What is this crud in my tank?

[SnowySurface]

THat's how brown algae works. It appears suddenly in a newly established tank. It would look browner with better lighting, but when the lighting sucks it becomes a bit paler. It took me a while to realize why my "brown" algae looks white. XD

I started to see it at the 2 month mark. It took longer for your tank to get algae because of the moss ball. Marimo are known for competing with algae so it took longer for your algae to win. Maybe it would go away sooner if you tossed in a second one. There is also the chance that your current moss ball is over saturated with debris. Have you cleaned your mos ball lately?

[freeflow246]

Yea I scrub my moss ball pretty good at every water change. I'll probably have to end up tossing in another and adding one to my 1 gal. >.>

[SnowySurface]

Originally Posted by freeflow246

Yea I scrub my moss ball pretty good at every water change. I'll probably have to end up tossing in another and adding one to my 1 gal. >.>

I was looking into moss balls myself, which is why I asked about cleaning them so they don't make the water worse instead of better. :)

The employee in the fish section warned me that some moss balls can get too big for a 5 gallon. If you really want one in a 1 gallon you may have to make sure it isn't one of the moss balls that grow up to be huge. I saw some that were already had 3 inch circumference. Your 1 gallon could look like "Attack of the Giant Moss Ball" by accident.

I'm still kind of bummed the pet store near me only sells the big kind. I at least got better lighting. I want to see the brown algae win now.

[freeflow246]

I used to get green algae in the corners and on some of the decor, but since adding my moss ball it's gone now. Moss balls also grow extremely slowly, about 1/4 inch a year I've heard. I got my first one about three months ago and I've seen no difference in its size.
There were only big ones at the store, so I got one and cut it in half. Put one half in the 1 gal, and the other in my 2.5 with my first ball. Hopefully that will cut down on the brown algae. :)

[Kytkattin]

Yes, they are horribly slow growers. So while they could outgrow a 5 gallon, you are looking at years upon years before that happens. Then you can just divide as freeflow suggested!

[SnowySurface]

Sweet. A few looked like they wree already too big for my tank. But I could get one of the smaller ones now and worry about how much they grow later. I've made worse impulse buys than a moss ball I may have to divide in the future. XD

[freeflow246]

Didn't notice any algae strings today. Lets hope it stays that way. *crosses fingers*

[tpocicat]

I had problems with my male's 5 gallon tanks with protein scum on top. I've since gotten filters for their tanks, and no more scum.

[LaLaLeyla]

I see that stuff in my 10 gallon too. At first i thought it was poop. But my fish don't poop that color. lol

[freeflow246]

When I had a filter I didn't get that protein film on the surface, but the filter was a pain, took up a lot of room, and broke after about a week. :P