Algae questions, and fish pictures

Cliffizme2 · 03-28-2006, 09:06 PM

Is there a reason why I always get brown algae and not green algae? What are the differences in that I have never had green algae in an aquarium, but I always get brown? Do they both not grow under the same conditions?
I don't like the brown algae and I keep scraping it out and getting rid of it, but if I can get some green algae I will let it grow on my rocks to give my crayfish something to do.
I guess I could find green algae somewhere else and introduce it to my tank, but I was just wondering why brown algae is so quick to grow but never green!

And here are pictures of some of my fish since I haven't posted some good ones yet.
My tank...

Pink Convict...

Crayfish 1 (out of 3)

Another one...

2 of my 3 Convicts... male and female...

Convict and Snakeskin Gourami...

Blood Parrot...

Everyone gets along great and usually the crayfish are running around doing stuff, there are 5 or 6 crevices they like to sit in. All of the fish come to the surface when I open the lid and they get a blend of Cichlid pellets and fish flakes, and Bloodworms every other day.

**Damon** · 03-28-2006, 09:57 PM

How long has the tank been running? Size and lighting? Filtration? Total stocking levels? Waterchange regiment? PH, KH, GH (very important)?

Georgia Peach · 03-29-2006, 05:20 AM

not sure about the algae deal.. I get alot of brown algae too.

Cliffizme2 · 03-29-2006, 01:07 PM

Tank has been running since mid January I guess, it was set up before that with the big rocks in it and the blood parrot but I took all the gravel and everything out and washed it because I wanted black gravel and started over.
The size, it's a 38 gallon, the lighting stays on from 9am-9pm on a timer everyday. The light is the one that came on it, it's just one long strip light.
I don't check the PH and I don't know what KH and GH are... I do a 25% water change once every other week. My goal is to get a little bit of green algae, I'm working today (Petco) so I'll take a sample and get the PH and post it tonight. Sorry I didn't give this info earlier.

I threw a "Jungle No More Algae" tank buddies tablet in there last night and scraped all the brown algae off the glass in hopes of eliminating it. Again... I don't want the brown, I want green. I can get green algae from work and introduce it to my tank if I need to, just wondering what else I need to change to keep the green and no more brown. Thanks.

**Damon** · 03-29-2006, 10:21 PM

Did you start over recently? Brown algae (diatoms) are common in tanks cycling. Also common in tanks with poor water flow, inadequate lighting (not common), and water high in silicated (hard water).

Cliffizme2 · 03-31-2006, 09:39 PM

I checked my KH and PH and stuff on our test strips at work, the only thing that my manager said was wrong is that my PH is a little low, I think he said it was 5 or 6? That might be from the algae tablet I dropped in there though.

wildtiger · 03-31-2006, 09:43 PM

Are your rocks sand stone by chance?

Cliffizme2 · 04-02-2006, 10:15 PM

Not sure what kind they are, we ordered a huge thing of them to outline a large garden and I grabbed a couple and cleaned them.

Ownager2004 · 04-03-2006, 05:46 AM

I dont think the jungle algae things you used are safe for crayfish. Also they will kill all algae not just brown.

lotsoffish · 04-03-2006, 05:52 AM

I am going to guess you have a 30wt 36" fluorescent bulb above this tank. A 38 gallon tank is a taller 30 long. I think the first thing you should do if you want green algae is replace that bulb with a better quality bulb. I would recommend a Triton bulb. I would also increase your photo period to about 15 hours and see if that does the trick.

When you pick up the bulb grab a ph kit also. You ph is only low if it is falling below what your tap water ph is. Check your tap water and compare that to the ph of your aquarium water, if it is about the same it probably is fine, if your aquarium water is a lot lower you need to increase the size or frequency of your water changes.

lotsoffish · 04-03-2006, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ownager2004

I dont think the jungle algae things you used are safe for crayfish. Also they will kill all algae not just brown.

I forgot about that, do a couple water changes to get that crap out of your water to!

