What's new
By:
Filters

🌟 Exclusive Amazon Black Friday Deals 2024 🌟

Don’t miss out on the best deals of the season! Shop now 🎁

Dirt Growing On The Gravel?

A

Amnesia180

New Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2011
Messages
31
Reaction score
0
Hi All,

I'm unsure what this is growing ont he gravel, I've attached a couple of pictures.
It has appeared overnight (as it was not there when I turned the light off last night.

The fish don't seem to be stressed, and it seems that something has "settled" on the gravel in just a particular area, it is not spread across the whole tank.

IMG-20110818-00152.jpg

Any ideas?

Thanks
Amnesia

It won't let me add the photos all at once, so I'll need to do them in stages :)

IMG-20110818-00160.jpg
 
My coral in the 120L tank has started doing the same over the past 7 days. I put it down to algae growing on it. Nothing to worrry about, it simply means it's time to roll up those sleeves and get cleaning for an hour.

Terry.
 
Last one...

IMG-20110818-00153.jpg

The Taffy Apple said:
My coral in the 120L tank has started doing the same over the past 7 days. I put it down to algae growing on it. Nothing to worrry about, it simply means it's time to roll up those sleeves and get cleaning for an hour.

Terry.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Terry. I'll get cleaning tonight... I've got one of those hoses with a section that collects the gravel and just takes away the muck, so I'll see if that helps at all.

If I got a couple of shrimps, would they help keep the algae down?

A quick question regarding the filter - when I clean it, do I clean it in a bowl of the original fish water, and once the gunk is squeezed out of the filter I put it back in and add treated clean water to the tank?


Thanks!
Amnesia
 
Your 'siphon' probably wont do much to get rid of that brown stuff..you're better off taking the stuff out and cleaning it in a bucket of old tank water. Then again, as such a little amount of the beneficial bacteria we need actually grows on any of our gravel, you can always replace it.

Shrimp will consume algae, but i only have 2 RCS in the 120L and 3 Amano in the 30L, so i can't really help you with that..but if it is becoming that much of a problem then don't have your lights on for as long as you do (with your plants taking into consideration, of course).

What type of filter do you have? NEVER clean your filter or what is inside your filter in tap water, ALWAYS use old tank water. I , generally, only ever open up the cannister of my Fluval 205 once a month..simply to check there is nothing in there that shouldn't be. Unless this 'gunk' is slowing down the flow out of your filter, then leave it be.

Terry.
 
is this a newly established tank?

looks like brown diatoms, a form of algae. Very common in new tanks. Should clear itself up once the tank has time to settle.....a month or so.
 
Yes, this is a new tank. I had left it sitting with mature media for about 10 days. It has 6 danios in it.

Would you suggest cleaning it? I need to do a water change this weekend anyway.
 
As ZZ said its diatoms. Personally I dont think it is worth trying to clean it. Will come right back but as mentioned will disappear in a few weeks. Will not harm the fish and almost guaranteed in new setups.
cheers
 
Amnesia180 said:
Yes, this is a new tank. I had left it sitting with mature media for about 10 days. It has 6 danios in it.

Would you suggest cleaning it? I need to do a water change this weekend anyway.
Click to expand...

you'd need to scrub each piece of gravel to get it off. The stuff is harmless and will likely fade away completely in a few weeks time.
 
The Taffy Apple said:
Your 'siphon' probably wont do much to get rid of that brown stuff..you're better off taking the stuff out and cleaning it in a bucket of old tank water. Then again, as such a little amount of the beneficial bacteria we need actually grows on any of our gravel, you can always replace it.

Shrimp will consume algae, but i only have 2 RCS in the 120L and 3 Amano in the 30L, so i can't really help you with that..but if it is becoming that much of a problem then don't have your lights on for as long as you do (with your plants taking into consideration, of course).

What type of filter do you have? NEVER clean your filter or what is inside your filter in tap water, ALWAYS use old tank water. I , generally, only ever open up the cannister of my Fluval 205 once a month..simply to check there is nothing in there that shouldn't be. Unless this 'gunk' is slowing down the flow out of your filter, then leave it be.

Terry.
Click to expand...

Thanks again, Terry. Not sure on the type of filter... it's quite a large box with a small dial on the top to adjust the speed.

I'll just leave it for now then and watch it disappear :)

Thanks again the rest of you for reassuring this is "normal".
 
diatoms took a good 3 months to clear up in my old tank so just get used to them for a while it all i can say. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

N
Partially paralyzed fish?
Replies
4
Views
186
Colin_T
Colin_T
danajs
Melting Vallisneria?
Replies
5
Views
305
danajs
danajs
Magnum Man
Life goes on in Africa…
2 3
Replies
38
Views
1K
Colin_T
Colin_T
B
Strange flaky stuff in freshwater tank…
Replies
8
Views
253
Marc Pozz
M
A
Need some help with small planted tank with a single Betta
Replies
2
Views
287
Colin_T
Colin_T

Most reactions

Useful Links

Back
Top