What Is This

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Alexp08

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Ive been doing a fishless cycle on a 10gallon tank. Its been around a month give or take. The ammonia was disappearing appropriately and such but in that timeframe i hadnt dont any water changes so my nitrates were very high. So i did a series of water changes over the past week to bring it down to an acceptable level to add fish. Well today was the planned day but i woke up to eveeything being covered in a film. I thought it was a biofilm but I'm not quite sure.
See pictures. The substrate is suppose to be black. It was on the glass, plants, everything. So i scrapped as much off as i could with a brillow pad an did another tiny water change. All parameters are good.

So what is it? Thanks
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Might be brown diatoms? They are normal in new tanks.
 
luca1980 said:
Might be brown diatoms? They are normal in new tanks.
The stuff making the black substrate grey are brown diatoms :-/ no. I think you may be looking at something different

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sorry i missed that bit :) i was looking at the big rocks, not substrate! early morning for me here, brain not working yet
 
Others I believe have had this, but I can't remember the conclusion as to what it was.  I would say it is a fungus (mould-type).  It is not algae (nor diatoms).  I would certainly get rid of it before introducing any fish.
 
Is this grey stuff slimy or does it break down into small particles when you remove it?
 
Byron said:
Others I believe have had this, but I can't remember the conclusion as to what it was.  I would say it is a fungus (mould-type).  It is not algae (nor diatoms).  I would certainly get rid of it before introducing any fish.
Any advice on how to get rid of it?

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Aquarian58 said:
Is this grey stuff slimy or does it break down into small particles when you remove it?
Ultimately a little of both. It does break down into smaller particles but it has a slight slime tecture to it.

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Getting rid of it will mean identifying it and its source.  I am hoping that those who have had this previously will be able to help out with the ID and cause(s).
 
Is the substrate a plant-enriched substance, or just regular inert gravel?  My thinking here is this may be a possible source, but less likely if simply inert gravel.  Any plant additives?  If this appeared immediately (following morning) after a water change, it could be in the source water (not as likely I would think, but still one possible).
 
It is ecocomplete substrate, but i have the same substrate from the same batches on 3 other tanks and theyre fine. No additive aside from pure ammonia to help cycle.

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Alexp08 said:
It is ecocomplete substrate, but i have the same substrate from the same batches on 3 other tanks and theyre fine. No additive aside from pure ammonia to help cycle.

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Then I think we now know the source, though I can't say exactly what it is.  But Eco-complete contains certain bacteria and organics/nutrients, and mold/slime/fungus occurs from such organisms/organics with heat and light present.
 
I know this will likely set off another argument with some, but this is a situation where I would not advise "cycling" with ammonia.  This (depending what and how much) could well have affected the substances in the substrate.  Most of us, I would venture to say none of us, can really be cognizant of all the possible interactive ramifications chemically and biologically from things we add to an aquarium.  This was a lesson hard learned by me over the past year during as I was consulting a couple of microbiologists and marine biologists over a hazy water problem in one of my tanks.  The plant additives were a factor, without question.  And these substances can interact differently in every tank, which makes it harder for us (the aquarist) to pin down issues when we see this or that in one tank but not others, and assume (inadvisedly) that substances will always react the same.
 
So my only argument is that, if you're saying the substances will alwats react the same, i used the same ammonia to cycle the other three tanks and like i said, theyre crystal clear.

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Okay, let me throw another wrench into the works. My other tank that is currently cycling is now having the same thing happen. Although its only on the glass currently. Completely different substrate in this one.

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Okay change one thing. Additives have been used. I use api tap water conditioner

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I dont know if this helps, but these are the plants in the tank with some funky stuff on them.
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So my only argument is that, if you're saying the substances will alwats react the same, i used the same ammonia to cycle the other three tanks and like i said, theyre crystal clear.
 
 
No, just the opposite.  My earlier point was that the same "substances" mixed in a different environment can behave very differently.  Each aquarium has, or can have, a very distinct and individual chemistry/biology, so adding substance "X" may react differently.
 
In this present case, from your data it seems you did things a bit differently, another factor.  You did no water changes, nitrates got high, then several water changes.  I cannot say how any or all of this may have impacted things.  And the higher nitrates may be assumed to have been from the cycling, but in fact may have been from this substrate, or a combination.  High nitrate tends to run with high organics (one cause, can be others obviously, but organics increasing means nitrates will increase, in my experience).
 
Okay, let me throw another wrench into the works. My other tank that is currently cycling is now having the same thing happen. Although its only on the glass currently. Completely different substrate in this one. 

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Okay change one thing. Additives have been used. I use api tap water conditioner
 
 
That would suggest we are back to some biological reaction with the ammonia, tap water organics, ... ???  The API should not be doing this, though again it is one more chemical entering the mix.  But I use API Tap Water Conditioner with no problems I have noticed of any sort.  One caution though, do not overdose (applies to any conditioner) as you always want to keep chemical and other additives as minimal as necessary, to avoid impacting the system.  The API is pretty concentrated, I got myself a measured dropper so I can add drops and make sure it is as little as needed for the water going in.
 
I dont know if this helps, but these are the plants in the tank with some funky stuff on them.
 
 
I see some brush algae on the leaves, but that is not the whitish strands.
 
If water changes are convenient, by which I mean you are not having to pre-treat your water but can run it directly from the tap, I would do several major changes to get rid of as much of this as possible, and whatever may be in the water column affecting this.  Use the API TWC--though I would myself be tempted not to, but just straight tap water.  Whenever I do water changes in tanks with no fish, like my QT for new acquisitions when it is fishless, I use straight tap water and do massive changes.  I only have chlorine to deal with, I am not sure if I would do this with chloramine as well.  Another thought.
 
Ohh okay, i read you post wrong.

But i almost think the water changes may have caused this to either bloom or start 4 days about i started 50% changes. Today being the 4th day, i woke up to this craziness. And my water fron tap does have chloramine, 2.4ppm to be exact (from water supply company)

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Alexp08 said:
Ohh okay, i read you post wrong.

But i almost think the water changes may have caused this to either bloom or start 4 days about i started 50% changes. Today being the 4th day, i woke up to this craziness. And my water fron tap does have chloramine, 2.4ppm to be exact (from water supply company)

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There is always the possibility that there is something in the water.  I can't say, only suggest the possibility.  I'm off now, hopefully someone who knows about this "slime" can offer assistance.
 
That is possible. In my other two 10gallon tank i seem to have a bacterial bloom after everywater change,then it goes away the next day

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