Orange Substance On Gravel

[newtofishs]

Well I set up my tank and I was letting it settle for a few days before I got my fish, during that time I turned on my filter and within an hour my gravel was covered in a orangey substance it looks like little dots on the gravel. I thought that it must of been some bits from the filter but it seems to be getting slightly worse, is it algae? I am planning to do a 50% water change in a few days will that help?

 

[fluttermoth]

Is the orange stuff still there now you've got fish? Can you get a picture up? Are the spots fluffy or jelly like? What fish food are you using?

 

[newtofishs]

I am using tropical fish flake food and algae wafers and yes it is still there this is the only picture I have (I have added it to the my top post)  and its not really fluffy or jelly like its just tiny orange dots 

 

[fluttermoth]

I can't be 100% sure what they might be, but it's unlikely to be harmful. A water change is always worth a try, and you'll be wanted to clean the gravel at every water change for your cories, so see if it comes back after that.
 
Do you have test kits yet? You should probably be doing water changes every day in a small, uncycled tank

 

[KirkyArcher]

It's probably diatoms a form of algae, as they are usually on green leaves and pale coloured substrates and ornaments as brown growth but on bright pink gravel it will appear to be more red/orange in colour. Diatoms usually occur in new tanks with low output lights and excess phosphates in the water, and usually disappear in time with good regular tank maintenance being all that's required!

 

[newtofishs]

Ok thank you, I am going to clean it on saturday using a gravel cleaner then I will do a 50% water change and treat the water, hopefully it wont come back after that

 

[fluttermoth]

Have you been testing the water?

 

[newtofishs]

well we took a water sample to the pet shop and he tested it and said it was fine and to just treat it with some tap safe liquid whenever we change the water

 

[fluttermoth]

 I can't emphasise enough how important it is to be testing the water every day. If you get the LFS to test it for you again, write down the actual numbers, 'fine' tells neither us or you anything useful.

 

[newtofishs]

I wont be able to go down to charlies (LFS) until saturday but I will get them to test it then and ask for the numbers they did tell me but I never wrote it down this time I will

 

[fluttermoth]

If you can't get the water tested, then you must change at least half the water in the tank every day.