PLEASE help me identify this.

[Marsfrogie]

Over the past several months this stuff has been taking over my tank. (The brown splotches that is). Have any of you seen this before. What are suitable courses of action to take against this eye sore? Thanks.

 

[shabreeson]

sure it's not cyanobacteria? if it is then y not just get snails?

 

[Aquarist007]

looks like cyano--check your phosphate and nitrate levels.
You can increase the flow over it also.
If your tank has been established over a year you could use red slime remover--will work over night to erradicate it.

 

[Marsfrogie]

I've already hit the tank with erithromyacin *SP? So I don't think it's cyano. I have a bunch of snails. Trochus, cerith, mexican turbo, nassarius. They occasionally will graze past some of it and it will sometimes become slightly less dark in color, but they normally don't bother with it at all.

 

[Marsfrogie]

I guess it is probably just one of those things that falls under, find the source of nutrition and eliminate it. Anyone have any good recommendations on foods that have a minimal level of phosphates, and nitrates?

 

[Aquarist007]

other then feed less--this has been debated before here---conclusion was to feed flake less.

frozen foods should be rinsed first as they pick up phophates ect from their holding tanks.

feeding less at one time but more frequently.

I enjoy feeding my fish and watching them so.........

I have not had a problem since running this setup:

 

[Marsfrogie]

Are there no low phosphate flake foods out there? I just really don't like dealing with the frozen and liquid foods. Also I am gone most of the time and have someone else looking over the tank. I don't want them to have to worry about mixing up food, etc.

 

[Marsfrogie]

bump