javalee

Hello,

I've been so pleased with my 29g planted tank, however, some nasty bacteria/fungus/algae? that was in a previous tank that killed all my crypts has made it into this tank. It was growing as a fuzzy white mat over my gravel and low plants. It had a bluish cast to it. Very much looked like fungus. I kept vacuuming it out and it would come right back.

Here's the kicker: it turns everything beneath it anaerobic. In fact, the gravel it covers becomes stained black. The substrate below is anearobic and releasing smelly gas.

Here's another interesting point. I feed this tank a lot. One day I didn't feed at all, and all the snails, and oto catfish ate all the nasty stuff off the substrate. I watched them clean it all up in one day!

So what's the problem? It remains where the snails can't reach it, about one inch below the surface there is a blackish-blue tint to the gravel and tons of bubbles of that nasty smelling gas. Now my crypts in that area are melting. The stuff is spreading around the tank, and only one corner remains normal looking, with no blackish-blue tint to the substrate and gas.

What is this stuff? My guess is fungus, but it could be bacteria too, I guess. Now I know it's not algae if it's growing below the substrate on a side not exposed to sunlight. How can I get rid of it? It killed my 2.5 gallon tank. I took one healthy plant from that tank and soaked it in a H202 solution before adding it to this tank. Now the nasty anearobic stuff has spread out from the base of this very plant in the new tank. In the 2.5g tank, with no snails or otos to eat it, it coated the entire surface of the gravel and low lying plants in a whitish blue mat, and again, turned everything black beneath it.

HELP! I love this new tank and I think this gas may be harming my fish. They seem to be going downhill, slowed down and hanging at the bottom. I am running a powerhead. This is what the tank looks like now...




pH=8.3
GH=4d
Nitrate=5ppm

Thanks for reading my long post, and for any advice you can provide!
Javalee

mistergreen

What's your substrate?

When it goes anarobic, lots of bad chemicals can kill you fish. It's probably the cause for the fungus. It could be yeast too..

deepdiver

Blue-Green algae (cyanobacteria) ?????

Ownager2004

Sounds like bacteria to me. Most bacteria that produce the smelly gasses(like H2S) aren't that tolerant to oxygen. How deep is your substrate? If its possible I would give the gravel a good stir and add an airstone to your tank. That should help combat the problem.

Edward

ed seeley

I had what sounds like a very similar problem with my nano tank. A piece of bogwood was the source, but the fungus/bacteria spread onto the substrate and turned it very smelly and black. It also killied a number of plants by attacking the bottom of stems, especially Rotala wallichi.

I had to remove the wood and then did a lot of water changes removing the black sand and any sign of fungus. I removed some of the plants and washed them in tap water. I had to do this a few times. My cardinal tetras seemed unaffected by it though, but they stayed well clear of it.

I would really up the water changes for a while and try to syphon off any sign of this when you do. I'd cut back on the feeding for a while too to try and ease the load on the tank.

dwalstad

Javalee,

It sounds like your substrate is too rich and/or too deep and going anaerobic.

If the gas truly smells (hydrogen sulfide), your fish are in danger.

I would do water changes, gravel cleaning, add an airstone, and poke the substrate (introduces oxygenated water). Don't worry so much about killing this stuff as counteracting the conditions that are causing it. The black stuff is probably bacteria and algae coated with precipitated iron sulfide, which is turning the goop black. It's annoying but probably just part of the substrate chaos I discussed in my book.

If this substrate is less than 6 months old, I'd try to keep it aerobic as much as possible until it settles down. Eventually, as the organic matter gets digested and starts to "age", the problem will go away. If the snails are eating it and not dying, that's a good sign!

Diana

essabee

Javalee you have given all details except what substrate you have used and how; and as your problem is substrate based it would help if you would post details.

Your problem is that your substrate has gone anaerobic and is populated with the entirely different organisms which thrive in anaerobic conditions producing chemicals by reduction most of which is not well tolerated (and some are toxic too) by aerobic organisms which include your plants and fishes.

For immediate relief you require to vacuum your substrate, aerate your water, and do some water changes. You may consider removing your fishes to temporary tubs and also removing your plants before giving a thorough vacuum of substrate, then replanting and putting your fishes back.

For long time relief you require to rectify the conditions which caused the anaerobic condition, and for that you need to post the details about your substrate if you seek help.

javalee

Thank you everyone for your replies.

Ed Seeley, you seem to know just what I'm talking about! It isn't BGA. Look at the photo below. It is some kind of organism that grows above and creates the conditions below it, and it's like once it gets it there I can't get rid of it. I have vacuumed the organism and black stuff that accompanies it several times and it just comes back slowly but surely.

I have had several natural planted tanks now over several years and understand that they can go anearobic if the depth is too thick or there isn't enough root penetration; however, believe me, this is not the issue in this tank. I should have posted the photo first to clarify that this is not a problem with my soil, but the soil is experience problems from an organism introduced to it by a plant from another tank with the same organism and problems---fuzzy whitish, bluish,gray growth above, and anearobic conditions below.

My substrate is potting soil, but is not involved in this problem as this organism (bacterial or fungal) created the same condtitions in my last tank with topsoil from my property.

I'll show you a photo of the carpeting it can do and how it makes everything beneath it look. It's entirely possible that a fungus or bacteria could do this, and I'm wondering if Diana could expound upon this. Note the fuzzy growth above the substrate, and the blackish coloring of the gravel below along the glass. Also, note the oto who came to eat it



The problem is that the constant water changes and vacuuming required to keep it away (about once per week or two weeks) are too many water changes for a natural planted tank and my plants end up with nutrient deficiencies. I did all the disinfecting I could do when I set up this tank because this stuff meant the end of my 2.5g. I should never have "disinfected' a plant from that tank and put it in this one. Shouldn't have taken the chance. I don't wanna lose this tank---I love it! Too bad the MTS won't dig any deeper than about an inch.

thanks and beware of this stuff!

Javalee

mistergreen

Maybe the gravel layer is too thick.. I had the same problem. I took out half the gravel and added aeration.. It's looking tons better.