What is this stuff on the gravel?

[Gideyon]

I have this fishless 5 gallon that I put plants (tissue culture) about a week or two ago. I've been waiting on a cycle to start. 

I was out of town for a few days and looked at it today and I saw this brownish stuff on the gravel. 

It's not getting direct sunlight and for the past 4-5 days only ambient light. 

Is it some kind of algae? 

 

What's in the tank:

Gravel, microsword, rotala, stone, moss balls, 3 flourish tabs. 

I also had put about 20 drops of ammonia a few weeks ago. 

To help get the cycle started I've tried Stability to no avail, and Quick Start.  I also recently raised the temp to 80. 

I've never had an algae problem before but this is my first attempt at plants. Any idea what that is?  Diatom algae? Not algae at all? 

Is it something keeping my cycle from starting? 

Edited March 27 by Gideyon

[FLFishChik]

Looks like diatom algae. It’s completely normal in a brand new tank (happens to just about every new set up) and should disappear once the tank cycles and everything stabilizes 

[Gideyon]

I've read it feeds off nitrates.  Could it be the flourish? 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Every tank I’ve ever had (I have 14 of them) goes through a diatom phase. It’s completely normal, and will go away over time. You can gravel vac it, scrape it, certain fish with eat it, shrimp and snails will eat it. It’s completely normal, and is just showing that your tank is coming to life. 

[Tony s]

On 3/27/2024 at 4:28 PM, Gideyon said:

I've read it feeds off nitrates.  Could it be the flourish? 

it feeds of the silicates in the water. which it needs for its structure. perfectly normal. it goes away over time when the silicates disappear. or snails and otos will eat it

have you checked parameters recently. when you start to get diatoms. you should mostly be cycled

[Whitecloud09]

Looks like diatom algae,  not really a “algae”but yeah. Perfectly normal, all tanks have this. Especially a newly established one.

[Gideyon]

Well this is a relief. I haven't had a chance to do a test to see if it cycled. But if it did, it happened in the last few days. Before I left on Friday, no nitrite or Nitrate. 

Thanks for the feedback y'all. 

[Gideyon]

I did a test today and my ammonia is through the roof. Darkest green I've ever seen. But I finally have nitrites which were also peaked out. And moderate nitrate. 

So this is good.   Something is happening. I'll let it run it's course. 

I was thinking if I had no ammonia and nitrites, and all nitrates, I could do a water change and starve out the diatoms of nitrates?  Or does it not work that way? 

[Whitecloud09]

On 3/28/2024 at 12:43 PM, Gideyon said:

I did a test today and my ammonia is through the roof. Darkest green I've ever seen. But I finally have nitrites which were also peaked out. And moderate nitrate. 

So this is good.   Something is happening. I'll let it run it's course. 

I was thinking if I had no ammonia and nitrites, and all nitrates, I could do a water change and starve out the diatoms of nitrates?  Or does it not work that way? 

I do not think it works that way…..I would just let it run its course, once no ammonia nitrite nitrates left, and btw it all has to leave in 24 hours or your tank is probably not cycled, then do one big water change (50% probably) and then wait like 2 days and then check and make sure ALL of ammonia nitrite nitrates are gone then fish @Gideyon

Edited March 29 by Whitecloud09

[Gideyon]

I probably OD'd the tank with ammonia.  The last time I cycled a tank I got it to the point I could put twice the amount of recommended ammonia and it'll be gone by the next day. I probably don't have that kind of time now. Family wants the fish. 

I couldn't help but notice... Whitecloud fan but a betta as a profile 😉

[MattyM]

Brown diatom algae: https://www.aquariumcoop.com/blogs/aquarium/aquarium-algae

 

[Whitecloud09]

On 3/29/2024 at 8:29 AM, Gideyon said:

I probably OD'd the tank with ammonia.  The last time I cycled a tank I got it to the point I could put twice the amount of recommended ammonia and it'll be gone by the next day. I probably don't have that kind of time now. Family wants the fish. 

I couldn't help but notice... Whitecloud fan but a betta as a profile 😉

LOL, yes I am going to change that but trying to find a good logo for white clouds lol! Yea ik somebody would notice that @Gideyon 😁. Good luck and as long as no ammonia any time soon you will be just fine!

