Whats this in my tank?! (got pics this time)

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cgcaver

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jan 2, 2005
Messages
71
Location
Starkville MS
OK, heres the stuff I posted about earlier. I borrowed a digi cam and got some pics. What the heck is this all over my plants and driftwood? It's the exact same color as my substrate, maybe a tad darker. If I brush it off, it's right back on their 12 hours later. I've even seen a lil bit of it start to form on my back glass wall.

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img_314752_2_de00d0542aab835a2b8fde017af7e7f4.jpg


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told ya it looks like alien drawings LOL



_________________
~ Gabe

Black Tiger Oscar - currently 4"
Pictus Catfish - currently 4"
55gal :: AC500 :: 2wpg
Hooray for sand and live plants!
 
I dont think its sand because if i brush it off, its right back like that in 12 hours or less...

also, if it was just sand, why would it be in those weird stringy designs?
 
8O What type of filters, and what is the media in them? Have you medicated the tank tank lately?
 
Looks like you have a lot of suspended junk in the water that is building up on the surfaces in your tank, how often do you gravel vac and service your filter?
 
cgcaver said:
I dont think its sand because if i brush it off, its right back like that in 12 hours or less...

also, if it was just sand, why would it be in those weird stringy designs?

Do you have anything that causes your substrate to move. What it looks like is something is causing it to circulate and when parts of it start to settle they collect on your decor. And the weird lines are just the way the current lays them down or like in the piece of wood it looks like it sits in the grooves. I could be wrong but thats my thoughts on it.
 
It looks to me (mostly in the first picture) that your substrate was kicked up by some thing and settled in grooves made in the leaf. When you brush it off, does it make a little cloud? Can you just sweep your hand over it to remove it, or do you have to scrub a bit?
 
My guess is that your oscar is kicking up sand as he swims around and it lands on your plants and decorations settling in the grooves as Meredith pointed out.
I could also be a combination of sand and diatoms?
I don't think diatoms will come back after 1 hours that heavily.
 
Wizzard~Of~Ozz said:
In picture #2, is that free floating or is it on the back wall?

Its stuck on the back wall... my water is almost perfectly clear, nothing floating around at all.


BrianNY said:
8O What type of filters, and what is the media in them? Have you medicated the tank tank lately?

I have an AC500 with (bottom to top stacked) floss/sponge/biomax

savga said:
It looks like some type of worm castings to me. Do you not have any fish in the tank?

I have a 4" Oscar and a 4" pictus cat


Meredith said:
It looks to me (mostly in the first picture) that your substrate was kicked up by some thing and settled in grooves made in the leaf. When you brush it off, does it make a little cloud? Can you just sweep your hand over it to remove it, or do you have to scrub a bit?


OK the only problem with that theory is that it DOES take a good amount of scrubbing to get the "squigglies" off... Its NOT just sand settling with water current; these are RAISED designs as if something was growing, and the fact that they are clinging pretty good made me think it was something live. A good example to disprove that theory is (see above) there are some starting to form on the back glass wall of my tank, and I first noticed all this stuff INSIDE my filter, under the media on the plastic bottom.



Thanks all for the input, I hope I've given the answers yall needed to continue my case LOL
 
hey cgcaver...i saw the same stuff on the amazon swords and the anachris in the planted tank (100g) my lfs has...i never asked what it was...maybe they'll have a clue...i'll ask the next time i go...
meanwhile malkore seems to have the right answer...
 
OK, I gave my tank a good scrub down last night, and now, about 24 hours later theres a little bit of the "squigglies" back (but not NEAR as bad as it was). I plan on doing daily 50% water changes for a week. Should I scrape off the squigglies daily?

Also, I wanted to know what you guys thought - how much would a Pleco help in my tank? I really would like something that will clean better than my Pictus (he doesnt do jack, just sits there). I was hoping a Pleco would eat the brown algae, IF thats what the squigglies are. I also want the Pleco to help clean up after my Oscar. While I want him to eat food bits on the bottom, I already have algae wafers and sinking pellets in my stock ;) Since the Pictus wont eat algae at all, and a Pleco will eat some food bits too, wouldnt the pleco be better?

So, to Pleco or not to Pleco?
 
As I stressed on aquaria central, you're already way overstocked for that tank. Eventually you're going to need to provide a much larger tank for that oscar, not only that but adding a pleco that quickly gets to 18", has no stomach and produces as much waste as the oscar does is only going to make the problem worse than it is. While your oscar may not seem like it won't fit in that tank, they're VERY messy and produce alot of waste. They also need adequate swimming room, which a 55g will not provide.

My advise, find a new home for the oscar and get something a little more suited to your tank's size. Either that or get a larger tank.
Above all you need to perform more regular water changes, all these problems are the result of either leaving the lights on too long, or bad water quality.
 
Maybe you are right they are aliens crop circles. Umm wait those aren't technically crops are they. Maybe aliens have fish and they decided to invade your tank and leave you a message to give to the world via AA forums?

That's my best guest.
 
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