Where did all my algae go?

omniphil · Jul 31, 2023

I have a 32 gallon tank with the built in black box at the back to hide the equipment. Tank has been running for about 4 months now and started devolving brownish algea on the plastic back part of the tank box. It's been there for probably 2 months (Its also has some decent covering of algae on the fake plastic rock we have in there)

So I go on vacation for 3 days and I come back and 99% of the algae is gone? I know this is probably a good thing to have that algae gone but curious why it would magically clear up in 3 days like that?

Is the beneficial bacteria in the tank going to eat that stuff?

I have no live rock, just live sand from fish store when we setup the tank, there are only 3 fish in the tank, no corals.
(Clown fish, Koran Angel, Hippo Tang)

cameronh · Jul 31, 2023

omniphil said:
I have a 32 gallon tank with the built in black box at the back to hide the equipment. Tank has been running for about 4 months now and started devolving brownish algea on the plastic back part of the tank box. It's been there for probably 2 months (Its also has some decent covering of algae on the fake plastic rock we have in there)

So I go on vacation for 3 days and I come back and 99% of the algae is gone? I know this is probably a good thing to have that algae gone but curious why it would magically clear up in 3 days like that?

Is the beneficial bacteria in the tank going to eat that stuff?

Sounds like the tank has cycled. Diatoms is what the brown algae is. Shows up during the cycle then goes away after.

omniphil · Jul 31, 2023

cameronh said:
Sounds like the tank has cycled. Diatoms is what the brown algae is. Shows up during the cycle then goes away after.

It's been the same level of brown for couple of month, it would all clear that fast?

cameronh · Jul 31, 2023

omniphil said:
It's been the same level of brown for couple of month, it would all clear that fast?

Mine did. Is the tank empty as far as life goes?

omniphil · Jul 31, 2023

cameronh said:
Mine did. Is the tank empty as far as life goes?

It's got 3 fish and I guess the sand is technically live....

cameronh · Jul 31, 2023

omniphil said:
It's got 3 fish and I guess the sand is technically live....

No worries then in my opinion

Mr. Mojo Rising · Jul 31, 2023

Were the lights off for the 3 days you were out? 3 days of dark will get rid of a lot of algae.

But no rocks in the tank?
And a tang and angel in a 32 gallon? That's not cool.

omniphil · Jul 31, 2023

cameronh said:
No worries then in my opinion

I wasn't too worried, just more from a learning experience to figure out what eats that algae?

cameronh · Jul 31, 2023

LordofCinder said:
Were the lights off for the 3 days you were out? 3 days of dark will get rid of a lot of algae.

But no rocks in the tank?
And a tang and angel in a 32 gallon? That's not cool.

Ah, didn't even think to ask about the lights.

omniphil · Jul 31, 2023

LordofCinder said:
Were the lights off for the 3 days you were out? 3 days of dark will get rid of a lot of algae.

But no rocks in the tank?
And a tang and angel in a 32 gallon? That's not cool.

Lights were on the same schedule... tang and angel are small, wasn't sure there was an issue. but I am no expert...

cameronh · Jul 31, 2023

omniphil said:
Lights were on the same schedule... tang and angel are small, wasn't sure there was an issue. but I am no expert...

@LordofCinder would be correct on the fish. I didn't read that part. Hippo and angel need atleast 120

omniphil · Jul 31, 2023

cameronh said:
@LordofCinder would be correct on the fish. I didn't read that part. Hippo and angel need atleast 120

need 120 gallon to be together, or each separately?

Mr. Mojo Rising · Jul 31, 2023

you should start to get a hospital tank ready, ich may be (willl be) visiting your tank very soon.

cameronh · Jul 31, 2023

omniphil said:
need 120 gallon to be together, or each separately?

They can all be in one tank. They just need alot of space. Especially the adhd hippo tangs

omniphil · Jul 31, 2023

cameronh said:
They can all be in one tank. They just need alot of space. Especially the adhd hippo tangs

I guess it's time to add a guest wing on the tank...

cameronh · Jul 31, 2023

omniphil said:
I guess it's time to add a guest wing on the tank...

If you can swing it do it. It's the better way to go. Hippos are notorious for ich even in they're natural environment.
Even more so when in captivity......especially in confined captivity