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Should I be worried about this?

2K views 7 replies 4 participants last post by  Andyandsue 
#1 ·
There is brown material forming on the sides of my tank, the gravel and plants.

Should I be worried about it or is it good bacteria types forming?

Do I attempt to scrape it away?
 
#3 ·
Thanks Jones, both links were very helpful :)

The tank is 5 weeks old at the moment, cycle has been over for a little while.

I was thinking of putting a small bottom feeder in the tank to help eat some of this algae?

Am i being too naieve to think that adding one will help?
 
#5 ·
I've got a 2ft by 1ft by 1.2ft high tank which i believe is 70 litres approx. (Dont even know what a gallon is!)

I have a fluval 3, combined pump and sponge filter thing. I was thinking about getting an external filter but was worried I'd lose the good bacteria in the existing filter and the tank would re-cycle.

I have 4 silver tip tetras, "The lone neon ranger" (1no. neon tetra) and thats it. I've lost 6 guppys and 5 tetras. Think the guppys had something when they came into the tank and finished my neons. The 1 remaining 1 is my little warrior ;) Briefly on that subject though, i know he should be in a shoal is it worth getting him 5 neon chums?

I'm pretty good with the tank maintenance, I water change every week, i syphon using a gravel cleaning thing so that gets some of the old food and plant bits out.

Water chemistry is normal.

What you think?
 
#6 ·
Hopefully this is your filter.

What are your maintenance procedures and frequency for the filter.

Your tank volume is nominal 18 US gallons.

The most common "real" algae removal fish are:
Otocinclus catfish (Otos) and
Siamese Algae Eaters (SAEs).
.

I am only familiar with Otos from the literature and posts in this forum.
http://www.planetcatfish.com/catelog/species.php?species_id=1350
as an example
The literature indicates that they should be kept in a group the minimum number of which is six.
This would be too many for your tank.

I am partial to SAEs (as I have 7).
http://www.thekrib.com/Fish/Algae-Eaters/

I believe that they should be kept in a group the minimum number of which is three.
IMHO unless you enjoy the appearance of the SAE I would not purchase them but would control the algae growth by employment of the methods set forth in the links in my previous post.

With respect to your neon tetra question I also have had "no joy" with neons or with cardinals and have given up on them (probably been through $30 worth the last year and only 6 remain).

I do have some tetras but mine are too large for your tank.

Have you considered planting your tank and purchasing platies (a rainbow of colors are available and I have found them to be much more "hardy" than guppies).

TR
 
#7 ·
Have you considered planting your tank and purchasing platies (a rainbow of colors are available and I have found them to be much more "hardy" than guppies).
Guppies used to be really hardly but they have since been bred, and likely inbred, to produce fancier colours and tails and since then they have become much less hardy.

I agree that platties are much hardier. I'm actually more fond of mollies personally but they don't come in the same colours. Just be careful because livebearers, especially mollies and guppies, like hard water. I learned this the hard way unfortunately when I lost a molly due to my water being very soft.

If you are keen on tetras however, I have read that black neons are much hardier than neons or cardinals.

Definitely plant your tank though. I always thoguht my plastic plants looked just as nice, and were a little less work, but that was until I decided to give real plants a go - now I'll never go back to plastic plants. :D There are some plants that don't need as much work as others. The ones I have I do nothing with really. They just seem to live and grow on their on. Not only that but they are good for keeping good water quality as well.
 
#8 ·
I can almost guarantee that brown matter is diatom (brown algae).

Shows up in tanks that are newer and fully cycled, which yours is. If it rubs off easily it's diatom.

I use a product called Algone. It's a natural plant in a pouch product that really keeps it under control.
 
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