Are these just Diatoms?

[hywaydave]

My tank has been running for a month, and this brown stuff (Diatoms) seems really out of control. I've read that it will eventually go away as the tank matures, but just want to make sure that this is normal because my tank looks really bad. In the past with tanks I've had, they were always tropical communities so I've had snails, shrimp, plecos, etc. This is a native sunfish tank and right now have nothing in there that eats algae or diatoms. Will this go away on it's own?

 

[Tiger burp]

My tank has been running for a month, and this brown stuff (Diatoms) seems really out of control. I've read that it will eventually go away as the tank matures, but just want to make sure that this is normal because my tank looks really bad. In the past with tanks I've had, they were always tropical communities so I've had snails, shrimp, plecos, etc. This is a native sunfish tank and right now have nothing in there that eats algae or diatoms. Will this go away on it's own?

Well it really depends, if the source isn’t solved it will continue to spread, if you fixed the source it would go away on its own

 

[hywaydave]

Isn't the source usually silicate in a new tank? Or are you suggesting I test my tap water to see how silicate is already there?

 

[Tiger burp]

Isn't the source usually silicate in a new tank? Or are you suggesting I test my tap water to see how silicate is already there?

A test couldn’t hurt. But I was suggesting you try and figure out the source of the Imbalance,sometimes it can be too much light or fertilisers

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Diatoms are fairly normal in a new set up and can be unavoidable sometimes, they will eventually go on their own as their food source diminishes. In the meantime you can try and manually remove as much as you can and doing some extra water changes can help. You could always add some algae eaters to help along the process

 

[Tiger burp]

Diatoms are fairly normal in a new set up and can be unavoidable sometimes, they will eventually go on their own as their food source diminishes. In the meantime you can try and manually remove as much as you can and doing some extra water changes can help. You could always add some algae eaters to help along the process

I would get some otocinclus or a bristle nose pleco

 

[Guest14017]

It isn't JUST diatoms. You also have some fungus outbreak going on in several of the photos. It MAY resolve with time - but honestly with how bad it is, I would definitely try manually removing it to speed the process along.

I would not add otos here. He has a pumpkinseed and bluegill fish in that tank.

 

[Tiger burp]

Oh right

It isn't JUST diatoms. You also have some fungus outbreak going on in several of the photos. It MAY resolve with time - but honestly with how bad it is, I would definitely try manually removing it to speed the process along.

I would not add otos here. He has a pumpkinseed and bluegill fish in that tank.

It isn't JUST diatoms. You also have some fungus outbreak going on in several of the photos. It MAY resolve with time - but honestly with how bad it is, I would definitely try manually removing it to speed the process along.

I would not add otos here. He has a pumpkinseed and bluegill fish in that tank.

oh right forget about that

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

It isn't JUST diatoms. You also have some fungus outbreak going on in several of the photos.

Must have missed that!

I would not add otos here. He has a pumpkinseed and bluegill fish in that tank.

Not familiar with these fish, I'm UK...manual is your way to go then unfortunately

 

[Guest14017]

Yes those fish are North American native species. Some can be found in the UK though they are considered an invasive species in the UK. They are purely carnivorous and known for being aggressive in aquaria. They can reach 10" and so putting any small species of fish in with them is not recommended.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

There's definitely a variety of excessive algae and fungus in that tank, (diatoms simply being just another form of algae, by the way).
Given the nature of your fish, would I be right in assuming their diet is protein-rich?

I suspect that your problem is caused by an excess of organic waste products in the tank, possibly caused by over-feeding, facilitated by less-than perfect tank cleaning.
Besides sucking out what you can and reducing the feeding, increasing your water changes may help.
The stones and wood look as if it wouldn't be too much hardship to remove and give a scrub in hot water. Don't be tempted to boil the wood...boiling softens wood.

 

[hywaydave]

The fungus started on the wood, it's spider wood and I did boil it initially to remove tannins and fungus before I set up the tank. I do a 20% water change weekly and ammonia, nitrites are 0 and nitrates are less than 5ppm. They do have a protein rich diet, I feed them a mix of canned meal worms and sometimes grasshoppers and crickets when the kids catch and kill some in the yard. I did clean the front and side glass a couple weeks ago and tried to rub off as much as I could with my fingers on the Anubias. Do you think that strand fungus stuff is from the spider wood?

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

The fungus started on the wood, it's spider wood and I did boil it initially to remove tannins and fungus before I set up the tank. I do a 20% water change weekly and ammonia, nitrites are 0 and nitrates are less than 5ppm. They do have a protein rich diet, I feed them a mix of canned meal worms and sometimes grasshoppers and crickets when the kids catch and kill some in the yard. I did clean the front and side glass a couple weeks ago and tried to rub off as much as I could with my fingers on the Anubias. Do you think that strand fungus stuff is from the spider wood?

Yes, it's likely that the wood is the source of the fungus.
A total absence of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates does not mean that your tank is clean, merely that the water in it is not toxic to your fish.
Cleaning the glass would not address the mass of waste matter lying on the substrate and it will be this that is feeding the algae and fungus.

 

[hywaydave]

Yes, it's likely that the wood is the source of the fungus.
A total absence of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates does not mean that your tank is clean, merely that the water in it is not toxic to your fish.
Cleaning the glass would not address the mass of waste matter lying on the substrate and it will be this that is feeding the algae and fungus.

I vacuum the substrate too during every water change.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

I vacuum the substrate too during every water change.

Obviously, that is a Good Thing, but the excess algae and fungus is there because there are excess nutrients for it to feed off.