Red Dust

[zophie]

So, today I woke up, went to my tank, and saw that there was a strange red dust covering abut four inches of the glass. I was about to rub it of when I noticed that all my snail's were nibiling away on it.
Then.... *Brainwave* I realised that it mus be algae. I just wanted to double check with you guys. I would post a picture, but my camera is broken, so I will just have to decribe it to you. From the front of the glass it looks like a staine. But when you look from a angle it looks red and fuzzy
All my snails are nibbling on it.
Thanks !!!!

Zophie

P.S. I went back to my tank, and I noticed about three more patches that had appered in four hours They are ech about 3-6 inches big

 

[BethK]

it could be brown diatoms, which would suggest that your tank has going through (near completion or finished) the nitrogen cycle. Basically brown algae, which will simply go away by wiping, water changes and light control.

If it isn't that, then it could be residue from fish flakes but i'm hedging the guess that if the snails are munching, it's algae.

 

[zophie]

it could be brown diatoms, which would suggest that your tank has going through (near completion or finished) the nitrogen cycle. Basically brown algae, which will simply go away by wiping, water changes and light control.

If it isn't that, then it could be residue from fish flakes but i'm hedging the guess that if the snails are munching, it's algae.

yeah, it might be that. I had just finished a cycle, so my tank wasn't totally mature yet.
Today I got a algae magnet and wiped it of the glass, it went away completly. I have now noticed that a reddish dust is covering my Yellow Cabomba. Do you think this is also tha algae?

 

[Lacuna]

Like BethK said, diatoms are common in a new set-up. But if you're getting loads, you might want to reduce how long you keep your lights on. If you have live plants in a low tech set-up they don't need to be on for more than eight hours. How long are they on at the moment?

 

[waterdrop]

Agree, I even like to start new setups at only 4 hours of light and then possibly begin adding hours only if brown algae doesn't pick up too fast. Regular water changes are a strong factor in reducing brown algae (which does indeed look red if you look at it at various angles.)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[zophie]

Well, I went to my LFS, and they said it was some kind of bacteria that algae eating fish would not eat. I forget what they called it, but they said something about red slime covering the rocks/plants/wood, and that it was a bacteria, not an algae. They said that the only thing that could get rid of it was this medicine called Sentry Mardel, so I bought some. But when I got home, I noticed that my Platy's were nibbling away on it.... The next moarning the tank was looking much better. I'm nt sure what to say. If it is the bacteria, then why would platy's eat it, if algae eating fish won't

Thanks for the help,

ZOphie

 

[BethK]

sounds like your lfs spun you a story imo.

Platys eat algae, good water change, wipe/scrub the algae off the tank and keep your lights off in the tank (put a cover over it for 24hrs, WD may advise better).

Is your tank in the line of a window/natural day light?


you don't need to medicate for algae problems, like wd says, water changes

 

[kaivalagi]

Take back that stuff you bought and ask for your money back , now you know not to listen to that LFS one bit!

As said reduce the time your lights are on, keep water changes up and keep direct sunlight off the tank if you can