Algae

"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.