[antconsig]

I develop little brown spots on the sides and back of my tank and what I can only describe as resembling dust, but on the inside. I scrub and clean glass at water change time, but it comes back after a little bit. Any suggestions how to treat or completley eradicate?

 

[Dewdrop]

Get a Pleco :wink:

 

[fishwolfe]

i get them too.the brown spots are from high phosphates in the water.i have been battling it for awhile.i tried phoszorb in the phoszorb reactor to no avail.the bn pleco doesn't help.changing light spectrum didn't help.the only thing i found that helped was only turning the light on for a couple hours in the evening.during the day i leave it off and use a regular light in the room to give them light.they really don't need much more than that.that one change has reduced the brown spots in a big way.

 

[DJRansome]

Is it a new tank? Is the brown stuff soft and easy to rub off? Sounds like diatoms, quite common in new tanks. After a couple of months you will get algae instead, but you will always be cleaning the glass, LOL! That's why the fish need us!

In general, bristlenose plecos won't eat diatoms but will eat algae.

If it IS diatoms, that might be why changing light or phosphate had little impact. Diatoms don't need much light and silicates is what they need to live.

 

[copasetic]

99cents for a bag of sponges with light scotchbright. wipe gently and there is no worrys

 

[fishwolfe]

i got a phosphate test and my ppm was around 3.0.and i have a 6' long tank with a huge rock pile so using a scrubbie wouldn't really work.my tank has been up and running for 3 yrs or so.i dont think mine are diatoms.the lfs is also having probs and they say its high phosphates from the tap water.straight tap water has 3-5 ppm kind of fluctuates.

 

[DJRansome]

I have a six foot tank with 250 pounds of rocks too, but still need to scrape algae off the glass weekly. Rocks only get scrubbed if I have to take them out to catch a fish...only a couple times a year. Bummer about the phosphate in the water!

 

[Suzanne]

I kept getting brown alge (I assumed) on the glass. Every time I scrubbed off, it came right back. I bought some agle killer stuff and within 3-5 days, my tank looked pretty darn good....

I have a Mango Pleco, and he hardly ever goes on the glass. Stays on the rocks......

Take care, suzanne