Brown Stuff Over Plants And Dec's

[doresy]

Ok, so I have all this discusting brown (algae?) stuff over everything.

Tank has been set up for 8 months now and it seems to be worse.

Have increased lighting time some time ago from 8 to 10 hours a day.

Real plants with no CO2 system.

Amm. 0 NitrIte.0 NitrAte always at 40 (tapwater at 40 too!)

What do you think guys?

Put this one in incase you were getting bored

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Is it flat or fuzzy?
Does it come off easily but feels gritty?

If it feels kinda gritty I'd guess diatoms...they make my plants look like that too ><

 

[doresy]

Is it flat or fuzzy?
Does it come off easily but feels gritty?

If it feels kinda gritty I'd guess diatoms...they make my plants look like that too ><

Doesn't feel gritty more slimey. If you gently rub the leaves between finger and thumb some comes off but most stays. On the dec's I have to scrub to remove

 

[Jules H-T]

I wonder whether you're doing your water changes regularly enough. 20%+ a week, every week?

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

I've been trying to google up an answer for you, but unfortunately there are sooo many different kinds of algae it's kinda hard to find out exactly what it is.

Does it kinda come off in a "sheet" when you try to remove it?

 

[doresy]

I wonder whether you're doing your water changes regularly enough. 20%+ a week, every week?

OOOOOOh yes! 30% every 5 days except when I go on holiday!

I've been trying to google up an answer for you, but unfortunately there are sooo many different kinds of algae it's kinda hard to find out exactly what it is.

Does it kinda come off in a "sheet" when you try to remove it?

Thanks for that. No it doesn't. What does come off just dissolves into a dirty cloud

 

[Maximus]

It might be diatoms, is it on your tank walls?

Diatoms go into brown clouds when scrubbed.



Maximus

 

[doresy]

It might be diatoms, is it on your tank walls?

Diatoms go into brown clouds when scrubbed.



Maximus

not on the glass but it is on my rock 3D background

 

[Jules H-T]

How long has the tank been running with it's current stock?

 

[doresy]

How long has the tank been running with it's current stock?

Around 6 months with the exception of the Danios, they have been in for around 1 month

 

[Jules H-T]

Sounds pretty established. What lighting do you have (and why have you increased it when you have an algae problem)?

 

[K.J.]

Don't know why it's caused, but it's diatoms. I get them here and there, tends to happen after I dirty the tank or move it suddenly or perhaps replant it.