I have a 29 gal. tank that is a little over a month old. This is my first tank so I am still in the learning stage. Everything tests fine but my ph is a little high. I added live plants about a week ago. My question is...I've notice a couple of days ago some kind of rough, clear film on the inside of the tank (glass). It kept getting worse by the hour and a cloudy film formed on the water surface. Got up this morning and my filter was not working, only making a noise. I took it apart, cleaned it, and it is working fine now. I did notice some of the leaves of a plant were stuck to the wonder tube. Could this have caused my filter to stop? I am going to do a water change as soon as I get home and try to remove this film. Will this harm the fish or how do you recommend I clean it up? I have 3 zebra danios, 2 dwarf gourami, 1 neon tetra, 2 angel's, 2 male guppy's, 2 fruit tetra's, 2 red serpae's, and 1 chinese algae eater in my tank. Any ideas would be appreciated!
Need help!
- Thread starter Angibug
- Start date
First welcome to the forums and hope we can help with all the questions you may have in the future!
The film on the top of the water is normal because there was no filter on to move the water. As for the film on the glass i cant say what it is without a better description. Does it have color and whats it look like?
The filter could have stoped because the leaves in the intake but also could have been because of sand that got in the filter motor. Do you by any chance use sand as a substrate?
Chances are the film thats on your glass is brown algae which is very common for a newly setup tank such as yours. It should come right off with your hand or a algae scraper. Its not going to hurt your fish at all and if anything its to their benefit!
The film on the top of the water is normal because there was no filter on to move the water. As for the film on the glass i cant say what it is without a better description. Does it have color and whats it look like?
The filter could have stoped because the leaves in the intake but also could have been because of sand that got in the filter motor. Do you by any chance use sand as a substrate?
Chances are the film thats on your glass is brown algae which is very common for a newly setup tank such as yours. It should come right off with your hand or a algae scraper. Its not going to hurt your fish at all and if anything its to their benefit!
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Thanks for a quick response! I do not use sand as a substrate. This film is hard to describe. It looks clear and blurry as if the fish had rubbed up against it. It is all over the front of my tank and it looks so bad. When I tried to wipe it off it won't come off. I tried scraping it off with my fingernail and it seems to want to come off. A friend of mine, who has a fish tank for over 15 years, told me to get a razor blade scraper and that should take it off. He said he has never experienced a film like this before.
It sounds like brown algae to me. I would just scrape it off with your fingernail or a razor blade. Just dont push to hard because you could scratch the glass and that wouldnt be a good thing heh.
How much fert do you use for your plants? If your using to much it could be the reason for a algae outbreak. I would clean it off and not worry much about it!
How much fert do you use for your plants? If your using to much it could be the reason for a algae outbreak. I would clean it off and not worry much about it!
Remember, I am very new to this so I had no clue that you have to fertilize the plants! They have only been in there about a week. I have noticed that black fuzzy stuff has formed all over the plants. Is this normal? Should I remove them and just have fake ones? I know some fish need live plants - that's why I bought them. I planned on getting more this week and eventually remove all the fake. I planted them down in the gravel but wanted to get some floating ones also. I should have researched a little more before doing this. Your advise is so much appreciated!
The black fuzzy stuff is black hair algae. Just pick it off.
Keeping live plants isnt hard at all and i wouldnt recomend changing to fake. algae isnt going to hurt your fish or or plants unless the algae covers the whole plant so it cant get light.
The short solution is to take out all the algae and as for ferts you dont need any right now because there is obviously enough iron and other minerals that are helping your plants and algae to grow so fast.
In about a month go to your lps and buy a bottle of fert for freshwater plants and it will last a long time. I add 1 cap full a month to my planted tank and it helps to supply the right ammount of nutrience my plants need to pearl
Dont let algae intimidate you and just so you feel better remeber that every planted tank has at 1 time come across some form of algae. Its natrual and it can be cleaned out of the tank so i wouldnt worry to much!
Keep the live plants and im sure when you read up a little more you will do just fine!
Keeping live plants isnt hard at all and i wouldnt recomend changing to fake. algae isnt going to hurt your fish or or plants unless the algae covers the whole plant so it cant get light.
The short solution is to take out all the algae and as for ferts you dont need any right now because there is obviously enough iron and other minerals that are helping your plants and algae to grow so fast.
In about a month go to your lps and buy a bottle of fert for freshwater plants and it will last a long time. I add 1 cap full a month to my planted tank and it helps to supply the right ammount of nutrience my plants need to pearl
Dont let algae intimidate you and just so you feel better remeber that every planted tank has at 1 time come across some form of algae. Its natrual and it can be cleaned out of the tank so i wouldnt worry to much!
Keep the live plants and im sure when you read up a little more you will do just fine!
