Keeping Aquarium clean

Question
Hi,

I have a 10 gallon aquarium with 5 community fish (neons and male guppies) and two African Dwarf frogs.  My family set it up a little over three weeks ago and all seem to be doing fine.  We set the thermometer at 75 degrees.  We have a filter wheel that we change on a regular basis. We've also replaced some of the water for cleaning.

My question is: The rocks are turning brown from algae(?) or other gunk.  They're getting dirtier by the day.  Even the fake plant on our ship seems to be dying from the gunk on it.  My dad has cleaned the side of the tank with an algae scrubber, but it's still filthy. What should we be doing to keep our rocks and aquarium in general looking nice and fresh?

Thanks for your response!
Amber  

Answer
Hi Amber;

This is brown algae and is very common in new tanks. It is just part of the natural environment of an aquarium. Once the tank is fully cycled in another 5 weeks, you can add a little "otocinclus" algae eater or a "Mystery Snail". Make 25% water changes at least once a week to keep the fish waste lower. The algae feeds on it.

If you have what is called a "Bio wheel" on your filter, don't ever change it unless it gets damaged and cannot turn any longer. This wheel and it's cracks and crevices is where the microscopic beneficial bacteria is trying to grow and consume the fish waste. Rinse it and the filter pads in a container of tank water and replace them into the filter box. Treat the bacteria with tender loving care as if it was a fish and it will reward you with a balanced aquarium.

Here is my article on new tanks to help you understand the process better;

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New Tank Syndrome or Break-in Period

So you have a new tank and you filled it up, put the filter together, mounted the heater into place and turned on the lights. You have all the plants and decorations where you want them....
You are ready for fish.

But, your filter is not ready for a full tank of fish yet.
The filter is running and moving the water and cleaning out crud, right? Of course!
But a very important part of your filter is the part you can't see. An aquarium filter removes the larger visible stuff, but it also must remove the dissolved fish waste that turns into ammonia in the water. To do this, special bacteria must grow in the filter system and on the particles of gravel in the bottom of your tank. This process occurs even on a limited scale in little fish bowls that have no filter in them.

This is "New-Tank Syndrome" or the "Break-in Period". The entire process takes 6 to 8 weeks to complete because these "nitrifying" bacteria grow quite slowly.

Start off with only two hardy fish for every ten gallons of water and don't add more until the 6 to 8 weeks has gone by. Hard to be patient, but it is worth it to keep your fish alive and healthy. As a matter of fact, the bacteria cannot develop without fish in the tank. You can let that tank sit forever without fish in it, but as soon as the first fish goes in the process begins. Feed your new fish VERY lightly. Any excess food will cause additional waste your system cannot afford to have right now. If you see food floating around or lying on the plants and gravel after five minutes, too much food is going into the tank. Cut back a little each time you feed until it is ALL gone 5 minutes after you feed them.

During this "break-in period" your tank will become cloudy and milky looking. You may have to tolerate this for the entire break-in period but it is only temporary. Changing 25% of the water three times a week until the break-in period is over helps a great deal. Changing water reduces the ammonia and nitrites that rise while the bacteria continues to multiply. If ammonia and/or nitrites become too high, your fish will become stressed and possibly die. Use a good water conditioner when you replace the water and make sure it is the right temperature to avoid shocking your fish.

When the break-in period is over, do regular water changes and vacuum the gravel at the same time. A change of 25% every one to two weeks is a good rule of thumb. It simply needs to be done for healthy fish.

Following these guidelines will help you get your new tank on the right track.
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Followups welcome.

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins