View Full Version : Brown residue on filter intake and media question?
pacersfan09
09-06-2007, 2:22 PM
I have noticed some brown residue on my tanks filter intake and the filter media. i have been cycling the tank for about a week now and here are the results from my water test today:
Ammonia: 0 ppm yay!
Nitrite: 1.0 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0ppm
ph: 8.0
I figure the brown stuff is just nitrites or nitrates.
And one more question it looks like my cycle will be done in just a few days, once my nitrites are 0 i should do a 50% water change and my tank is ready for fish correct?
tanker
09-06-2007, 4:23 PM
The brown stuff is probably algae.
The answer to the other half of your question is yes, but do not add too many fish at once.
KenyanSandBoa
09-07-2007, 10:48 AM
The brown stuff is probably algae.
The answer to the other half of your question is yes, but do not add too many fish at once.
:iagree:
Definitely brown algae. Unlike green algae, it's not photosythetic so you can't kill it by reducing light. It's mainly eliminating its food source, like phosphates. I've seen this with a few of my cycles...when you do your water change, just wipe it off and with the the reduced nitrates you should be fine.
When you start adding fish, just add a few at a time (depending on tank size), give the tank a week or so to adjust to the new bio-load, and then add a few more...better to take it slow than rush and lose everything and have to start over.
AndiPants
09-07-2007, 1:15 PM
I had the same problem when I was setting up a new tank, the gunk was everywhere. It turned out that the gunk was caused from iron in the tapwater, so it would be worth getting checked out. If not, then I completely agree that its probably just brown algae.
I had the same problem when i set up my tank and realised it was due to high phosphate levels as they are sky high straight out of the tap. I added a filter bag filled with a product called rowaphos recommended by my lfs into my filter and this has brought the phosphate down to 0.5 ppm and the brown algae has now gone. Apparently it is quite common with new tanks
jm1212
09-08-2007, 3:51 PM
brown algea is also caused by the sillicates in the glass of the tank. it can take a while for the sillicates to stop leeching into the water, but it will eventually stop on its own.