Question on Algae

[Kerrinne]

Ok...maybe it's not algae. I have no idea. For those of you that remember me, my 10 gal tank has been set up for quite a while now (since late Aug/Sep early). After my initial kill off of fish from cycling (that everyone here educated me about!), everything has been doing excellent in my tank. My fish even appear to be happy. I found that I like trying new snacks on them once in a while when their every day food becomes mundane. The freeze dried baby brine shrimp have been a contest winner hands down. hehe

Anyway, I have been noticing even with my weekly water changes (25% usually), my plants and cave et al inside the tank and around the gravel is building up this brown stuff. Is this good stuff? Bad stuff? Is my golden algae eater (if that's what he is, because he has not grown in the months that I've owned him and everyone claims he's supposed to get big) not eating algae? He's always sucking on things where the brown stuff is. But it doesn't seem to disappear.

Should I take these items out and scrub them in water? Or should I even worry about this at all? Thanks in advance for your help. And I hope everyone has a WONDERFUL holiday season.

~Heather

[Kerrinne]

PS - My water tests are still showing parameters in the normal range:

ie: Little to no ammonia, tiny nitrite, and I think last time before water change I was 30 nitrates. I don't have the exact nos in front of me here at work, but they were in spec of previous tests before the brown stuff appeared. I can get it tonight at home if it's needed.

[Allivymar]

Ahhh, the brown stuff. Tis actually not an algae, but diatoms. Pretty typical.

Most algae eater won't touch it, although otos find it yummy. Believe it or not, diatoms do best under low light levels, so upping the light a bit might help reduce the amount of diatoms.

[AJ]

I had it too. Comes with fairly new tanks. Eventually it runs its course and goes away, although it can get worse before it gets better. I got a Chinese Algae Eater that seemed to like it, for whatever reason. I found that lengthening my light period did not affect it any. I usually scrubbed it off although I read that that can make it worse by dispersing the diatoms. At least it scrubs off real easy.

[Kerrinne]

Ok...I went to look at my tank. It did seem dimmer than usual. I had two 15 watt bulbs in there. It appears one has burned out. It also appears that my biowheel has stopped spinning, but I couldn't see due to the cover of the filter and the light fixture. There doesn't appear to be anything obstructing the wheel, and it doesn't appear disfigured. Water is still spilling strongly out of the spout where the wheel is. And the wheel still spins with ease when I pick it up and spin it.