What Am I Doing Wrong

[gary T]

Really new to tropical fish keeping, bought a tank just over a week ago and had it set up since then have filters,heater, gravel, plastic plants etc in and doing my set up time, no fish in tank yet, over the last 24 hours i have noiced a weird White goo stuff on a few plants and in one corner of tank, and blowing about as well, what is this and is it harmful ? will i need to start over again ?

also some hints on getting started would be good, have been following guides and doing water tests and adding all the stuff it advises.


look forward to some advice

thanks

 

[dcarmor927]

Welcome to TFF!

i probably wont be able to help you on the "White Goo" but you should post a pic so someone can...also look here

[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861"]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861[/URL]

guide to fishless cycling...idk if you've looked here yet but its where you should for sure start

 

[gary T]

hi thanks will post pic in morning thanks...the link seems helpfull

 

[waterdrop]

The white films you are seeing are called "Biofilms" and are the structures built by bacteria as they multiply and grow. This is entirely normal in a new tank. Its a good sign and harmless.

There can be many types of bacteria that flourish in a body of freshwater, once the chlorine/chloramine from the public water authority is deactivated by your conditioner. Large blooms of "heterotrophic" bacteria will occur, sometimes visible as a milky haze in the water. They will consume various chemicals that are present in the water and that are leached from the new silicone seals of a new aquarium. They are the bacteria that create some of the ammonia that will eventually be present in the tank. Then there are the "chemolithoautotrophic" bacteria that colonize as brown or black stains on surfaces within the tank, particularly inside a running filter. Their are two species (out of several) that we consider to be the beneficial ones for creating a "biofilter" to process the ammonia and nitrite(NO2) substances that are toxic to our fish.

If you are just getting started, I recommend that you first verify the types of the different "media" substances inside your filter and how they are supposed to operate, mechanically, by discussing them with the members here. From that you should either decide to go with what you've got or make a few media changes and then after that you can move on to the start of your Fishless Cycling, which I presume you've been reading about.

Good Luck!

~~waterdrop~~