Fungus and now HIGH AMMONIA - WHOA!

[aquanewbie72]

I've had my 26 gal tank up and running for over a month now. Lately I've noticed some dark brown/rust colored brown spots on a couple of my plants - they are starting to multiply and spread. The reason I didn't put this on the PLANTED TANK forum is because... well... all my plants are FAKE. So I don't know what this is.
Its not on my fish, not on my tank glass, not on substrate. I do have a few spots on my fake rocks/logs. But the worst outbreak is on this one "fabric/silk" plant I have. The plants with the shiny plastic/vinyl looking leaves don't have it.
I pulled the plant out of the water and was able to rub the spots off with my finger. But I do want to grow REAL plants someday - so if I've got a weird fungus/algae, I want to nip it in the bud. Or maybe this is some kind of harmless normal thing I shouldn't be stressing about? Like I said, doesn't seem to be bugging the inhabitants. Its just kind of ugly to look at.
Thanks!!!

 

[QTOFFER]

It's brown algae; actually not a real algae, but a freshwater diatom. I think it lives off silicates leaching from new rocks and substrate. It's a normal part of a maturing tank, and there isn't much you can do about it except wipe it off and do water changes. It's totally harmless to fish, inverts, and plants.

Every new tank I ever set up got it, and it lasted for a few months before going away on its own. It will get worse before it gets better - you can expect to find it on the substrate and the glass before long. Fortunately it wipes off so easily. Otocinclus catfish are the only fish that eat it, but they can be difficult to acclimate. Snails and dwarf plecos seem to wipe it off by accident as they move along looking for food.

 

[Zagz]

Silk plants are the worst I agree, I clean the leaves as much as possible, until they start to fall apart that is, then it is time to replace. I've learned to live with and accept it. I do have otos in one tank and the do keep it down on that tank.

 

[aquanewbie72]

Thanks!

yeah I have a VERY busy Cory Cat who does an excellent job of keeping the place tidy but he won't touch the stuff. I am considering reaching in there and yanking the silk/fabric plants out. I wanted to start growing real plants next week anyway.

My birthday is next Wednesday and my husband asked me what I wanted - I told him my first crop of plants for my fishtank. No flowers, no perfume, no kitchen gadgets - give me fishtank STUFF. Now I know I'm addicted.

 

[Zagz]

Thanks!

yeah I have a VERY busy Cory Cat who does an excellent job of keeping the place tidy but he won't touch the stuff. I am considering reaching in there and yanking the silk/fabric plants out. I wanted to start growing real plants next week anyway.

My birthday is next Wednesday and my husband asked me what I wanted - I told him my first crop of plants for my fishtank. No flowers, no perfume, no kitchen gadgets - give me fishtank STUFF. Now I know I'm addicted.

Yup welcome to my world. Everyone thinks I am nuts but the family I have here on AA!

 

[7Enigma]

Not to threadjack, but does the Oto's need to be in multiples (ie 3 or so?)? thanks.

justin

 

[rich311k]

Otos do like to be in groups. You could dip the plants in bleach every several months or so to kill the algae and to clean them off.

 

[Jchillin]

No flowers, no perfume, no kitchen gadgets - give me fishtank STUFF. Now I know I'm addicted.

You're in good company...there are no better gifts than tank stuff.

Good choice in going for real plants. The planted tank talent here at AA is awesome.

Everyone thinks I am nuts but the family I have here on AA!

Nope...we know it as well...but we accept that.

 

[bosk1]

I have the same stuff growing on my fake plants. Not too worried about it. I was hoping my pleco would eat it, but apparently not. He seems to have vanished for a few days anyway...

 

[aquanewbie72]

Fungus... now HIGH Ammonia WHOA!

Odd - now suddenly my tank is experiencing the MOTHER of ALL AMMONIA SPIKES. Every day since I got this tank in late November, that tank has tested PERFECT ranges of everything.
Then 2 days ago, the Nitrates and Nitrite levels started going through the roof! ACK! I added some chemical I got at the lfs thats supposed to take it down, but I think it made it WORSE.
Sorry can't tell you the exact numbers off the top of my head, all I know is my test strip was HOT PINK and its usually white or pale pink.
I did about a 40% PWC last night, after that I tested again. Levels had come down slightly but nowhere near perfect.
Inhabitants all seem unphased by the whole ordeal. Colorful, happy, eating, etc.

I assume I am experiencing the joys of Cycling still and just need to hang in there, be patient, and keep changing the water? Any suggestions on frequency and percentages?

 

[bosk1]

If your ammonia or nitrite are above 1, you should change 50-75%, and keep doing it as often as necessary to keep the levels down. But first you will need to get a reliable test kit and get an accurate reading instead of using those test strips.

 

[aquanewbie72]

I've got those 5-tests-in-1 test strips.... (pH, alk, hardness, NO2, NO3)..... are they not good???

 

[7Enigma]

General concensus is that they are NOT good. I'd recommend this one

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=19383;category_id=2255


, but if you need something to test hardness you will need another kit.

justin

 

[packagerat]

I to am going thru the same thing with the spikes in my parameters. Your ammonia will start to drop to 0 now that you have the nitrites. I have been doing 50% water changes every day now for the last 4 days to keep nitrites down. My ammonia is now at 0.

 

[aquanewbie72]

Hey you're right! The water changes worked! The ammonia has dropped back down to 0 on its own!

And yes, I'm buying that test kit you reccommended. Saw it in my lfs last night for about $15 more than Big Al's, so I'm going to order it from them now!

Thanks again!!!!

 

[aquanewbie72]

OK - order placed and test kit is on its way... along with a new background and a digital thermometer. And it still all cost me less than the $35 the lfs wanted for just the test kit.

I got a nice hefty gift certificate to my lfs for my birthday from hubby. Was going to use it to buy real plants... but was so shocked last night that the tanks where the plants were had all kinds of snails. I have heard such horror stories about snails that I chickened out. Instead spent the money on some great new fake plants, a cool new rock formation/cave, and some bubblers and an air pump. oh- and stocked up on Stress Coat and Stress Zyme.

 

[crazycat]

it could also be because something died in your tank--are you sure all your fish are there? sometime when a fish dies and rots, you get an ammonia spike too.

glad you got new test kits--those strips are really inaccurate. and the digital thermometer is cool--i have one and i really like it!