The Puffer Forum

I've had the same problem. I bleached my fake plants and changed my bulb to a 50/50 (half blue) and set the timer to only have the light on for four hours in the evening when I'm relaxing. Not 100% gone, but its much improved.

I wouldn't bother, it'll go away in time.

mvbroadbill wrote:what is that?And how do I use it?where are they sold?

uv sterilizer plumbs in to return line on tank sold at any big box store or online i paid 230 cdn for each of mine there rated to 500 gallons each, they wont kill the stuff thats already stuck on things but will sterilize free floating algae
my understanding of diatom algae is its bacterial.,, perhaps im wrong
for me.. mine was part of the cycling process that i refused to look at.

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ct ... sterilizer

as pp says tho it should go away in time,( if it dosent get a uv )

A UV sterilizer is a waste of time and money with this. Like RTR said, this stuff is caused by dissolved silicalates (the same stuff as sand, glass, etc.) in the water. You cannot get rid of it with UV, well you can but it will take just as long to get rid of it without UV.... Diaotoms aren't bacterial they really are an algae. Now, to confuse you, blue green algae (BGA) is a bacteria.

My Otos are doing a very good job at cleaning up the brown algae, really happy with their success!

My initial brown algae issues in my brackish tank went away in time too. I get hair algae in the tank now but it's encouraged for the flagfish as they love to graze on it

every day i learn something new here, (waste of money tho i disagree) but nice to know its not bacterial

Well it would be nice if it just goes away. I will keep cleaning intill it dose.I just hate the way it looks!

When I started my BW tank, I had 6-8 weeks of a lovely clear, algae free tank, then it went mad with the brown stuff!! I was cleaning everything every couple of days to try & keep on top of things. Then, as the tank matured a little (after about another 6 weeks or so) it stopped. I just get a little algae build up now, so I think its just something you have to go through!

Sounds about right.I had nice clean well everthing and now this stuff. My girlfriend takes care of them when I'm gone but this week she has been sick so they have just been geting fead.I'm sure there's more of it to play with when I get home tomorrow and two happy puffs as well!