# Alot of brown sediment settling in the tank...



## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Sounds like a lack of flow for starters.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

over_stocked said:


> Sounds like a lack of flow for starters.


I agree....ditch that filter floss...


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

ok... i feel like the flow has been better than when I previously set it up, but I will give it a shot. I'll take the floss out when I clean the filter tomorrow morning... besides the flow is there anything else it could be?


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

keep the sponges?? or toss those too?


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

You likely need MORE flow than that filter will offer. I get by in a 75 gallon tank with a sunsun 303b, which is way under rated for this tank size... but I do it with 3 powerheads to keep flow going. Something in the Koralia line will be what you want. Nice wide stream of flow. The more you cram into a filter the less it does.


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

I understand it will cut down on the flow... but to be honest, I've had some really good success with this filter on my 75 gallon and have never seen this type of buildup before. Well atleast not this much buildup. I will definitely clear out the filter. 

One Q...

Do you put the flow directly into the plants, like you would in a reef tank on the corals?


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

and what about the sponges?? Do I need those in there? I don't necessarily want to pull it out because of the housed bacteria, but will the bio-media consume these particles if I'm able to increase the flow.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

What substrate are you using?


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

I'm using a combo of flourite, sand, and ada soil


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

I'm more concerned with the build up settling on the plants more so than the substrate.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Sounds like you need to do a gravel vac smart guy...


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

If it is just falling down and not getting sucked in filter, you are 1) not syphoning it out doing water changes, 2) not doing water changes 3) don't have enough water movement. Regardless of how it has worked in the past, it isn't now, which is obvious. Planted tanks need pretty significant water movement.


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

AWESOME GUYS!! Thanks for the smart a** remarks. I've been doing this for 7 years, I do water changes WITH gravel vacing once a week at a minimum usually twice a week if I'm not traveling. Sooo... I wasn't looking for some beginner advice bs... I was hoping maybe someone on the forum had run into a similar situation and might take the time to explain how they had gotten through it versus making some pathedic two second reply... thanks for the weak advice bsmith.


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

not aimed at you overstock... 

I've been on many forums and I gave this one a shot thinking that the people on it might have some intelligent responses, but it's clear that it's another forum lacking intelligent aquarium keepers (not the majority), but seriously that was weak.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

SpyderSpy6 said:


> AWESOME GUYS!! Thanks for the smart a** remarks. I've been doing this for 7 years, I do water changes WITH gravel vacing once a week at a minimum usually twice a week if I'm not traveling. Sooo... I wasn't looking for some beginner advice bs... I was hoping maybe someone on the forum had run into a similar situation and might take the time to explain how they had gotten through it versus making some pathedic two second reply... thanks for the weak advice bsmith.


:thumbsdow

Seven years, you must be a pro. Good luck with that. :hihi:


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

I HAVE been in similar situations and that is exactly how I gave the advice I gave. Water movement and water changes are the obvious answers. Maybe you'd prefer I told you to do a rain dance, collect pokemon cards and wish for the best?

What was smart ass about solid advice?

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk


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## SpyderSpy6 (Jun 29, 2010)

None of that was meant for you overstock... I appreciated your comments. 

It was the bsmith that gave the comment that made me literally say "serisously?!?" I've been on multiple forums and had great discussions with great people before... I just get tired of the dumbasses that post on some of these forums.


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## thrak76 (Aug 3, 2009)

Wow. 

Don't take things so personally. It is just a forum!


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## fishykid1 (Apr 5, 2010)

WOW. 3 or 4 people gave you the same advice. They would have said FOAM if they had meant foam. 

My learning: 
I have a 20G planted that wasn't getting flow and I was having little brown things (poop and debri) floating around when i put the good ol' gravel vac in. Out of curiosity I took out as much of this as i coulld with a net and gravel vac, attached a Koralia to the top corner and let her go. I have the normal poop from fish, but nothing on the plants. Things change in a planted tank, things grow, things change direction in growing. Almost all the plants in my tank are now moving constantly some are even moving about 1"

But I've noticed that more plants are pearling and growing more evenly.

Hope that helped, as others had said also.

