Its Gone A Bit Black!

[gearyboy]

29 gallon tank 7 zebra danios,2 mollies, 5 guppys, 5 pepper catfish, plastic plants / gravel / rocks(plastic) have started in the last month or so to go black in colour. I do regular water changes but just thinking what to do take them out and clean? leave them in? The tank has been running 4 months now and havnt had any problems! What do you think guys and gals?


Matt

 

[phoenixfire]

if u mean the water has become merky this is probably normal for a while...after a while i would be concerned...but it should clear up and then be crystal clear!...my 29 did the same for about 3 days..

 

[gearyboy]

By the way my water readings are spot on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No the water is clear no probs there its just the gravel / plastic plants / rocks(plastic) that are going black!!!

 

[phoenixfire]

black algae perhaps..anyway u can supply us with a picture

 

[gearyboy]

I will try, my fish are fine acting normal, readings are fine, could I be over feading? I feed once a day with a variety of foods!

 

[phoenixfire]

feeding should only be as much as your fish can consume within a minute...how long are your lights on/ is your fish tank in front of direct sunlight/ how strong are the lights..but i dont think feeding has anything to do with this...is the black string like?

 

[Torrean]

I'd give everything a good scrub. don't change your filter or clean your gravel at the same time though. You will be killing a lot of ben. bacteria when you do this. I cleaned a tank about a week ago that was covered in the stuff. You should be able to get it off the plants with your fingers and the ornaments with a NEW tooth brush. If there is a better way please let me know as this is a real Pain in the butt to do.

 

[phoenixfire]

placing the objects in very hot water does the trick to...hot enough to kill anything in the object

 

[gearyboy]

Not string like, I have my light on from 15.30 - 23.00 every day, The tank is about 4 metres from a window, The tank still has the lights that came with the tank its a fluval duo deep 27.5 gallon with two 24" bulbs. The bulbs are the ones that came with the tank!

 

[phoenixfire]

the only thing i can say without a picture...which im sure its black algae anyways...is to do what torrean said...cleaning all of your ornaments and plants...algae booms are natural...and sometimes unavoidable...to clean...use regular tap water as hot as your faucet will allow...and scrub with a new toothbrush...dry completely before putting it back in your tank...a little chloramine that accidentally gets into your tank wont harm anything...but putting completely wet plants with tap water all over them is dangerous...hope that helps...let me know your results

 

[gearyboy]

Cheers Il be doing that tomoz!

 

[phoenixfire]

0o sorry...for your gravel try a gravel vacum...which u should have anyways...works wonders

 

[gearyboy]

Ive got the vacum! It will be done tomoz as Ive the day off!

 

[phoenixfire]

good luck...i hope u get results!

 

[Torrean]

I'd give everything a good scrub. don't change your filter or clean your gravel at the same time though. You will be killing a lot of ben. bacteria when you do this.