Brown algae harmful?

[mary]

Hi there, just wondering if brown algae is harmful in any way to my axies. I think it is present because of light and warmth on that side of the tank. i would like to remove it but don't know how as it flakes off and makes such a mess. We have a magnetic cleaner thingy but i don't know how that could do the job without a mess either.

 

[joan]

Try scraping and sucking with the turkey baster simultaneously. It's not harmful, but is ugly.

 

[jennifer]

Some algae-mess will always get loose in the water, but the filter should filter it out. Sometimes I use my hand with a paper towel to clean algae. I try to pull out as much on the towel as I can and throw it away.

 

[mary]

thanks- i er haven't got a filter yet- i sure do need one- no matter how much hoovering i do with my precious turkey baster there is always so much "stuff" still in the tank. When i put a top-up of fresh water in - even gently- everything gets stirred up and it looks like one of those christmas snow ornaments that you shake!!

 

[joan]

Mary, try a siphon for weekly water changes. This will get out a lot of the gunk in the tank.

 

[mary]

where on earth does all the gunk come from!!??