Also, how are we supposed to know, your an algae eater... I had been in fishkeeping for 8 years or so before i tried a planted tank. But i still got those 1-5th grade responses, but you know what... they helped more then high leveled gibberish at the time. These guys and girls on here have helped me a lot and I'm glad I found this forum. If you have a problem with those responses then why not go to another forum with more "educated" responses. Even though there are plenty of people that are on here that have 20+ years of experience. Enjoy that vaccuming, sir. 

Thanks Timwag, hoppy, plantbrain, nohama, bsmith(not the "dumbass" you call him, 4800 posts) and all the others for making this easier for me to enjoy the hobby.


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## EricSilver (Feb 23, 2004)

SpyderSpy6 said:


> ...but was just curious if anyone had run into this before and tracked a rough timeline of how long it took before it went away.


Where is your filter intake located? 

I had this problem occur about 2 years after I set up my current tank and, five years thereafter, finally figured out what was wrong: 

I had trimmed my filter pipe and the intake was too high above the substrate. Previously, the screened intake sat on or just above the substrate. As debris circulated and sank in the water current -- especially the heavier stuff -- it made multiple passes by the intake and eventually got sucked in, even if it landed an inch or two away. 

However, after trimming the pipe, debris could land very near or directly below the intake but not get sucked in because the intake was too far away and the suction was thus too weak. So heavy debris accumulated in patches directly below and near the intake. 

Extending the pipe so the intake once again sits atop the substrate solved that problem.


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## Sharkfood (May 2, 2010)

You said you have flourite in there. If it's brown flourite like I use, the stuff is super dusty. Any time it gets disturbed it will release dust into the water column which looks like greyish brown dust when it settles, and if your filter media has big enough pores, it can stay suspended for a very long time (days). If the pores are smaller, like a polisher cartridge, it will quickly plug it up. If you had no fish, etc this could be your issue.


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## binders (Mar 22, 2009)

*Similar thing happened to me.*

I had a similar problem myself and think it was dust from the substrat that took 3-4 weeks at least to clear up. I had cleaned the substrate first and put the water in really slowly but still had the problem. Also found that the filter material got clogged from it. Don't know if time and/or water changes and filter cleaning cleared up the problem but it finally did go away. I didn't and still don't think it was algae. Good luck! I know how frustrating it is!


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

You sure the ADA isn't disintegrating?

And personally I'd add more flow (I run an XP3 and an XP4 on my own 90gal) and MORE filter floss- and change it out more often- AND a micron pad. 

It does no good to increase flow if you remove all the media that would trap the debris so you can remove it...

[And you probably won't get much help here if ya keep up the sarcasm and personal attacks. Just a suggestion.]


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

New tanks go through difficult periods, and brown "stuff" collecting is one of them. These are different algae and bacteria that take advantage of the initial imbalances, but usually disappear after a while all by themselves. Keep up water changes.

Foam sponges are good, they filter out floating particles and clean your tank that way. If there are lots of floaters you need to clean them often, perhaps once a week or more, to keep the flow going.

Regarding the other stuff... Sometimes we get strange and unexpected replies, and it is completely your choice whether to ignore them, or beat back with all you got. This will then largely determine how you are being viewed in the community. Serisously.


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## rushr (Jan 11, 2010)

I used to get brown fluffy stuff settling on plants too. I had tried to be frugal and use this white scrubby pad as filter media. It ended up disintegrating into my tank. That's my experience with mysterious brown particles but it could be something else for you.


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## malaybiswas (Nov 2, 2008)

can you post some pics? I think people are trying to guess what it is. I have had many occasions with "Brown dusty" covering on my tank plants, glass, filter inlet/outlet etc. and there were different reasons.

IMO honestly there is not much info in this thread that explains/shows the problem which is typical to attract one line responses.


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## home grown (Jun 7, 2010)

same problem with my tank. haven't tried or figured out a workable solution yet. I do believe part of it is from my very dusty substrate that i soaked for a few days and cleaned many times before i put it in my tank. just wait and see


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## MurphyC (Mar 29, 2013)

It's kinda like the house.. If I don't get the Hoover out, loads of stuff collects in the corners n behind the sofa.. Open the windows and you see particles flying around? Same thing? Ermmmm yes I think so


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