Mysterious immortal dirt ? Need help D:

[Jardini 360]

For the past 2 months my tank has been plagued by some really fine brown dirt and no matter how much i clean the tank and clean the filter and the medium it always just comes back within minutes :/ its like really fine brown dirt than sinks to the bottom and sometimes clings to the glass sides.Fish seem unfazed by it but I haven't had crystal clear water for the past 2 months because of this problem.Anyone has suffered from similar problems ? Current stock : 1 x 19 " Silver aro , 14 " poly ornate and 6 " poly senegalus.Tank is 48 " x 24 " x 18".Yes I knw its small larger tank is otw in a couple of months time. all help will be welcomed

 

[rolandk10]

Does it look like any of these tanks?

http://www.google.com/search?um=1&h...brown+algea+fish+tank&aq=f&aqi=g-sx1&aql=&oq=

 

[Jardini 360]

It kinda looks like this http://www.fishpondinfo.com/photos/other/other/diatoms.jpg its very loose like loose soil not stringy and web-like like most algae :/ Any idea ?

 

[pi-eyed]

I've had a similiar problem with dirt. I use pea gravel for substrate and no matter how many times I rinse it before I put it in, it clouds the water for a little while. When I vac the gravel I always get a little more of the dirt/sand that was in the pea gravel. I also had a problem with black dirt from the nightcrawlers I feed my fire eel. I learned quickly to rinse them off before feeding them.

-----Chris

 

[Fat Homer]

if you have a substrate such as small pebbels / rocks and feed your fish pellets, it could be left over pellets trapped between the substrate...

 

[lipadj46]

sounds like diatoms

 

[Jardini 360]

its a bare bottom tank :/ Can you explain further about diatoms ?

 

[nasomi]

I use them in my pool filter

 

[lipadj46]

its a bare bottom tank :/ Can you explain further about diatoms ?

it is a type of algae that has silicate walls. It is usually found in new tanks where there are silicates still present in the water.

 

[Jardini 360]

tank is from december 09.