Orange stuff

[MitcherNeaf]

Hi guys in into my 2nd stage of cycling, the ammonia levels are staying below .25 or right around there and now my nitrite levels are starting to build up. Im just letting you know this. I have 55 gallon tank, 3 balas (I know too small upgrading in future) and a large pleco. But anyway there is this orange film on top of one of my rocks and all over my one fake plant, It wipes right off but im not sure what it is and how to take care of it, what is it and what should i do about it thanks.
mitchell

 

[Guest]

thers been a lot going around about diatoms, maybe that is it?

 

[JRagg]

A picture could be helpful.

Is it slimy, or just like dirt buildup?

 

[Zagz]

A pic would definately be helpful. Also with bala's they need very good water conditions so as your nitrites start to build up, please do as many water changes as necessary to keep the harmful nitrites very low. High nitrite levels burn fish's gills.

 

[MitcherNeaf]

Here are some pictures

 

[JRagg]

Yeah, that looks like diatoms. You can rub it off with your fingers or just leave it, it should go away within a month or so. I always thought it was kind of an eyesore, so I would rub my plant leaves between my fingers every couple of days to keep them clean. It's up to you.

 

[Reechard]

I even go as far as to take out my rocks and scrub them off every once and a while because the sight of that brown stuff just grosses me out. Once the silicate levels in the water go down (with regular gravel vaccing) the diatom levels will go down also. Being primitive creatures, diatoms use silicon in their cell walls rather than carbon as it is more energy efficient, possibly why they grow and multiply faster than any algae species of comparable size. The down side of this is, once silicon runs out, so do the diatoms. Once they run out of silicon they die and fall to the bottom, hence the gravel vaccing. If you have heard of diatomaceous earth, that's these guys. Bottom line, keep up with the gravel vaccing and they should clear up eventually. Your plants will eventually "win" the CO2 race and starve the diatoms once their population goes down. Man I love science.