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BROWN DIATOMS IN MY MOSS

Discussion in 'Aquatic Plants & Planted Tanks' started by kwheeler91, Sep 7, 2009.

  1. kwheeler91

    kwheeler91 Thread Starter New Member

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    BROWN DIATOMS IN MY MOSS
    Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 1:03 am
    sorry i dont have any pics of it but i have what seems to be maybe a brown algae or diatoms/ seems like fungus. its a dull brown color and grows mostly in my java moss. i also grew on the roots of some floating plants i have, but when i rooted a ton of those floating plants a a 10 gallon shrimp tank the stuff seemed to go away../ leading me to believe its some kind of algae. anyone experience anything like this?
    p.s. it also grows on the exposed roots of my java ferns

    p.s.s i also have a nematode infestation in this tank and need some tips to clear up these obnoxious pests
     
    kwheeler91, Sep 7, 2009
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  2. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:00 pm
    yep, I encountered it in my planted tank. It was thought to be a phospate issue. When I tested the only thing amiss was the Nitrate though.

    What type of lighting are you running on this tank (ie bulbs)?
     
    MOD_Dawn, Sep 7, 2009
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  3. kwheeler91

    kwheeler91 Thread Starter New Member

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    Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 4:14 pm
    its a 20 hex. gots a 19 watt flourescent(might need replaced) and a lamp with two 15 watt incacndescent plant growth bulb

    anything that eats this junk? im about to stock it with some pygmy corys, boraras brigattae, scarlet badis, crs, and live bearing trapdoor snails, and cpd's
     
    kwheeler91, Sep 7, 2009
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  4. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Posted: Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:59 pm
    My bristlenoses and Siamese algae eaters were pecking at mine.

    But Otos and Amano shrimp will work for it also.
     
    MOD_Dawn, Sep 7, 2009
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  5. kwheeler91

    kwheeler91 Thread Starter New Member

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    Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:01 am
    hmmm... my ottos never touched the stuff, and thats the whole reason i bought um :(
     
    kwheeler91, Sep 7, 2009
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  6. stevenrox

    stevenrox New Member

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    Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:55 am
    yea i have this problem to tried everything doesnt work....
     
    stevenrox, Feb 9, 2010
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  7. kwheeler91

    kwheeler91 Thread Starter New Member

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    Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 1:17 pm
    well if you find a cure let me know. until then ill just keep rippin out the moss
     
    kwheeler91, Feb 9, 2010
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  8. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Posted: Tue Jun 16, 2009 2:46 pm
    How long has the tank been running ?
     
    Anthony, Feb 9, 2010
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  9. kwheeler91

    kwheeler91 Thread Starter New Member

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    Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 2:06 am
    idk 5-6 months somthin like that. i had the stuff in another tank for quite a while before that though. it was on the moss attached to the wood i transfered when i took the other tank down. i just ripped the majority of the moss out though, except for the very base, it seemed ok. all the moss i found buried in the gravel throughout the tank didnt seem to have it so maybe blacking the afflicted items out for a couple days might kill. its on the roots of my java fern too so maybe ill hide all of it in the dark for a while, i heard those plants can go for a while without light and see if it works. ill try it with the moss first so i dont end up killin my fern it has like 4 babies :)
     
    kwheeler91, Feb 9, 2010
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  10. Anthony

    Anthony Active Member

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    Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 10:45 am
    Diatoms, when in an established tank, often appear if you have excess neutrients in the water. Overfeeding, poor tank maintenance and excess lighting contribute to the growth of diatoms.
     
    Anthony, Feb 9, 2010
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  11. kwheeler91

    kwheeler91 Thread Starter New Member

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    Posted: Wed Jun 17, 2009 12:44 pm
    there for a while i was overfeeding the tank(nematodes) but they are gone now and i am back on a routine wc schedule. the tank only had like 2 watts/gal
    and even grow that water lettuce stuff to dim it out a little and it grows like a weed so idk i will have to see the difference with all the water changes ive been doing to get rid of my nematodes. diatoms dont harm anything do they?
     
    kwheeler91, Feb 9, 2010
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  12. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 8:43 am
    Nah...diatoms won't do anything but affect the appearance. Extremely surprised that you have oto's and they aren't eating them. They absolutely love em! They are caused by an excess of silica.
     
    James0816, Feb 9, 2010
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  13. MOD_Dawn

    MOD_Dawn Active Member

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    Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 10:46 am
    Sounds like the ottos might be snatching fish food and getting lazy...I had a pleco like that when I had my 55g. That booger wouldn't clean anything!
     
    MOD_Dawn, Feb 9, 2010
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  14. kwheeler91

    kwheeler91 Thread Starter New Member

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    Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:12 pm
    well the leaves are all clean and everything i think they just dont wanna get up in the moss cuz its not really a surface for them to scrape against
     
    kwheeler91, Feb 9, 2010
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  15. James0816

    James0816 New Member

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    Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 2:42 pm
    lol...they'll get in there. I have a patch of fissidens in my Oto tank. Mom and dad go in there occassionally but you will always find the babies swimming in and out of it. ;o)
     
    James0816, Feb 9, 2010
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  16. kwheeler91

    kwheeler91 Thread Starter New Member

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    Posted: Thu Jun 18, 2009 3:33 pm
    maybe they like the green stuff better or its too muc for 2 ottos to handle
     
    kwheeler91, Feb 9, 2010
    #16