Is it algae?

Question

There is something yellowish on the white rocks of my 29 gallon fish tank. It looks almost like yellow rust and it has a coating on almost my entire bottom. Also, my water is kind of cloudy and is kind of bubbling at the top. Like little bubbles keep popping up at the surface. whats going on?

Answer 1

It sounds that most likely something in your tank is leaching chemicals into the water. SInce you are seeing it mostly on the rocks and on the bottom of the tank, my first guess would be one of the rocks in your tank. This could also be responsible for cloudiness as well as bubbles.

Algea could account for the discoloration on the rocks as some forms of brown algae are very light and yellowish in color, but not for the bubbles on the surface or the cloudiness, unless the cloudiness is greenish in color.

MM

Answer 2

How often do you do water changes? Every week is best. There are silica based algae that look like what you are describing,and if that's what is causing the problem then one or more of your ornamental rocks could be the culprit. Look first for rocks that might contain Mica(looks like shiny flecks),if you see that they got to go. The other bad news is that the stuff you already have is really hard to get rid of,too. Good luck.----Sorry about your bottom.----PeeTee

Answer 3

I agree with PeeTee, it is most likely a rock. I had that problem too. The bubbles indicate that you may be overfeeding, next time you make a water change, remove your tank decor and stir the gravel a bit to get rid of excess debris that lingers. It almost sounds like a new tank set up to me too.

Answer 4

take out any and all decorations that you did not buy from a petstore that are specifically for use in aquariums. rocks that dound in nature, sea shells. ornaments, that are not made for tanks can put chemicals in the water as they deteriorate. reduce the amount of food you are feeding, and make sure you are taking out 25% of the water each week..... get your water tested at a petstore just to make sure all the factors are in check

Answer 5

It could very well be yellow algae, which is actually related to green algae.

Algae are mostly-photosynthetic organisms that sometimes resemble plants but are not plants, having no true roots, stems or leaves. Algae grow in freshwater and saltwater. Saltwater algae are sometimes referred to as "seaweed." Like plants, algae require light and nutrients to grow. We supply plenty of both in our aquariums, with several hours of aquarium lighting a day and nutrients like nitrates and phosphates from fish waste.

Algae come in many forms. There are microscopic, one-celled algae, filamentous algae that resemble hair, algae that grow in sheets, and macroalgae that look like plants. There are even algae that live inside the outer integument ("skin") or calcium shell of some corals, anemones, and other sessile invertebrates called zooxanthellae. There are slimy-looking algae that are often not algae at all, but a colony of primitive photosynthetic organisms known as cyanobacteria. There are also very hard-to-remove little dots of green that sometimes grow on aquarium panels which also are not algae, but diatom or radiolarian colonies (microscopic, one-celled, animals with hard shells) with algae incorporated in their matrix. With all that said, let us answer some common questions right up front:

Algae growth is inevitable in an aquarium.
Algae consume nutrients in the aquarium that if allowed to accumulate, are harmful to fish. Algae can be a good thing.
The presence of green algae in an aquarium indicates a healthy environment for fish.
There is absolutely no way to completely prevent algae from growing in an aquarium, without killing the other life in the tank.
Chemicals should never be used to control the growth of true algae in an aquarium, and should only be used in rare circumstances to control cyanobacteria.
Correcting a severe algae problem requires time and patience.
Natural methods of controlling algae are the best and most effective.

Algae removal from the tank panels can be done on an as-needed basis, but no more than once a week. Removing algae involves either correcting negative water conditions to control or slow excessive algae growth, or an age-old process known as "elbow grease" (scrubbing it off!). Algae removal in an aquarium should be done only when necessary. We have seen many aquariums where daily removal of algae resulted in fish that were so stressed, most had diseases and were dying. You should never remove all of the algae from your tank. Allowing some algae to grow in the aquarium can be beneficial to the aquatic environment. When algae is removed from aquarium side panels, care should be taken to select an algae scrubber that will not hurt the finish of an aquarium. Be careful not to get gravel caught in an algae scrubbing pad where it can scratch the aquarium. Never use household cleaning pads to remove algae. They contain fungicides that kill fish.

Your first mistake is boiling the water. Boiling water consentrates the nitrates in it causing algae to grow even faster. However, I've never heard of it growing within an hour Wow!

First, test the water you are filling up your tank with. Many public water supplies (our homes) have a concentration of nitrates at around 7ppm or higher. (Bottled water is no better).

This could be the start of your problem.
Be sure your tank is not within direct or indirect lighting such as a window or in a room where the lights are on constantly. Is you tank near a heat source. Sometimes we do not take into consideration a fishtank is near a heat register which can and does add additional temperature changes to your tank.

Did you clean the filter as well? Be sure the entire filter is cleaned and free of algae.

Use a razor or scraper and gently scrape all sides of your tank. Clean your gravel and return it to the tank as well. DO NOT wash the gravel in the tank. The residues of the algae will remain.

Since you have NO FISH I am assuming, use cold water to start your tank. Algae likes heat and light. Using cold water will prohibit growth. Allow your tank to run bringing it to room temperature. Then you can plug in your heater allowing your tank to run.

If you have a stick on thermometer, get yourself a floating one. The stick on thermometers pick up ambient air temperatures from OUTSIDE the tank and can be up to 10 degrees off. DON"T trust them. Try keeping your tank at 72 for a couple of days.

You can also purchase phosphorus pads for around $2.00 at your local pet store. These can be cut to fit with your filter and remove large amounts of phosphorus. These can be reused over and over just remember to rinse them out well when you clean your tank.

Test your water. Since you have not gone thru the cycle process allow your tank to run. This should really help with the algae. If you find your water quality is all your tank isn't near a heat or light source, ok but still getting algae turn the temperature down or off and let it run. You will want to scrape the sides of the tank and do a water change no more than 20% every other day. This should only be done if the algae returns in a heavy form.

If you need any more help, you can im or email me.

Answer 6

sounds like ur tank is ruined....get a new one b4 ur fish die