Yellow Growth help

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Please provide some more information, otherwise a diagnosis is close to impossible:

water chemistry

• pH
• nitrates
• nitrites
• ammonia
• iron
• hardness

set-up

• lights (age of bulbs, type)
• filtration (media, flow)

and most importantly, think back if you changed anything at the time when or right before the growth started.

And, please, browse the internet for a pic if you can't take one. That'd help tremendously.

HarleyK

 

[polarbear]

Hi Harley ok I browsed couldn't find a good pic. I guess it could fall under brown algae as my girlfriend looked and said it was a real light shade of brown (I still think its yellow). as for water
PH is bang on nuetral 7.0.
Nitrates are 20
Nitrites I get 0
Our water is pretty hard here I forget the reading right now but on the test strips I have its right near the upper end. As for ammonia you'd think you'd see nitrite if there was any don't get a reading for that so I'm assuming not. Iron levels I don't have a tester for but mineral deposits must be high cause our water is real hard so I'm guessing might be a slight issue.

The bulb is a halogen tube with a tinge to the blue spectrum I've had it for 3 months (I replace every 6 months)

I run a Penguin Bio-Wheel (40 Gallon tank and filter is rated I think to 100 or something crazy like that) In it I have normal carbon filter (penguin product) I have a bio media cartridge in the middle and at the end I have cotton floss to get out that last little bit of crap (I had an issue with cloudy water floss ended that). I use two "bubblers" (yes they are gawdy and decrotative) on a powerhead again I do believe for a 110 with multiple air hose outlets. It has flow regulating valves on it right now they are wide open for the Loaches. There are a few other decorative plants in their all fake and rubbery plastic.

When I first noticed symptoms I had changed nothing in about 1 and half months. I cleaned it up a couple of times and ignored it but it is just not going away so obviously just cleaning it isn't enough. Since I have added three 1 inch loaches to and had one snail pass on and had a new one enter (I love those little fellas they are so awesome). When he died I checked water all was good did a 25% change right away anyways and cleaned it up (unscheduled) Flushed the little dead guy. Nothing seems so far out of ordinary that I should be seeing growth.

Maybe I'm over feeding but I don't think so I'm pretty tight on food cause my girlfriends tank is such a pain in the neck cause she over feeds. I have used a combo of flake food, pellets and brine shrimp (both live and not freeze dried) to mix up the fishes diet a bit with most feedings being pellet.

No direct sunlight tank is at 69 degrees at all times I use a regulated heater in case the cold of our area becomes an issue as we move into winter. No one in tank showing signs of stress (I dare say the one snail thinks its all you can eat buffet day up on one spot with the growth).

I think thats everything I can think of. Thanks for the help.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

There are a few red flags, changing those parameters might help:

Brown algae occur often in hard water in combination with low light and poor (sorry) water quality. You could try using some deionized water in addition to tap water when you do a water chage. Besides, you should at least double the wattage (whatever it is now). Increased light time would not make up for low light intensity. Speaking of light, what set-up do you have exactly? The comment about blue makes me uneasy. That's normally great for algae but not much more (at least in freshwater). Have you had the bulb for 1.5 months, or the light set-up? This change might have triggered your algae. Besides, what fish are you keeping? 69 is pretty low if you have tropical species. In that case, you'd be better off raising it to 75F. Furthermore, remove the carbon from your filter. Only use carbon if you want to remove medication. Otherwise, carbon removes essential elements and throw your biological equilibrium off balance. Lastly, introducing live plants will also help ion the fight against algae by providing competition for nutrients. That again has to be decided with your fish in mind, obviously won't work with herbivors. LOL. And change water more frequent, nitrates are not the only indicators of pollution. A weekly routine will help.

Tackle these comments the best you can and let us know if anythign changes.

Good luck,
HarleyK

 

[polarbear]

Ok all of your suggestions are already in place. I have scheduled water change done at every 5 days. The water parameters are a little to the hard side but I have read here worse then what I put in. Don't worry all are cold water hence the low temperature. The light setup has been there with the tank the whole time and light has been there since september. So the only thing you have said in there is that a blue hue worries you. It is still quiet intense so I would be suprised to find it is an issue of lack of intensity as I look around and see much worse but I could try that.

Wouldn't worry about apologizing for saying poor water quality its what I would assume but besides a little hard my water is pristine is tested regularly and whenever I get an issue my LFS also does a test. I'm try hard to make it reasonable water for the fish.

Thanks for suggestions and I'll keep everyone posted. Everything got cleaned off at last scheduled maintenance this past weekend.

 

[HarleyK]

 

[polarbear]

Just an update. had a re outbreak of brown algae. Had moved my water changes now to every 2-3 days because I made an executive decision. The hillstream guys get a new home they suck in the tank they were in so the moved out. However I did not reduce bio-load but rather added to it. While continuing research I read about how hardy the brown crap is. So I then looked at algae eaters who could survive a goldfish temp (had to be up to 70-71 degrees to make it work). Anyways figured if I can't rid myself of the outbreaks I'd manage them and made the best purchases of that tanks life. I added a Bristlenose "pleco" (antricus I think they are) he is named Dave cause he gets the job done like the new coach of the hockey team I am a season ticket holder of. Also added five Otocinclus Catfish (all named Joel after former flame and current hitmen assistant coach Joel Otto) to be a clean up crew. Again means more tank cleaning for me but those guys who all stay pretty small went to work saturday evening and had done a great deal to alleviate the problem by sunday evening. Concern now is I have to keep planting veggies at the bottom soon as to keep the new fellas fed as they are hungry guys.

I did research all the new additions for compatibility and water conditions. I know not everyone thinks they work but most of my info says a bristlenose can survive the water temps and won't find the goldfish a tasty treat. Also I read some say no to otos but lots of yes and I figured I'll find out hoping for yes to win cause at 1.50 a pop they are on cheap cleaning crew.

Thanks for help everyone.