Question about why my tank use to look like this!

[merlberg]

Before my upgrade my 55 gal. Tank started to have this hairy look all over the rocks and also the back of the tank. Idk why and then i realized my fish had ick. Idk if the ick did this to the tank or was it something else but i wanted to try n figure it out so I can prevent this frm ever happening again.

I should of taken a better pic but the hairy thing thts on tht rock was basically all over my tank. Any idea what must of caused this please?

 

[Supurderek]

The hairy stuff looks like chrysophytes to me. Usually if on a few rocks, you can hydrogen peroxide h202 dip to remove them. If it is chrysophytes, starving them of silica and nutrients, in general, helps.

 

[merlberg]

The hairy stuff looks like chrysophytes to me. Usually if on a few rocks, you can hydrogen peroxide h202 dip to remove them. If it is chrysophytes, starving them of silica and nutrients, in general, helps.

Do you knw what caused them? And is it ok to dip the rock in peroxide and put it back in the tank?

 

[Supurderek]

Usually caused by high silica and higher nutrient levels. Do you use rodi water? Tap water usually is part of the culprit for these issues. They usually don't grow to such large areas unless you have a nutrient problem (i.e. Over feeding, tap water, etc.). Dipping the rocks and leaving for a while in solution guarantees removal but also death of the good bacteria. Therefore, don't dip all rocks at once and give a week in between dip/ replacing to get to all rocks. Make sure after dipping to rinse extremely well with rodi, if possible.

On a sidenote, maybe introducing chemical filtration like purigen or gfo can help nutrient issues! Best to read about each thing in stickies of forums.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Do you knw what caused them? And is it ok to dip the rock in peroxide and put it back in the tank?

yes dip and rinse well. I used 3 buckets. RODI or salt/old tank water. Perox 1 @3% 5min w powerhea/pump, rinse powerhead pump, rinse soak. change out water the if your doing a lot esp last 2

 

[merlberg]

Usually caused by high silica and higher nutrient levels. Do you use rodi water? Tap water usually is part of the culprit for these issues. They usually don't grow to such large areas unless you have a nutrient problem (i.e. Over feeding, tap water, etc.). Dipping the rocks and leaving for a while in solution guarantees removal but also death of the good bacteria. Therefore, don't dip all rocks at once and give a week in between dip/ replacing to get to all rocks. Make sure after dipping to rinse extremely well with rodi, if possible.

On a sidenote, maybe introducing chemical filtration like purigen or gfo can help nutrient issues! Best to read about each thing in stickies of forums.

Ahhh tht maybe it... I use to use only tap water until i recently started using rodi water, so tht might have caused those things all over the tank. Thanks for ur response, i've been dieing to knw what those things were n the cause of them for months and now tht you mentioned a few things i def. think it was from using tap water. The rocks r all cleared up now since my tank has been fallow but i wanted to make sure it didnt happen again once i start running my tank again... Thanks again!!!