Dust-like thingy... please help

[scotworm]

Hello reader...


It's been about 2weeks into my newly set up moss tank. Dimension is 36cm by 18cm by 24cm. inside, only all moss; peacock moss and mini moss.

Fauna is only 4 rasbora. Then, i notice there are brown aglae on the glass and most of the mystery comes from the moss. On some of my moss, there are brown stringy thing attached to them. It's like dust inside water. What is that? A type of aglae? Now, my tank, the peacock moss appearance is not clear green. there are some kind of DUST on them. please help....

my pH is about 8. 0.o i really dont know why.. maybe, the fauna is not enough. It's not that i only put 4 rasbora.. i'm currently 'money down'.


So, how many fauna can i put inside my tank? what do you think?


I plan to buy 6 more rasbora and 10 shrimps. Is that ok? 20 faunas inside. Ermm... my rasbora is the small type kind; very small. $1 at C328. Red in colour.


Please help me with all my questions.. what causes the dust-like substance? thanks a lot, a lot.

[|squee|]

It's normal algae that appears when you have a new tank. Keep up on housecleaning, monitor plant health.

[richietay]

my pH is about 8. 0.o i really dont know why..

is your tank CO2 enriched?

[scotworm]

Nope nope... my tank is a non-C02 tank..


Oh my... only yesterday i posted the thread, today, the condition had become so serious! Please please help me...


What can i do to remove those stringy thing attached to my moss? it is like dust... PLease help....


I've added 6 more boraras brigittae and 3 Crystal red shrimps into my tank.


Hence, total, 9 Rasbora, 3 crystal red shrimps; that's all.
I'm still saving up to buy more shrimps.


so, reader, what can i do to remove the DUST?
THis is the first time i encounter such a problem.

Alvin

[|squee|]

Does it look like black strands of hair? For me, that algae (staghorn algae) is a "lack of maintainence" sign. Fish poo and uneaten food and all sorts of dirt are trapped near the area where the algae grows.

[scotworm]

Hmmm... your post reminded me that, on the first day, i added some aglae flakes when there are no fishes inside LOL


Coz, i thought they will be decomposed by bacteria and become Nitrate for the plants. Ahh.. i've made a mistake.


I've tried removing the DUST and tried to remove any uneaten flakes.
So, what else can i do Squee?

ALvin

[|squee|]

For me, if I had your tank, I'd:

1) Throw away all the moss, algae-infested moss is impossible to save imho
2) Do a 80% water change.
3) 18W of light over it, no CO2, no water changes, only water topups.
4) Keep water circulation good, temperature low.
5) Buy some bottled bacteria and seed the tank so that it cycles up quickly.
6) Leave the pH kH gH alone.

[scotworm]

Hihi Terence..


Thanks a lot for your advice.. i've just took out all the moss and throw away, left some to do some experiment. Hmm..

I didn't change any water. After i've transferred new moss into the tank, i kept watch on any remaining hair aglae..

Everything is nice and fine now.
Well, i will update again.

If anyone is reading this, and want to share something with me, go ahead. I would like to learn too

Alvin

[juggler]

You can refer to this algae article.

I would put in some algae eaters like Otos in new setups.

[scotworm]

Hi Terence..


What do you mean by:

Do a 80% water change.
and, 18W of light over it, no CO2, no water changes, only water topups?


My tank is now really in a mess. I've tried pulling out those strands of hair one by one... now, whole tank is infested. SO, do i need to do a 80% change right now?


When i just use forceps to push down the moss areas, a lot of 'Dust' would float up. Is my tank dirty?


PLease help..... how to savage my tank...


Alvin

[|squee|]

The steps I mentioned were what I'd do if I had your past situation.

It seems that your situation has now worsened.

I've no idea why you have recurring hair algae. I can only think of excessive ammonia, which means you're probably feeding your shrimp/fish too much or something.

It's pretty clear cut for a moss tank: Cool water temperature, medium lighting, moderate water flow, little fauna(and correspondingly less feedings), CO2 and weekly water changes.

Since the tank is already infested, it seems it will be better to dump all the moss in the tank, clean the substrate surface well, do a big water change, clean the filter's sponge. Afterwhich, go out and buy a large amount of new moss and place them in. Buy double of what you used to have in the tank, or triple.

[scotworm]

Thanks a lot alot, terence.. I think i've made a mistake that time, by adding flakes into the tank at start up time and thought that it would become NH4. Well, i'm just experimenting, but cost me such repercussion.


SO, may i ask, if the water does not have any water flow, what will happen? Those uneaten food and passings of fauna will encourage algae or other bad bacteria to grow, is it?


please do correct me if i'm wrong or if you want to add anything.. Anyone reading this, please do reply.. thanks a lot. =)


Alvin

[|squee|]

if the water does not have any water flow, what will happen? Those uneaten food and passings of fauna will encourage algae or other bad bacteria to grow, is it?

Yeap. Take for example my 1L tank with no water movement except swimming caused by a lone betta inside. Algae all over the wood once I fed her too much.