cycling/brown algae

[jimos]

i am in my 3rd week of cycling. my ammonia has peaked. My shells and coral(not live)are filled with brown algae as well as the sides of the tank. should i clean the brown algae off or just leave it untill i am completely cycled.

 

[beth]

Unless you like brown algae [and most don't] clean it off! And keep cleaning it off! If you let this get out of control, you tank will always look a mess. Use a tooth brush to get it off the rocks and a glass sponge cleaner to get it off the tank glass. If your tank is getting any direct sun light, this problem will persist, and you will always have too much algae. To attempt to reduce it, try leaving the aquarium light on less hours. Use distilled water for water changes. High nitrates and phosphates=algae and the only way to keep this in check is with regular water changes with distilled water [tap water often has phophates]. Eventually, you will start to get the more desierable green algae, but this, too, you will after be cleaning up as algae grows, grows, grows. Once you get the green stuff, however, you can but in some vegetarian fish, like a tang or angel.

 

[jimos]

Originally posted by beth:
Unless you like brown algae [and most don't] clean it off! And keep cleaning it off! If you let this get out of control, you tank will always look a mess. Use a tooth brush to get it off the rocks and a glass sponge cleaner to get it off the tank glass. If your tank is getting any direct sun light, this problem will persist, and you will always have too much algae. To attempt to reduce it, try leaving the aquarium light on less hours. Use distilled water for water changes. High nitrates and phosphates=algae and the only way to keep this in check is with regular water changes with distilled water [tap water often has phophates]. Eventually, you will start to get the more desierable green algae, but this, too, you will after be cleaning up as algae grows, grows, grows. Once you get the green stuff, however, you can but in some vegetarian fish, like a tang or angel.
beth thanks for the info much appreciated.