Stuff On Filter

[Bugdozer]

Even while I was running the cycle before adding fish, this had begun happening. My filter contains a carbon cartridge with a sort of fluffy white woolly stuff at its entrance. This is after the coarse sponge part of the filter. The white woolly stuff now has a sort of brown/army green deposit on it. Is this a visible build up of bacteria, and if so, is this a good sign that the aquarium is progressing towards maturity? Or is it some sort of vile algae that need to be got rid of (there is no light in that part of the filter so I thought algae was unlikely. Or is it possibly tannin deposits as I hava piece of driftwood in the tank (which has been pre-boiled)?

 

[HM Dragon Devil]

Hi. The brown/army green deposit you speak of are most likely algae, brown algae normally show up followed by the green. The brown algae should eventually clear by itself. I have only just started to see slight traces of brown on my aquarium walls after 6 weeks into my cycle.

Phosphates, silicates, nitrates, dissolved organics, and lighting can all contribute significantly to algae growth.

Dean.

 

[Bugdozer]

OK I will wait and see what happens. Aren't green algae photosynthetic though, so should not appear after the brown have cleared?

 

[OldMan47]

The brown stain is evidence of your bacterial colony. Leave it in place.