Brown stuff...

[Jess1ca]

At first I kind of liked the look of all this brown stuff growing on my rock, but it seems as though its starting to take over my tank. Its on the glass, rocks, everything... How do I fix this? I dont mind a little bit but its getting out of control! I have to use the mag float pretty much every day.

 

[bob mccoy]

my rainbow cichlid tank gets this also and unless u have plecos in there all i do is take them out once a month and scrub them

 

[Jess1ca]

my rainbow cichlid tank gets this also and unless u have plecos in there all i do is take them out once a month and scrub them

I have an ABN, he doesn't seem to put a dent in it. Also, these pictures do not do it justice, under the flourescents it looks a lot worse :/

 

[Jess1ca]

I dislike the idea of dismantling the scape, I can never get it back the way I like it

 

[HUKIT]

Whenever I've used actinic bulbs when keeping rift lake cichlids I always had brown alage, after removing the bulbs the issue was resolved.

 

[blert]

How long has the tank been up?
It's just diatoms, brush them off before you do water changes. They like dissolved silicates and use it to make their exoskeleton. They usually go away by themselves after the tank has matured and the silicates get depleted from the water column. If the tank is well established then you may have rock that is leaching silicate into the water or your source water may be high in silicate. If that is the case then there is not much you can do except find and remove the offending rock or find a new water source.

 

[Jess1ca]

It's been up since Feb. 20th. It's pretty bad especially on the glass close to the sand where I can't get with the magnet. Silicates, huh? I'll have to read up on it, I have silica sand?! Is that making it worse? I did collect some rocks near my home... A lot of them, hope I don't have to remove them, my fish r in love with em.

 

[blert]

Your sand isn't an issue, the silicate has to dissolve in the water, sand wont really do that. Lots of young tanks get it, it's very common. You may just have to wait it out. Brush off all you can before you do your PWC. They will go away after a while. If they don't then you might want to have your source water tested.

 

[Convict2161]

She has well water. I had the same problem. Just clean them off and use a scrubber for the glass. If it comes back like the other poster said test your well water, test for phosphates that can be an issue. You've had issues with your well water before right?

Personally I like the look and leave my tank alone. I just clean the glass. It really doesn't look that bad IMO. And maybe your pleco should be fired for not doing its job lol. But seriously just clean it if it bothers you that much. Watch it and see if it returns.

 

[Daxhua]

The silicates are probably coming from your water source unfortunately you can't do anything about it unless you get an RO unit but you don't want that. I know in my tank I'll get brown algae (diatoms) sometimes when I do a water change but my oto catfish takes care of it no prob. Besides getting otos scrubbing it off and waiting it out is the only way I know to deal with it but if you silicates in your tap water then your always going to have it. I'm not saying you should go out and get otos to solve your diatom problem but they can be an option down the road if the diatoms just won't go away.

 

[Jess1ca]

She has well water. I had the same problem. Just clean them off and use a scrubber for the glass. If it comes back like the other poster said test your well water, test for phosphates that can be an issue. You've had issues with your well water before right?

Personally I like the look and leave my tank alone. I just clean the glass. It really doesn't look that bad IMO. And maybe your pleco should be fired for not doing its job lol. But seriously just clean it if it bothers you that much. Watch it and see if it returns.

I scrub it... A LOT it comes back pretty quick. And yes, I have well water I guess I don't mind it as much on some of the rocks, its just annoying that it keeps coming back. It's hard for my arms to reach inside the tank cuz I'm short lol. I watched one of the fish "suck" on one of the big Cichlid stones the other day, it was pretty entertaining lol. My pleco is def not doing its job lol, its constantly hiding, I pretty much only see it when I shuffle the rocks around at wc because of the nitrate problem I been having I always check to make sure its alive.

 

[Jess1ca]

The silicates are probably coming from your water source unfortunately you can't do anything about it unless you get an RO unit but you don't want that. I know in my tank I'll get brown algae (diatoms) sometimes when I do a water change but my oto catfish takes care of it no prob. Besides getting otos scrubbing it off and waiting it out is the only way I know to deal with it but if you silicates in your tap water then your always going to have it. I'm not saying you should go out and get otos to solve your diatom problem but they can be an option down the road if the diatoms just won't go away.

I don't think I can have otos with my stock!?

 

[Convict2161]

Not sure how true it is but I KNOW I've read in magazines and online that better lighting can help believe it or not

Also the use of silicate absorbing resin in your filter will help also. Are you getting it on the sand? I get it on the glass where the rocks lay against it and on my thermometers, just wash the meters and move the few rocks against the glass and wipe down the glass. I have one of those scrubbers that extends and comes with attachments. So it won't matter of your short

Not that I'm short but you were saying you were lol. That might help.


Something along this line. I got mine at a Petsmart.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/multi-tool-algae-scraper-3-attachments-22in

 

[Jess1ca]

I get it like 3/4 in into the sand on the glass.. that's what bothers me the most! I'll look into lighting, after I pay my phone bill, lol!

 

[Convict2161]

I get it like 3/4 in into the sand on the glass.. that's what bothers me the most! I'll look into lighting, after I pay my phone bill, lol!

Just wipe the glass down, vacuum the sand, do a water change, test your well water, maybe the city can test? Who maintains the well water in the woods? I'm not familiar with dirt roads, tractors and pop!

Seriously get the well water tested that may be your problem. It's normal for diatom algae to appear on a newly cycled tank but your tank is cycled for a while now right? I haven't had a really bad out break but my Cichlid stones do look similar. Like I said I like the look, makes it look real natural.

 

[Jess1ca]

I have no idea who runs that stuff.

 

[Daxhua]

Duh! My bad it's a cichlid tank sorry bout that. I know it's a pain having to constantly scrub that stuff off with no end in sight. Other than an RO unit I don't know another way to stop diatom growth, if you do have high phosphates and silicate levels in your well water then your going to be scrubbing for a long time.

 

[Convict2161]

I have no idea who runs that stuff.

Well find out!! Do what I recommended and see if that helps. Test your phosphates. And use some silica absorbing resin in your filter. Scrub the glass and vacuum and them do a nice water change. Your water is crystal clear though

How's the power head working BTW?

 

[Jess1ca]

I'll see what I can do the power head is great! my fish really like it! And thank you I was almost embarrassed to post the pics cuz of the streaky glass lol

 

[Convict2161]

Just curious. You have 3 other tanks right? Do you have these issues with all your tanks?