# What has taken over my tank? Slideshow included



## cnicula (Mar 21, 2009)

I have been running my tank for 2 months now and have not had any success with what I believe to be GDA but it is growing on the plants and the glass. Can GDA grow on plants? It seems to be growing on the slower growing plants more than the stem plants but it is on both. I have been doing weekly 40-50% water changes, following Excel but non-co2 EI dosing. It takes the glass about 4-5 days to get a light dusting on it but the plants get a dust looking cover on them after a day or 2 of cleaning them off.

My question: is this GDA? If so, should I leave it alone instead of continuing cleaning it and see if it will mature after a few weeks and then clean it? If it is not GDA, what recommendations do you have? Possibly get some Otos? Right now I just have clown loaches and they don't touch it. The algae is also growing a bit on the ecocomplete substrate. I am worried with how bad it is growing on the plants that it is suffocating them.

This slideshow is with the tank not be cleaned (plants or glass) for a week:
http://picasaweb.google.com/chris.nicula/03_21_2009#slideshow

72 gallon
130watts CF lighting
4:1 RO/DI to tap water for water changes
Fluval 405 with full length spray bar with good surface agitation
Rio 800 powerhead with air venturi (added a week or 2 ago with little affect except slightly better plant growth)
EcoComplete substrate


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## dave k (Jan 21, 2008)

looks like diatoms,ottos should take care of the problem.It happens with new tank set ups


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## rich815 (Jun 27, 2007)

dave k said:


> looks like diatoms,ottos should take care of the problem.It happens with new tank set ups


Looks too green for diatoms to me.


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## bosmahe1 (May 14, 2005)

How many hours do you run your lights? Try cutting back to 7 hours.


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## kimcadmus (Nov 23, 2008)

I think the photos look green overall and could be distorting the true color. Does everything look that green in person?


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## DGalt (Jul 1, 2008)

that kinda looks like diatoms, although usually they congregate more. is there a brown-ish film on the plants that you can pull off? I had a really bad diatom break out in my tank. My algae eaters didn't take care of it, so it was a real pain to get rid of


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## cnicula (Mar 21, 2009)

The algae on the plants is mainly gray/brown in color. So I would assume that is Diatoms from what I know now? It easily rubs off the plants and takes a day or 2 to start being noticeable again. I added 4 otos to the tank last night to see if they help with the problem. I am going to continue with my EI dosing and 40% water changes weekly with the assumption this is just a diatom outbreak associated with the recent startup of the tank. Hopefully a combination of the otos and the tank maturing eliminates this algae.

I need to read up on the proper way to take pictures of aquariums. I know there are a few tips that I have forgotten. Next time the pics will be better.


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## dave k (Jan 21, 2008)

If that is a 72 gal i would have at least 8 ottos


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## Tentacles (Jun 25, 2006)

Can we go back to March for a moment? I thought I had diatoms which have colonised all the glass surfaces. I can't scrape these off. These are rough tiny little buggers and they won't let go.

They are brown and have taken over every bit of glass from 10cm above the substrate to the waterline.

I have scrubbed the glass with plastic pot scrubbers and tried water changes but they're fine with that, and it made no difference. I know they aren't affected by light because they're animals not plants like algae. Are otos the cure in my case? What could possibly be tough enough to get this stuff off the glass?


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Diatoms come off easily, but then resettle. The description below come from the sight below. Check it out to ID your problem.

DIATOM ALGAE
Description Forms in brown patches on the glass, substrate and plants.
Cause Usually found in newly setup tanks due to silicates and ammonia as the filter and substrate have yet to mature.
Removal Can be vacuumed out or wiped of the glass with a soft cloth. Usually disappears after a few weeks when the tank has matured. Otocinclus will eat it.

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm


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## Tentacles (Jun 25, 2006)

Thanks Tex Gal, from that I believe it is Brown Spot Algae, a new more robust version of Green Spot Algae. You met it here first!


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