Algae Help

[karawr]

Hi all,

I've recently started my first planted-tank-journey so I'm pretty lost.

This past week I've noticed a lot of brown algae growing on my plants and wood. It is lowtech with one T8 on for 8 hours/day. Just yesterday I started adding Seachem Flourish and Excel. I haven't made any changes in the past week besides adding a couple more plants so I don't know what it is, it's been perfectly algae free til now.

I have Narrow Leaf Java Fern and Anubias Eyes as well as some fake plants to take up some space until I get more fuller plants.

Here it is on the fake and anubias:

 

[KittyKat]

That looks like it may be crud/solid waste/mulm, rather than algae.. what happens if you try to brush it off?

 

[blesser13]

I don't think is algae, what happen if you shake the plants?Dusty?, also how many gallons is your tank and what filter are you using

 

[karawr]

Ugh gross, really? It wipes off clean. If I flutter the plants around it just floats into the water. It comes off very easily, yeah almost like dust.

I do weekly water changes of 25% but maybe it is over feeding?

its a 20gal with an Aquaclear30. Stocking:
x10 Corydoras Habrosus
x8 Black Phantom Tetra
x1 Bulldog Pleco

 

[ian]

agree with the others, the filter should be picking this up.

 

[karawr]

Any reason why it wouldn't be?

I cleaned out the filter last night (with tank water) and did a 50% water change as well as trying to wipe off all the algae I could. The tank was clear of it, when I finished, but this morning I can already see it building up again.

 

[KittyKat]

Do you vacuum the gravel? Try that, and try using polishing filter (add filter floss/wool to the filter, which you can replace with new stuff every few days until this clears up).

 

[StandbySetting]

Looks like a poor circulation issue to me, you're using a hang on back filter which aren't great at creating good water movement, I'd recommend upgrading to an external or adding a circulation pump.

 

[blesser13]

It look like the dust coming from your filtration, i remember when i cycled my new tank i used the old sponge media from my 15 gallons and i put all the dust from the sponge into my new tank and i had the same dusty stuff like you over my plants. I used a net to remove the dust, mine was a 55 gallons, i suppose 20 gallons won’t be that hard to clean. And if you clean your filter remember to use the tank water and no the tap water. Shake your plants and ornaments with dust and remove it, repeat till you think is fine

 

[karawr]

I have sand, but yes I stir it up every weekly cleaning and vacuum it.

To be honest I haven't seen any filter floss locally (crappy small town), but I will keep an eye out and if not, order it online.

I'll see what I can do about the filter... I'm looking at upgrading in a month or two and getting a canister filter so I might just live with it for now. It's not harmless to my fish, is it? More of just an appearance thing?

I don't understand why it's all of a sudden though. The tanks not that old, only 2 months or so, but why only have stuff show up a week ago? Just trying to understand to be a better fish keeper in the future.


Also what level should Nitrates be at?

 

[blesser13]

Try to remove as much as you can with your net, if you don't over feed the problem is not coming from there. Did you test your water parameters? Nitrate under 20 ppm should be safe but of course lower is the better

 

[ian]

firstly, don't stir the sand, theres no need to. It still remains to be one of those myths that won't go away. Stirring sand can cause more problems, as you're seeing.

secondly, don't worry to much about your nitrates, planted tanks tend to run around 40-60ppms of nitrates. This level of nitrate won't affect you fish. There has been studies done regarding the dangerous levels of nitrates and they were in the 3-400ppm before harm was done.

 

[Erik]

Filter Floss = Polyester Fiber. You can find big bags of it cheap at a Craft Store or maybe a Fabric Store.

 

[RadaR]

secondly, don't worry to much about your nitrates, planted tanks tend to run around 40-60ppms of nitrates. This level of nitrate won't affect you fish. There has been studies done regarding the dangerous levels of nitrates and they were in the 3-400ppm before harm was done.

Agreed. Hobby grade test kits are consistently inaccurate too. A reading of "0" or 20ppm would have bareley any effect what so ever. Some places in London have 40ppm coming out of the tap. Do they have problems with their fish (long term and short term health)? Nope.

 

[karawr]

Hi there, bumping this back up.

Is this brown crap causing harm to my fish? Should I be doing daily water changes until it's gone?

I did a filter clean (with tank water) and added in filter floss. I also did a very large water change.

I now notice one of my cories (habrosus) is struggling. His back fin is gone; he can't swim or upright himself. It looks fuzzy... is this fin rot?

I've got him in a tupperware container floating at the top of the tank. I put some moss in there so he would feel safe and an airstone for oxygen... honestly I don't expect him to live...

Is this from the brown stuff? Sorry bad picture but it was just quick with cell phone...