Brown Algae outbreak due to filter changes?

[Blackhawker]

Hey all,


I recently added a new carbon pad/white pad on my Eheim 2217 along with trying to establish java moss and I havent run carbon for awhile. After doing so the water has gotten cloudy, the java moss has died and there seems to be "brown particles" flouting about the tank. I'm thinking its brown algae but I cant figure out what has caused this outbreak......I've kept up on water changes too.

What I'm doing to fix this:

1) increasing light output
2) reducing my feeding to every other day, once every 3 days
3) removed all java moss that was decaying/not taking

Any suggestions?

[apistomaster]

Sounds like reasonable plan.
Is all your bio-media cycled or is it new? If the latter then you are probably still cycling the filter.

Sometimes Java Moss will die back when moved to a new tank but most of the time it doesn't.

[Blackhawker]

All the media is new. I thought I would see a big water clarity improvement due to the carbon, but I was wrong....

[MatsP]

Sorry, but can you run over exactly what you have done, and in what order...

It sounds to me like you've just replaced ALL of the media in your filter, in which case you've just lost all of your cycle - the beneficial bacteria that converts ammonia into nitrate (two different types of bacteria) lives largely in your filter, so you need to build these bacterium up again. And if you have fish in the tank, you'll need to keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels and probably do a lot of large water changes...

--
Mats

[Blackhawker]

I currently run 2 eheim 2217 filters.

On one of the filters I replaced the white pad, and added the black carbon pad + a new white pad on top of each other.

While doing that I tried to introduce Java Moss to my aquarium, which didn't last and died off. Now there appears to be brown particles floating around in the tank. I've done a large water change, and decided to run the lights for around 6-8 hours now as opposed to 4-5. I've also reduced feeding in an attempt to kill off some MTS snails.

I'm trying to figure out what would cause that sudden change.

[apistomaster]

If you only changed the one 2217 and left the other alone you shouldn't be having a cycling problem.
I would add fast growing plants like Hornwort, Water Sprite or Najas and leave the lights on 10 or 12 hours.

Sometimes in poorly cycled new tanks, with little lighting, can cause a brown diatom out break but much of the small particles may be bits of dead and decaying Java Moss.

[Blackhawker]

Yeah this tank is well established and has been running for a long time. I recently added a large lighting fixture to it, but definitely have not been running it 10-12 hours. I've just got anubias and java fern at the moment.

[racoll]

decided to run the lights for around 6-8 hours now as opposed to 4-5.

It's a common misconception that increasing lighting will help plant growth and reduce algae. It almost always has the opposite effect on the algae, and very little effect on the plants.

This is because in the average home aquarium, plants are never limited by light, rather macronutrients (especially carbon).

Increased lighting will only reduce algae in the presence of unlimited plant growth (facilitated by an excess of these macronutrients).

[Bas Pels]

It's a common misconception that increasing lighting will help plant growth and reduce algae. It almost always has the opposite effect on the algae, and very little effect on the plants.

This is because in the average home aquarium, plants are never limited by light, rather macronutrients (especially carbon).

I wonder what source you used, Racoll, as I'm guite certain carbon is on average not the limited factor.

Most tanks contain (far) more fishes than one could find in nature, and all these fishes produce carbondioxide - the only form of carbon plants can use.

A tropical sun produces more than 1000 watts of light per square meter - OK, when this has reached the bottom of a 3 meter pond not much is left, but nobody puts 10.000 watt per square meter of light (conversion is some 10 % the rest is heat) above a tank.

I do share your observation that more light does not nescessarily result in better plantgrwoth, but I think this is explainable because plants will not adapt themselves to more light as a;gae do, and perhaps a lack of micronutrients, such as iron or copper.

@ carbon, many people want to put plants in their tank which originally don't grow under water. These plants manage with lost of carbon in the water, but I rather pull those plants out of the tank - for not being aquatic plants

[racoll]

I wonder what source you used, Racoll

My own experiences, mainly, but I also keep up to date with all the latest planted tank stuff in PFK etc.

... as I'm guite certain carbon is on average not the limited factor ... Most tanks contain (far) more fishes than one could find in nature, and all these fishes produce carbondioxide - the only form of carbon plants can use.

To my knowledge this isn't anywhere near close enough to supply plants with what they need, unless your water is quite acidic. I once noticed plants grew quite well in very soft water. People used to think that this was because plants require soft water, but no. They just require carbon, and this is present in the usable form of dissolved CO2 at low pH, rather than as carbonates. This diagram shows this nicely, but I know you have a chemistry background, so will understand this better than me.

but I think this is explainable because plants will not adapt themselves to more light as a;gae do, and perhaps a lack of micronutrients, such as iron or copper.

@ carbon, many people want to put plants in their tank which originally don't grow under water. These plants manage with lost of carbon in the water, but I rather pull those plants out of the tank - for not being aquatic plants

Plants will adapt just fine to increased light, and they do. They will grow rampantly if given the opportunity, and this means extra carbon along with the extra light.

I was simply staggered at the increased growth rates of plants (proper aquatics mind) when CO2 was added. It's quite amazing, and I really realised how much you have been holding back the plants without a carbon source. Bottled carbon works well too, but not to the same degree as CO2.

Of course, with extra carbon comes the requirement for more macro- and micronutrients too. You need to supply everything the plant needs in excess, and too much light without all the right nutrients spells ... algae.

[Blackhawker]

My tank is slightly understocked at the moment and I do not add anything to the water....not sure if this would affect the brown algae..