Tropical Fish Forum
Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => General Fishkeeping advice => Topic started by: Andy M on July 09, 2013, 03:11:41 PM
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I have a small decorative ornament stone in my tank which has developed a brown colour on the top surface. Is this a form of algae? The fish often have a nibble of it. should I take it out or will it be ok to leave in?
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Brown is usually diatoms. Often found in cycling tanks as light and even trace amounts of ammonia encourage it. Check your ammonia level, and the length of time your lights are on.
Just scrub the brown off under the tap. I have a cheap toothbrush I keep just for scrubbing things. The amont of chlorine (from the tapwater) you'll put back in the tank on decor is negligible. And yes, fish will eat it.
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well as you know I did a fishless cycle but had fish in 3 weeks now, lights are on 7 hours a day, and not in direct light, ammonia is 0. been checking every other day since adding fish
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Even trace amounts of ammonia, too low for our test kits to measure and certainly too low to harm the fish, can stimulate the growth of diatoms. You could try Chucklett's method: reduce your lights-on time by 15 mins a week until the plants seem to be stretching towards the light, then increase back up by 15 mins and use that light duration.
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I will try the light thing then, I have it on a timer. I only have 2 real plants in anyway, java fern