Strange Yellowy Stuff...

[hensonc4098]

Hi all,

Our main community tank has white gravel in it which was only put in about 3 weeks ago and recently it has started to turn a strange yellowy colour.

Pics:

Is it some kind of algea or what? Can anyone tell me what it is and how I can get rid of it? Thanks!

Claire

 

[minxfishy]

Yep its brown algae, common in new set ups. It isnt harmful, but unsightly and will get worse before it gets better.

How long do you have your lights on for daily? Any live plants?

 

[hollanda88]

Yep its brown algae, common in new set ups. It isnt harmful, but unsightly and will get worse before it gets better.

How long do you have your lights on for daily? Any live plants?

How big is your tank, if you have room for s small group of otocinclus they will turn it over and munch away for you, but you will have to feed them suplementory aswell,

andrew

 

[arobinson1984]

My first tank was the elite 60 from pets at home and I had white gravel in it. Never again lol

Within 6 months the tank looked awful as its very difficult to keep the white gravel white!

You'd probably be better with a dark pea gravel or sand

Andy

 

[hensonc4098]

Thanks for the quick response

Our tank has been set up for years and has never had the problem but since we emptied it all out to clean it with the fish in the bin (with water, of course ) it probably is classed as a bit of a "new set up." The lights are on for about 5 hours per day but the tank does get a fair amount of natural light during the day as well. We don't have any live plants because our fish eat them Our tank is fully, if not overstocked ATM, we have another tank cycling which will house some of the fish in a week or twos time so maybe then we could get some ottos. We have a small plec, but he doen't touch it.
Will anything else sort it?

 

[arobinson1984]

Try leaving the lights on for longer.

I may be wrong but I seem to remember reading somewhere a while ago that too much light = green algae, not enough light = brown algae.

Don't shoot me if thats wrong, just seems to stick in my mind lol

Put your lights on a timer if possible, that way the tank will get a regular steady amount of light daily

Andy

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Unfortunately you will never keep white gravel white, sand is always better imo, kids play sand works really well.

 

[hensonc4098]

I love sand - I have it in my own tank but we can't have sand in that tank because we have mad silver dollars that have mental turns and would stir it all up lol We've got the lights on a timer atm but I don't know what time it's set for because my dad set it - it's his tank but I look after it I'll maybe try an otto when we've lightened the load off the tank a bit.