View Full Version : slime on gravel
gersheff
09-08-2004, 10:12 AM
i was cleaning my tank yesterday, and i noticed that some of my gravel had this yellow slime on it. what is that? how do i get rid of it?
I don't know what it is, but a good gravel vacuuming with a syphon should remove it. Problem is, depending on what it is, it may come back. Maybe post your water params, size of tank, temp, what's in it, and how long it's been set up/cycled. That would be a start that people here could work off of. For now, I'd vacuum it up.
gersheff
09-09-2004, 8:33 AM
Temp = 74
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
It's been cycled for about 2 months.
2 emeral cories
1 dwarf gourami
3 harlequin rasboras
some ghost shrimp
Well, I can't find anything specific about yellow slime, and no one else seems to have any ideas, so I'd do what I mentioned before (vacuum) and see if it comes back. If not, good! If it does, post it and see what happens. Good luck!
your temp seems a little low for a tropical tank?!
gersheff
09-10-2004, 2:51 PM
its in the green zone
The green zone on my thermometer is between 70-80, as well, though I tend to keep my tanks between 78-80.
I wouldn't think the slime on your gravel was due to the lower temp, though.
Did you manage to get rid of the slime? How do things look?
gersheff
09-11-2004, 9:56 PM
ok the temp is 75
there is also what looks like yellow stuff on the inside walls of the aquarium. also, there is some brown stuff on parts of my plastic plants.
The brown stuff could be brown algae, which is usually caused from not enough natural light/flourescent light. I had that until I changed my 10gal lights from incandescent to flourescent. And I put both my tanks on timers so the lights would be on for the same amount of time every day. Problem solved. But if it's not brown algae, I'm lost. And as far as the yellow stuff, I just don't know. Hopefully someone else will have an idea. :confused:
gersheff
09-12-2004, 9:35 AM
well i am using fluorescent light, but the bulb is old so i will try putitng a new 1 in. can brown algea grow on the glass and rocks?
mrsdorothy
09-12-2004, 9:13 PM
I have the same thing in one of my tanks. At first it appeared to be yellow but after a few days it turned brown. I cleaned it up as best as I could. But I came back after a few days. I changed to a double strip light and added some otoe's. My anabus leaves had a brown coating on them. 4 otoes is cleanigh it up. This tank has only been up 2 months, and after the addition of the otoes and extra light the plants are growing and its beginning to look good.
Dorothy
Yes, brown algae can grow on glass, rocks, and anything else in your tank. It's very easy to wash off, though (rinse decorations under water, algae pad on the glass, vacuum and mix the gravel a bit). Before I got my lighting and timers balanced out, I would clean my tanks, and within two days everything would be coated with brown slimy algae. It was frustrating.
High nitrates can cause brown algae, too. And that, of course, is controlled by regular water changes. Have you tested for nitrates? It wasn't in your previous post with your other test results. How often do you do water changes?
gersheff
09-13-2004, 9:45 AM
I do weekly changes of 10%. I do noth ave a nitrate tester
gersheff
11-03-2004, 11:27 AM
ok i bought an oto cat a little while ago to take care of the brown algea and he seems to be enjoying all that "food.
BUT, ijust noticed last night some green "stuff" growing on my log as well as my glass having a greenish tinge. Is this green algea? if so how do i get rid of it?