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Cycling new tank - any idea what this stuff is?
- Thread starter The_Luggage
- Start date
Hello and welcome to the forum! 
Is it white and fuzzy?
Is it white and fuzzy?
The_Luggage
New Member
Hello and thanksHello and welcome to the forum!
Is it white and fuzzy?
No, its more grey/brown fuzz.
Will you please try to get more photos? If it is brown, it could be algae, but if it is black/grey, it could be plant deterioration.
It looks like Diatoms.
Don’t worry, it’s pretty common in cycling or newly set up tanks.
Wipe the algae off the leaves and when the tank is eventually fully 100% cycled do a big water change and try to suck up as much of the diatom algae off the substrate with your syphon hose.
It will go away eventually and it will not affect your cycling progress and also won’t harm your plants or livestock when you do stock the tank after cycling, but do wipe/brush off as much of this off your plant leaves as you go along.
Oh and welcome to forum btw
Don’t worry, it’s pretty common in cycling or newly set up tanks.
Wipe the algae off the leaves and when the tank is eventually fully 100% cycled do a big water change and try to suck up as much of the diatom algae off the substrate with your syphon hose.
It will go away eventually and it will not affect your cycling progress and also won’t harm your plants or livestock when you do stock the tank after cycling, but do wipe/brush off as much of this off your plant leaves as you go along.
Oh and welcome to forum btw
The_Luggage
New Member
Here are some more photos.
Attachments
Definately looks like Diatoms or brown algae as is commonly known.
Very common in new tanks, basically its formed by silica, either from your substrate or from your tap water or even a combination of both.
In a nutshell, once brown algae is formed, its down to a lack of competition for nutrients in the water column, without competion from other plants or even different algae it will thrive.
Once plants start to establish, they will then start taking in the nutrients from the water column therefore starving the diatoms of the nutrients that they need, the diatoms will then start to disapear with cleaning and syphoning up the remaining diatoms once the cycling process has been successfully completed.
Do be aware, if left alone after cycling, other forms of algae may start to form, particularly green filament type algae, there are all sorts. So do keep an eye on this just in case and take action when needed, generally diatoms will go once tank has matured and plants established etc.
By the way, once your tank has succeeded in cycling, you can add some snails or shrimps like amanos, they will devour diatoms, just a suggestion.
Very common in new tanks, basically its formed by silica, either from your substrate or from your tap water or even a combination of both.
In a nutshell, once brown algae is formed, its down to a lack of competition for nutrients in the water column, without competion from other plants or even different algae it will thrive.
Once plants start to establish, they will then start taking in the nutrients from the water column therefore starving the diatoms of the nutrients that they need, the diatoms will then start to disapear with cleaning and syphoning up the remaining diatoms once the cycling process has been successfully completed.
Do be aware, if left alone after cycling, other forms of algae may start to form, particularly green filament type algae, there are all sorts. So do keep an eye on this just in case and take action when needed, generally diatoms will go once tank has matured and plants established etc.
By the way, once your tank has succeeded in cycling, you can add some snails or shrimps like amanos, they will devour diatoms, just a suggestion.
As @Ch4rlie said, it’s brown algae, which was my first thought as well.
You can try to manually remove it (off the fake plants), but you pretty much have to wait until your tank is cycled. What are your water parameters?
Once the tank is cycled, shrimp and snails will make an excellent cleanup crew. They love that stuff.
You can try to manually remove it (off the fake plants), but you pretty much have to wait until your tank is cycled. What are your water parameters?
Once the tank is cycled, shrimp and snails will make an excellent cleanup crew. They love that stuff.
The_Luggage
New Member
Thanks @PheonixKingZ & @Ch4rlie much apricated. I was planning on adding some shrimpAs @Ch4rlie said, it’s brown algae, which was my first thought as well.
You can try to manually remove it (off the fake plants), but you pretty much have to wait until your tank is cycled. What are your water parameters?
Once the tank is cycled, shrimp and snails will make an excellent cleanup crew. They love that stuff.
Water parameters:
PH - 7/7.2
Ammonia - 0.25 ppm
Nitrite - 5-10 ppm
Nitrate - 0.25 ppm
You tank cycle is coming along quite nicely, you’ll expect to see a spike in nitrite and it will eventually start to drop.
There are two types of bacteria, one set consumes ammonia which in turn make this into nitrite and another set of bacteria consumes the nitrite and that in turns turns into nitrate.
Its the nitrite bacteria that takes the longest to grow/colonise, a few weeks then you’ll see a sudden drop in nitrite which always comes as a surprise to me! Lol
Once ammonia and nitrite consistently shows 0ppm after ammonia dosages, you’re cycled. But that’s a little while off yet, keep watching your tests every other day or so for next few weeks.
Patience is a virtue apparently!
There are two types of bacteria, one set consumes ammonia which in turn make this into nitrite and another set of bacteria consumes the nitrite and that in turns turns into nitrate.
Its the nitrite bacteria that takes the longest to grow/colonise, a few weeks then you’ll see a sudden drop in nitrite which always comes as a surprise to me! Lol
Once ammonia and nitrite consistently shows 0ppm after ammonia dosages, you’re cycled. But that’s a little while off yet, keep watching your tests every other day or so for next few weeks.
Patience is a virtue apparently!
The_Luggage
New Member
Nooooooooo not patience! 
But apart from that cool beans. Thanks
But apart from that cool beans. Thanks
Welcome, already cracking jokes, love it!Nooooooooo not patience!
But apart from that cool beans. Thanks
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