# Algae on marbel sword



## PlantedNerd (Apr 6, 2013)

Hey everyone, I have a 6.5 week old planted 65g tank and having some recent algae problems. It's all over my sand and all over my large leaf plants like my marbel sword. My lights (2 T5HO 39w bulbs) are on a timer for 8hrs a day. Not using Co2 but I am using Flourish Excel daily. I was curious if I should cut the algae covered leaves or just leave them alone? I tried rubbing it off with my fingers but it didn't work. Is there anything I can do about the algae? I think it's brown algae.


----------



## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

what are your nitrate levels?


----------



## PlantedNerd (Apr 6, 2013)

Just tested it today and its 5.0ppm. I do a 25% water change every other day. The more I think about it, the more keep thinking its possibly over feeding as that is the only thing that I know I was doing wrong.


----------



## pyrrolin (Jan 11, 2012)

sounds like over feeding. If you are doing 25 percent wc every 2 days and nitrates are still 5, something is off and over feeding would do it. You should not have to do that much wc, not even close.

This is a planted tank, unless it is over stocked, you shouldn't have to do more than 25 percent a week.

In some of my heavily planted tanks, the plants use up so much nitrates at times that my nitrates bottom out at 0 without water changes and I go weeks with just topping up and just do a wc at times just to put in fresh water to keep tds down and just to be safe.

try cutting down on the feeding, fish are cold blooded so they don't need all the extra energy to produce heat. Also, with a planted tank, the fish have an extra always on hand food, the plants themselves. This will also help reduce all the work of water changes.


----------



## BillD (Jun 5, 2006)

If you have brown algae, it is a normal occurrance in a new setup. The cures for green algae will not help. Usually, in time it will diminish on it's own, or you can get some Oto cats and they will clean it up quickly. The diatoms on the sand can be turned under to hide it.


----------



## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

You could also get 2 or 3 Nerite snails, as they relish both brown and green algae and are extremely hard working at cleaning it up. Very peaceful, never ever eat plants, don't bother any other creatures you might have. They will clean a leaf so well, it will look brand new. Once the algae runs out, they feed on biofilm and left over fish foods. They'll keep glass very clean.

They don't reproduce in FW.. though they do lay eggs on wood, and some folk don't like the eggs if they're laid where they show up. Light beige colour. But they eventually slowly disappear, and never hatch. They need brackish water to hatch.

But watch how much you feed. No more than the tank's inhabitants can eat in 2 or 3 minutes. For shrimp and most bottom feeders, it takes longer for them to eat, so they need more time. Many bottom feeders eat at night too, so be prepared to siphon up leftovers the next day until you figure out how much they'll eat overnight and feed only that much. Also feed in the same place every time. The fish will learn where it's going to show up and come for it there, and it makes it easier for you to clean up any leftovers, cause you'll know where you put it.

+1 for Oto cats. I love these little guys and they're amazingly efficient. But they have a sad tendency to die within a month or two after you get them, because of the way they're caught and handled. If you go for Otos, try to ensure they've been in the store tanks at least a week or two, the longer the better, as the weakest ones will have already died off and hopefully yours will survive. 

Once the tank's algae runs out, they will need algae tabs or pellets or fresh veggies like spinach, to be happy and healthy. One of the only fish that's totally safe even with newborn shrimp or fry, though they are sometimes seen sucking on other bottom feeders.. I suspect this happens only if they're very hungry, but if they acquire this habit, they may damage a pleco or cory with this behaviour. I've never seen mine suck on any fish, only snail's shells.


----------



## Mr. Scruples (Apr 20, 2012)

+1 for nerite snails.

I only have one because algae hasn't been a big problem for me, but it has been a great addition to the tank. It keeps my driftwood and rocks spotless at all times. Well... except for the 'spots' it puts on the driftwood, of course, but those don't bother me at all. It's a pretty little thing, too (zebra nerite). Completely trouble-free, zero maintenance little critter as far as I can tell.


----------

