Nitrate

[Miss Dib Dabs]

My Malawi tank is becoming a bit of a nightmare. No one is ill or anything, thankfully, but I clean it a couple of times a week and have to clean the glass thoroughly each time. Even this is not enough. I'm not sure it's algae since it tends to be white in colour but within a day of a clean it's attaching to the tank glass again! It's a 100g tank so doing decent water changes is no mean feat. Is it likely that the NitrAtes are high and causing this? I haven't tested for them as my nitrAte kit seems to have done a disappearing act. Ammonia is 0 as is nitrIte. I've not had this problem with any of my other tanks ever but they are all planted.
Any suggestions? I run a single tube light for 12 hours a day, temp is 26C. Tank dwellers are in my siggy. Tanks been running for about 6 weeks with one mature filter and one seeded filter. Both externals. Two air tubes run in there and the substrate is sand. It has alot of rocks and slate along with a few bits of Malawi rock. Oh and we do seem to have yet more young in the fold that prob aren't on the siggy. Think there's 6 or 7 youngsters of varying age. No one is yet at full adult size.
Hugs,
P.

 

[T1KARMANN]

their is a new product on the market bu JBL called nitrateex that is ment to be great and worth taking a look at

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Cool. I shall have a looksee when I go in tomorrow. if I could get away with plants in there I would but it's pointless. Between the Malawis and the synos they'll last about half an hour.
Hugs,
P.

 

[Ferris]

Sounds like diatoms/brown algae. Very common in relatively new tanks, it generally clears itself after several weeks. There seems to be some debate about whether light encourages brown algae or not but last time i had it, i left the tank lights off for 7 days and it was gone. Didn't do the fish any harm at all and like you i didn't have live plants to worry about.

 

[freddyk]

Honestly if you just buy products you're ignoring the problem and not solving it. Instead find the source. I agree that you may well just be experiencing some diatome algae due to it being a newer tank, in which case you'll find it recedes on its own. Otherwise you can certainly test the nitrates since it's a very easy way to rule something out, and testing phosphates couldn't hurt either. Also do some experimenting and see if you can figure it out. Try leaving the lights on for only 6 hrs per day, for instance.

As far as changing the water for your tank, are you not using a python or similar tool to make water changes on any size tank a breeze?