Change of colour to substrate & rocks

Discussion in 'Beginner Discussions' started by Zoom, Apr 20, 2009.

  1. Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    Hi guys,

    Again I come to ask some trivial questions, but stuf that you don't find in any fish-book, no matter how much you paid for the book, or how much the book was recommended.

    In my tank I have standard (old fashioned) gravel (Yes I know all you hi-tech fish keepers are cursing me, and prefer to use silca sand... but I'll get there one day.. for now, it's the old fashioned stuff), and I have real rock (from LPS). The gravel is 90% black, and the rest is specks of white and terracotta. The rock is apparently river rock, and has lovely layers of different colour variations in it.

    My tank is about 6 weeks old, and the rocks are all starting to turn brown, and the gravel is doing the same. I do my weekly syphoning of the gravel, and have one scrubbed the rocks back to their natural colour, which only made the problem persist more, and faster.

    Is this algae? Is it normal?

    If not, how can I prevent it?

    Ash
     
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  3. Zafgak

    Zafgak Old fart

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    Hi Zoom

    :joyman: UUmmmm AAAhhhh EEEhhhhhh - not too sure what to make of this - you say you are siphoning once a week .. Is that just siphoning off some water or do you have the siphon that picks up the gravel as well ????:joyman:
     
  4. OP
    Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    Hi Zafgak,

    Syphon is picking up the gravel as well (well as leat the gunk in the gravel)

    Ash
     
  5. Zafgak

    Zafgak Old fart

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    OK - Now I am really baffled - If the gunk is being picked up then the brown can't be gunk.. Sooooo It maybe an algae growth or Maaaybe a fungus of sorts.. Is there any chance you can take a good picture or two ??

    Also How is the water parameters, ammonia ? Nitrite? Nitrate ?
    Are the Plants growing well and do the leaves have the same brown on them ?
     
  6. OP
    Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    Last time it happened I scrubbed the rocks well... which seemed to make it worse overnight... the brown rocks then quickly turned into green algae.
    I then followed this up by soaking the rocks in a weak solution of jik, then rinsed them in clear water.
    They been clean for about 2 weeks, and now literaly in a span of 4 days turned into what you see in the photos

    I don't really want to soak and scrub again in Jik... I'm not really a believer in introducing chemicals into water... trying to go as natural as possible.

    Plastic plants displayed similar brown marks.

    Only put real plants in yesterday.

    This brown forms on the heater, and on the glass as well.
     
    Last edited: Apr 21, 2010
  7. Zafgak

    Zafgak Old fart

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    OK I think I got it - Algae - brown, there is an algaecide available for fish tanks - never used it, But here is the good news..

    If you take them out and scrub them again in about a week - by then the plants will have settled and now the algae ha got to fight for nutrients because the plants need them as well, the plants often win this battle.

    How long is your light on for ?? try and keep it to about 12 hours only if not less for the next couple of weeks.

    An old way to get rid of the algae was to wrap your tank in black cardboard foe about 3 days. This mens no light for the algae and it dies off..
     
  8. OP
    Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    I've got a stuff called "AlgiMin" from TetraAqua. Give dosages instructions, and says to "mechanically" remove the dead algae as much as possible.

    Light is on from about 7am until about 9pm... should I shorten that?

    Can I safely assume that the light is mostly for plant growth, and that the fish do not really "need" the light. I can leave the light off for a few days, but I don't want the new plants I've put in take too much of a strain if I stop all light (natural or unnatural) alltogther.

    My LPS mentioned to me about a week ago that they can supply me with a chemical that converts the algae into something the fish will then eat. (?)
     
  9. Zafgak

    Zafgak Old fart

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    Hey Zoom - mistake on the covering of the tank - that is for green algae - it will help the Brown algae grow ... Brown algae benefits from too little light..

    See below :

    "Brown algae" (diatoms)

    This is often the first algae to appear in a newly set-up tank, where conditions have yet to stabilise. It will often appear around the 2-12 week period, and may disappear as quickly as it arrived when the conditions stabilise after a couple of months. It is essential to minimise nutrient levels to ensure the algae disappears - avoid overfeeding and carry out the appropriate water changes, gravel and filter cleaning, etc. Limiting the light will not deter this algae, as it can grow at low lighting levels and will normally out-compete green algae under these conditions.
    If brown algae appears in an established tank, check nitrate and phosphate levels. Increased water changes or more thorough substrate cleaning may be necessary. Due to its ability to grow at low light levels, this algae may also appear in dimly lit tanks, where old fluorescent bulbs have lost much of their output. If a problem does occur, otocinclus catfish are known to clear this algae quickly, although you may need several for larger tanks, and they can be difficult to acclimatise initially.
    There are some very plausible theories as to why this algae often appears in newly set up tanks and then later disappears. If the silicate (Si) to phosphate (P) ratio is high, then diatoms are likely to have a growth advantage over true algae types and Cyanobacteria. Some of the silicate may come from the tapwater, but it will also be leached from the glass of new aquaria, and potentially from silica sand/gravel substrates to some extent. Later, when this leaching has slowed, and phosphate is accumulating in the maturing tank, the Si:p ratio will change in favour of phosphate, which is likely to favour the growth of green algae instead.
     
  10. OP
    Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    Thanks Zafgak,

    That makes perfect sense, and understandable considering new tank etc. I will do more frequent water changes, and will scrub the rocks in about 3 to 4 weeks time when I see things seem to have settled down.

    You guys on this forum have made my "fishy" experience one I hope to make me broke, but with stunning tanks to show for it...
     
  11. Zafgak

    Zafgak Old fart

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    Pleasure Zoom

    Thats what we are here for
     
  12. Laure

    Laure Cyano Terminator

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    Nothing more I can add that's not been said already. Brown diatom algae is typical in new tanks. Just keep vacuuming, but it will go away after 8-10 weeks. Trust me, once day you'll vacuum and the next day it will still be clean. Like magic. :)

    I would not recommend a 12hr photo period for a new setup. Refer to all the authorities on this topic for more information. (Tom Barr, etc.) Rather stick to 8 hours to start off with. Also get some otocinclus to help with the green algae (which will no doubt follow the brown algae). Get 1 oto per 10gal. They also eat most types of algae, including brown algae. Once your plants have overtaken the algae in terms of competing for nutrients, increase the photoperiod 30 mins at a time over a period of a couple of weeks until you get to 12 hours. Even 10 hours is enough for plants. You don't need 12.
     
  13. OP
    Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    Hi guys

    Ok, so after some reading, and googling, I think I have come down to the problem of the "brown algae". The only time that I really get to enjoy my tank is in the evenings, as I leave for work rather earl. If I put a timer on my tank light, and only use the light from say 10 am until 8pm, does that still constitue a 10 hour cycle, or does the natural surrounding light also need to be taken into accound.

    (Natural surrounding light would be generally good "natural" light you get in a house, but not direct sunlight.)
     
  14. OP
    Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    Okee Dokee,

    I managed to get home early from work today. I did a really nice 50% water change. Did a thorough syphon of the gravel, and managed to scrub all the plants and rocks of the "brown algae". Now that I have actually got real plants in my system, I am hoping that they will compete more for the nitrates and that the algae will be the looser.

    The tank is looking back to normal again... very milky tho... which I think is from the tap water... but should be nice and clear in the morning.
     
  15. Zafgak

    Zafgak Old fart

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    Hi Zoom - your light regime looks fine - and at least that way you get to admire your tank
     

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