Hello!
I am trying to figure out why these random dark/translucent spots showed up on my tank and what I can do to get ride of them if needed. You can also see the orange spots too, these have been a reoccurring issue. I have replaced all filter media, the pump, and the heater, and they still keep coming back. My at-home water testing strips don't show anything out of the ordinary.
Any help is appreciated!!!
Posted by amakingfire
4 Comments
Algae
This is algae, just scrape it off. Perfectly normal and most tanks have this sort of algae pop up at times
Looks like algae starting haha
is it on the glass? if so it’s just algae. you are meant to just scrape it off! it’s common to get build up like that on the glass.
as for replacing filter media, that is something you are absolutely not supposed to do. you have to do some research on the nitrogen cycle and why it’s important for the health of your fish. youtube is a great learning source.
a bit of basic info on the nitrogen cycle- the nitrogen cycle works by building up bacteria colonies (benifical bacteria) that live mostly in the media in your filter. these bacteria eat ammonia (fish waste, a highly toxic level) and process it into nitrite(also toxic to fish). it is then processed again from nitrites into nitrates. nitrates are safe for fish under 20ppm. you remove nitrates by doing regular, partial water changes in the tank. there is a lot more to learn about the nitrogen cycle, but i figure i’d get you started.
by replacing the filter media, you are taking away any kind of cycle you had going on your tank. you should not replace the filter media again. if your flow from the filter slows, you can rinse the sponge out in some tank water from a water change, but do not change it!
as for using test strips, they can be very finicky at times and more importantly they cannot test for ammonia properly, which is arguably the most important level to check. you should pick up the api master test kit. if you have amazon it’s usually on there for around $25. it will last you a long time.