[Tony s]

On 3/29/2024 at 8:29 AM, Gideyon said:

Family wants the fish.

if you can't convince patience. and that's not easy to do sometimes. you could switch to fish in cycle. you're close anyway. just keep the ammonia below .25 with water changes. dechlorinate with prime. checking daily, and no nitrites if at all possible. then a small number of fish could work

[Gideyon]

Strangely, my nitrites are now 0, nitrates are present but low, and ammonia is looking so dark it looks almost blue. 

Either the cycle stalled, or it never started and the flourish tabs are doing something.  It's also possible I didn't get all the gel off of the tissue culture and that put something in the water that shows nitrates. 

Or I have a faulty test kit. 

[Whitecloud09]

@Gideyon, i would get another test kit and also what exacty is the nitrates?

On 4/1/2024 at 11:17 AM, Gideyon said:

Strangely, my nitrites are now 0, nitrates are present but low, and ammonia is looking so dark it looks almost blue. 

Either the cycle stalled, or it never started and the flourish tabs are doing something.  It's also possible I didn't get all the gel off of the tissue culture and that put something in the water that shows nitrates. 

Or I have a faulty test kit. 

 

[Gideyon]

On 4/1/2024 at 11:43 AM, Whitecloud09 said:

@Gideyon, i would get another test kit and also what exacty is the nitrates?

 

Hard to say.  I'm not good at seeing color shades to match with the chart. But it's a light orange. Same as last week. Although last week I had high nitrites (dark purple) 

[Whitecloud09]

On 4/1/2024 at 11:49 AM, Gideyon said:

Hard to say.  I'm not good at seeing color shades to match with the chart. But it's a light orange. Same as last week. Although last week I had high nitrites (dark purple) 

Then prob 5 to 10 nitrates. Weird...... i would just grab a new one and test as some can expire basicly

[Gideyon]

FYI... I did a near 100% water change (down to the substrate level) followed by a 50% change, and after a day, all diatoms in the gravel are gone. 

[Gideyon]

no diatoms 

[jwcarlson]

On 3/28/2024 at 11:43 AM, Gideyon said:

I did a test today and my ammonia is through the roof. Darkest green I've ever seen. But I finally have nitrites which were also peaked out. And moderate nitrate. 

So this is good.   Something is happening. I'll let it run it's course. 

I was thinking if I had no ammonia and nitrites, and all nitrates, I could do a water change and starve out the diatoms of nitrates?  Or does it not work that way? 

There are are concentrations of ammonia and nitrite that retard the growth of the beneficial bacteria that break them down.  So be aware of that.  I used to know levels, but I cannot recall anymore.  You can probably google it up.

I personally wouldn't bother trying to do anything about the diatoms at the moment.  Most every new tank goes through it.

[Gideyon]

On 4/6/2024 at 11:50 PM, jwcarlson said:

There are are concentrations of ammonia and nitrite that retard the growth of the beneficial bacteria that break them down.  So be aware of that.  I used to know levels, but I cannot recall anymore.  You can probably google it up.

I personally wouldn't bother trying to do anything about the diatoms at the moment.  Most every new tank goes through it.

I'm trying again, based on your advice, and just added 4 drops of ammonia and a couple of "shakes" of bug bites.  I don't like the idea of using expensive (for me) fish food with no fish, but it's all I had, and I read it may have other things beneficial to bacteria growth.  So I just need to remember to feed the tank daily. 

We'll see what happens. 

[jwcarlson]

On 4/8/2024 at 10:28 AM, Gideyon said:

I'm trying again, based on your advice, and just added 4 drops of ammonia and a couple of "shakes" of bug bites.  I don't like the idea of using expensive (for me) fish food with no fish, but it's all I had, and I read it may have other things beneficial to bacteria growth.  So I just need to remember to feed the tank daily. 

We'll see what happens. 

My real advice would be to put your fish in, monitor the water (change water as needed), and do a fish-in cycle.  🙂

[Gideyon]

On 4/8/2024 at 11:30 AM, jwcarlson said:

My real advice would be to put your fish in, monitor the water (change water as needed), and do a fish-in cycle.  🙂

Well the reason why I did the big water change was because I was getting ready to do a fish-in, but plans changed. 

So I'm going to try this until we (the kids) are ready to go to the petstore again.