Rust?!

[dortiz24]

All the plants in my aquarium are artificial. A couple are attached to those fake figurines. A tree stump and a little rock cave. I noticed brown spot forming all over the leaves of the plants on those two first. The leaves weren't plastic but made of material. Are teh brown spots rust? How could that be?! I removed the plants from those to figurines. Then I noticed on one of my all plastic plants that IT has brown spots all over it too! I didn't two days ago. What the heck is it?! How do I stop it? I bought new fake plants today, washed them well before I put them in.

All my aquarium lvls are fine.

What are the brown spots?

On an off note....is this dark theme permanent? Or do we change the background color ourselves? I really don't like the dark background on this website.

 

[dthoffsett]

The brown spots are algae, it's perfectly normal and should scrub off it you want.


You can change the screen's colors with the drop down menu in the lower left corner of the page.

 

[dortiz24]

Thank you! Now I know my 3 yr old has gotten to the computer again. lol I thought algae was green. Thanks for the info. I'm glad I don't have to throw them out.

 

[Luketendo]

Thank you! Now I know my 3 yr old has gotten to the computer again. lol I thought algae was green. Thanks for the info. I'm glad I don't have to throw them out.

Algae is green usually, but it can be brown too.

 

[darrel69]

Thank you! Now I know my 3 yr old has gotten to the computer again. lol I thought algae was green. Thanks for the info. I'm glad I don't have to throw them out.

Algae is green usually, but it can be brown too.

Im sure ive read that it can be red, black and blue also ???

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Thank you! Now I know my 3 yr old has gotten to the computer again. lol I thought algae was green. Thanks for the info. I'm glad I don't have to throw them out.

Algae is green usually, but it can be brown too.

Im sure ive read that it can be red, black and blue also ???

Yep, red and blue algae is not so common in FW systems but it does come in all different types (especially in my tanks it seems ).

Keeping the phosphate and nitrate levels as close to zero as possible starves most algae of its food source which helps stop it from growing. Brown algae and thread algae is common in new systems and will go away once it is established.

 

[bucksgill]

Thank you! Now I know my 3 yr old has gotten to the computer again. lol I thought algae was green. Thanks for the info. I'm glad I don't have to throw them out.

Algae is green usually, but it can be brown too.

Im sure ive read that it can be red, black and blue also ???

Yep there is stuff called blue/green algae, almost no fish eat it.

 

[the biffster]

i have seen green red blue brown and black and all in fish tanks at one time or another

 

[evilchild]

i had it pink? also brown algae can mean not enough light, and green algae can mean to much light. how long do you leave the light on for? try leaving it on for a bit longer~?

 

[dortiz24]

I keep the light on all day long. Then I turn it off once I go to bed. The first thing I do in the morning is turn the light on and feed the fish.

 

[Matt_northants]

The lights in your fish tank should only be on for about 10hrs max, this should help control the algae.

 

[darrel69]

if your tank is well planted, 12hrs max. if not, 10hrs max