Whats this brown stuff on my rocks???

[Spoor3773]

I ve just set up my first ever tank and decided to go for a Malawi cichlid tank after taking a liking to them when reading up on the hobby. The tank had been set up a month and half when I got this brown coating on my rocks. I carried out a water test and discovered my nitrate levels were high. On discovery of this I completed water changes to bring the level down to an acceptable amount. However after a month of monitoring water quality the coating remains and is still spreading but at a much slower pace. What is it and how do I get rid of it.

 

[jcolon]

If it comes off easily .. kind of like dust ... then it's probably diatoms. They tend to be common in relatively new tanks ... they should go away once the silica levels in the tank are used up.

See the link below.

Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association » Algae in the Planted Aquarium

 

[Spoor3773]

If it comes off easily .. kind of like dust ... then it's probably diatoms. They tend to be common in relatively new tanks ... they should go away once the silica levels in the tank are used up.

See the link below.

Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association » Algae in the Planted Aquarium

If you take the rocks out you can wipe it off with a cloth. How long will it take to get rid of the silica? And how do you get rid of it?

 

[Spoor3773]

If it comes off easily .. kind of like dust ... then it's probably diatoms. They tend to be common in relatively new tanks ... they should go away once the silica levels in the tank are used up.

See the link below.

Greater Washington Aquatic Plant Association » Algae in the Planted Aquarium

Just noticed the link. Cheers.

 

[Spoor3773]

If you take the rocks out you can wipe it off with a cloth. How long will it take to get rid of the silica? And how do you get rid of it?

Just read the link. I definetly think it's diatoms. Have you had them in your tank. And it says they will just go, how long are we talking?