed it was from the diatoms, and I don't see them on your plants like I did mine.

I no longer use them for fish, as I got the boys a 20 gallon divided. But, I am using them as experiment tanks for plant clippings, and hope it produces algae now so I can put my nerites in them if needed they because I think I have too many in each tank, but none of them are touching the algae wafers.

I dont know anything about mystery snails, but my nerites do on excellent job on the agae clean up, and even when they do lay eggs, the eggs wont hatch because they need brackish water. I just the love the yellow/brown striped ones..they look like siding bumble bees.

 

[IntrovertEJL]

This is the lightbulb I have in my tank: http://www.petsmart.com/fish/lighti..._id=36-16441&_t=pfm=category&pfmvalue=faceted

The algae is on the plants. I saw some pictures of diatoms in another thread, but they looked darker somehow and appeared in spots, not spread evenly over everything like it is in my tank.

That's great news about the nerite eggs. I don't feel as worried about that now. And as to the algae wafers, I may not even get them after all. If the algae in the tank isn't enough, I heard that you can also feed them slices of cucumber, so I may try that.

 

[Islandgaliam]

I went a couple months with no eggs, then all of a sudden I got lots, now I am only getting a few. At first, I was going to try to remove them, but since it is a natural, I just left them. They seem to go away on their own.

Hoping they are getting hungry enough to eat those diatoms - lol. Was told when they do get hungry, they will write 'Food" in snail slime...hahaha

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

My Nerites won't touch algae wafers. I do have a lot of Cholla roots and stumps which seem to attract delicious algae as that's where the Nerites spend most of their time.

To supplement feed you can put rocks in glass bowl on a window sill to grown algae.

 

[Islandgaliam]

Looks like I will start a rock bowl today too...all I need is for the sun to come out..never thought algae was something I would ever try to grow - lol.

 

[mart]

This is the light I used in my 2.5 gal. and never had brown algae.
http://www.petsmart.com/fish/lighti..._id=36-16442&_t=pfm=category&pfmvalue=faceted

 

[IntrovertEJL]

I thought about getting that colormax lightbulb, but the main reason I upgraded to the bulb I have now is that I've started growing plants in my tank.

A rock bowl sounds like a possibility, for sure. But since my filter's full of algae now, won't my tank just keep filling with algae for the snail if I leave it as it is now? Or should I just change to a new filter?

 

[mart]

You need to clean off all the decorations in your tank, clean the walls of the tank, do a 50% water change, and yes change that filter. Clean the filter too, including the impeller. That stuff gets in there too.
It will take a couple times of doing this to get it out of there for good.

 

[IntrovertEJL]

Today I got a nerite snail, some water wisteria, and a moss ball. I doubt the moss ball will help with the algae infestation, but I like how it looks. I was worried about the snail at first, since he wasn't moving around at all in the store tank. He's moving around now though, so I know he's alive.

As to the filter -- I also got new cartridges, so I'll change it out tomorrow when I do my water change. The pack came with three cartridges, so if I have to change it out again because of algae, I can.

 

[mart]

I thought about getting that colormax lightbulb, but the main reason I upgraded to the bulb I have now is that I've started growing plants in my tank.

I was growing plants in my tank with that bulb.

 

[EachUisge]

I am in college so I bounce between 2 different parts of the state during the year, and I've noticed that when my tank is set up at home I have brown algae coating every surface. At school my tanks are crystal clear. Both have the same amount of light, identical care, conditioner, food, etc... the only difference is the water. Our goldfish tank can only go a week without a 50% water change, minimum. It turns brownish-yellow within days, but it is a 30 gallon with only 3 goldfish. I know they poop a lot and the fish total 22-25 inches so it's sort of cramped but jeez. We are upgrading them to a 55 gallon soon, and if that doesn't help we will assume it is the water.

Long story short, if you are using tap water try bottled for a while and if it keeps returning then change your lights. There may already be algae in your city or well water that is now growing in your tank, and buying a couple of gallons of bottled water (costs around 2 dollars here) is much cheaper than a new bulb which might not even work. Good luck and we're hoping for the best :3

 

[Islandgaliam]

I'm glad your nerite moved - lol. I hate to say this, but I just learned that they can go into hibernation, I thought they had died on me.

 

[IntrovertEJL]

I'm going to give my snail a week to see how quickly he eats the algae. He doesn't seem to move very fast or eat the algae as quickly as I had hoped, but I figured a week was sufficient time to judge his eating speed. After that I'll have to take more drastic measures to control the algae. By that point, if the algae is still causing problems, I'll probably cup my betta and snail and do a 100% water change, scrubbing the algae off as much as possible and changing the filter cartridge/sponge baffle. I'll also probably switch to bottled water, like you suggested, EachUisge.

Thank you for your advice. Hopefully all goes well!

 

[RussellTheShihTzu]

Don't switch to straight bottled water unless you're willing to add minerals. Bottled doesn't have the necessary minerals fish need. I have a TDS problem (Total Dissolved Solids) from our city water so I use half distilled and half tap.

It will take the Nerite a bit to make a dent in your algae so I'd give it a couple of weeks.

 

[mart]

I'm going to give my snail a week to see how quickly he eats the algae. He doesn't seem to move very fast or eat the algae as quickly as I had hoped, but I figured a week was sufficient time to judge his eating speed. After that I'll have to take more drastic measures to control the algae. By that point, if the algae is still causing problems, I'll probably cup my betta and snail and do a 100% water change, scrubbing the algae off as much as possible and changing the filter cartridge/sponge baffle. I'll also probably switch to bottled water, like you suggested, EachUisge.

Thank you for your advice. Hopefully all goes well!

The snail will not be able to keep up with it, it will grow faster than he can eat it. I think you should still take out a few things and scrub them. The decorations for one, and clean that filter.
Believe me, I went through a bought of the brown algae a couple of months ago, it won't go away on it's own.

Oh and BTW, I was using bottled water with minerals in it.

 

[EachUisge]

Don't switch to straight bottled water unless you're willing to add minerals. Bottled doesn't have the necessary minerals fish need. I have a TDS problem (Total Dissolved Solids) from our city water so I use half distilled and half tap.

It will take the Nerite a bit to make a dent in your algae so I'd give it a couple of weeks.

I was talking about the stuff that Walmart sells for fish... I've personally never used it but is it the same as drinking water?