Algae

[Kedar]

I have a 10 G glass tank with 2 small fantails. It is almost 3 months
now that i have this tank. I monitor all the water parameters and it
seems my tank has cycled well now. Aorund 2 weeks back i bought the
mini bonsai decoration for my aquarium and when i took it off yesterday
for routine cleaning i found it has become very slimy. Also I
discovered some light brownish spots on another plant leaves which were
removed upon light cleaning. All plantation is plastic in this tank & i
have a 24x7 external power filter with 90 gph o/p with bio cartridge...

I believe the slimy thing is algea and now my question is it is okay
for plants to be slightly slimy or should i start some algea control
right away. I do not wish to disturb OR bring down my painstakingly
cycled tank.

Every input will be appreciated.

Thanks
Kedar

[carlrs]

Kedar wrote:
> I have a 10 G glass tank with 2 small fantails. It is almost 3 months
> now that i have this tank. I monitor all the water parameters and it
> seems my tank has cycled well now. Aorund 2 weeks back i bought the
> mini bonsai decoration for my aquarium and when i took it off yesterday
> for routine cleaning i found it has become very slimy. Also I
> discovered some light brownish spots on another plant leaves which were
> removed upon light cleaning. All plantation is plastic in this tank & i
> have a 24x7 external power filter with 90 gph o/p with bio cartridge...
>
> I believe the slimy thing is algea and now my question is it is okay
> for plants to be slightly slimy or should i start some algea control
> right away. I do not wish to disturb OR bring down my painstakingly
> cycled tank.
>
> Every input will be appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Kedar

Slime is often bacteria, not slime, although this may be non pathogenic
bacteria, large build ups can rob your fish of oxygen. I do not think
this is happening here though. You can clean your plastic plants in a
15-10% bleach and water solution for about 1/2 hour then rinse with a
little sodium thiosulfate (found in most de-chlorinators such Start
Right).
If your fish are doing well and you are performing regular water
changes, rinsing filter media (not changing it all), and all your water
parameters including kH are good. I would just clean your plants and
keep a watch of your fish and aquarium.
Make sure your ammonia and nitrites are 0; Your nitrates are under
40-50 ppm; Your kH is above 80 ppm (if low pH fish, a Kh of about 80
ppm is OK)

Carl

[swarvegorilla]

"Kedar" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>I have a 10 G glass tank with 2 small fantails. It is almost 3 months
> now that i have this tank. I monitor all the water parameters and it
> seems my tank has cycled well now. Aorund 2 weeks back i bought the
> mini bonsai decoration for my aquarium and when i took it off yesterday
> for routine cleaning i found it has become very slimy. Also I
> discovered some light brownish spots on another plant leaves which were
> removed upon light cleaning. All plantation is plastic in this tank & i
> have a 24x7 external power filter with 90 gph o/p with bio cartridge...
>
> I believe the slimy thing is algea and now my question is it is okay
> for plants to be slightly slimy or should i start some algea control
> right away. I do not wish to disturb OR bring down my painstakingly
> cycled tank.
>
> Every input will be appreciated.
>
> Thanks
> Kedar
>

Ok the slime is called 'bio film' and it's a collection of algae, bacteria
and fungi colonys.
Most is probably just some diatomeous alage.
Keep in mind that these 'brown slime' growths make up part of the total crew
that keep your tank 'cycled'
So Don't clean everything at once!!
Ensure you clean filter sponges in water drawn from the aquarium.
My advice would be to add a single bristlenose catfish or bushy nose plec or
whatever they call ancistrus dolichopterus in your neck of the woods mate.
After all that waffle.... yes it's perfectly fine for things inside the
aquairum to be slimy. It is a sign of small lifeforms covering all the
surface area, and this is 99% of the time a good thing.
Most people wipe their front glass and I dip my plastic plants that need to
look sshmick in a bucket of very diluted pool chlorine, then blast them with
a hose, wipe them blast with hose again, soak in a bucket with a good squirt
of dechlorinator and then replace looking sparkling new. It's a pain in the
arse and I only do it in situations that I have to.
I'd leave them unless they look manky, and just rinse under a tap or
something. Remember only clean part of the tank at a time, the aim is not to
wipe out too many slimy brown things at once. They are the guests of honour
after all.
:)