03-28-2006, 09:06 PM	#1
Cliffizme2 Cliff Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tennessee Age: 24 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	Algae questions, and fish pictures Is there a reason why I always get brown algae and not green algae? What are the differences in that I have never had green algae in an aquarium, but I always get brown? Do they both not grow under the same conditions? I don't like the brown algae and I keep scraping it out and getting rid of it, but if I can get some green algae I will let it grow on my rocks to give my crayfish something to do. I guess I could find green algae somewhere else and introduce it to my tank, but I was just wondering why brown algae is so quick to grow but never green! And here are pictures of some of my fish since I haven't posted some good ones yet. My tank... Pink Convict... Crayfish 1 (out of 3) Another one... 2 of my 3 Convicts... male and female... Convict and Snakeskin Gourami... Blood Parrot... Everyone gets along great and usually the crayfish are running around doing stuff, there are 5 or 6 crevices they like to sit in. All of the fish come to the surface when I open the lid and they get a blend of Cichlid pellets and fish flakes, and Bloodworms every other day. __________________ 38 Gallon South American cichlid tank

03-28-2006, 09:57 PM	#2
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	How long has the tank been running? Size and lighting? Filtration? Total stocking levels? Waterchange regiment? PH, KH, GH (very important)? __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

03-29-2006, 05:20 AM	#3
Georgia Peach Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Gray, Georgia Age: 41 Posts: 1,581 User Feedback: (2)	not sure about the algae deal.. I get alot of brown algae too. __________________ *Cichlids have more personality than most people I know !*

03-29-2006, 01:07 PM	#4
Cliffizme2 Cliff Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tennessee Age: 24 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	Tank has been running since mid January I guess, it was set up before that with the big rocks in it and the blood parrot but I took all the gravel and everything out and washed it because I wanted black gravel and started over. The size, it's a 38 gallon, the lighting stays on from 9am-9pm on a timer everyday. The light is the one that came on it, it's just one long strip light. I don't check the PH and I don't know what KH and GH are... I do a 25% water change once every other week. My goal is to get a little bit of green algae, I'm working today (Petco) so I'll take a sample and get the PH and post it tonight. Sorry I didn't give this info earlier. I threw a "Jungle No More Algae" tank buddies tablet in there last night and scraped all the brown algae off the glass in hopes of eliminating it. Again... I don't want the brown, I want green. I can get green algae from work and introduce it to my tank if I need to, just wondering what else I need to change to keep the green and no more brown. Thanks. __________________ 38 Gallon South American cichlid tank Last edited by Cliffizme2; 03-29-2006 at 01:10 PM.

03-29-2006, 10:21 PM	#5
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	Did you start over recently? Brown algae (diatoms) are common in tanks cycling. Also common in tanks with poor water flow, inadequate lighting (not common), and water high in silicated (hard water). __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

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03-31-2006, 09:39 PM	#6
Cliffizme2 Cliff Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tennessee Age: 24 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	I checked my KH and PH and stuff on our test strips at work, the only thing that my manager said was wrong is that my PH is a little low, I think he said it was 5 or 6? That might be from the algae tablet I dropped in there though. __________________ 38 Gallon South American cichlid tank

03-31-2006, 09:43 PM	#7
wildtiger "Salmon Free!" Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: New Mexico Posts: 362 User Feedback: (20)	Are your rocks sand stone by chance? __________________

04-02-2006, 10:15 PM	#8
Cliffizme2 Cliff Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Tennessee Age: 24 Posts: 80 User Feedback: (0)	Not sure what kind they are, we ordered a huge thing of them to outline a large garden and I grabbed a couple and cleaned them. __________________ 38 Gallon South American cichlid tank

04-03-2006, 05:46 AM	#9
Ownager2004 L33t n00b Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Athens, Ohio Age: 25 Posts: 466 User Feedback: (2)	I dont think the jungle algae things you used are safe for crayfish. Also they will kill all algae not just brown.

04-03-2006, 05:52 AM	#10
lotsoffish Banned Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: N. Tonawanda NY Age: 46 Posts: 188 User Feedback: (1)	I am going to guess you have a 30wt 36" fluorescent bulb above this tank. A 38 gallon tank is a taller 30 long. I think the first thing you should do if you want green algae is replace that bulb with a better quality bulb. I would recommend a Triton bulb. I would also increase your photo period to about 15 hours and see if that does the trick. When you pick up the bulb grab a ph kit also. You ph is only low if it is falling below what your tap water ph is. Check your tap water and compare that to the ph of your aquarium water, if it is about the same it probably is fine, if your aquarium water is a lot lower you need to increase the size or frequency of your water changes.

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