# Problem with brown film on plant leaves



## NativeFloridian (Mar 31, 2012)

I've got a low-tech 20 gallon with compost-silt and aquarium gravel. The silt is extremely high in nutrients for my plants and keeps the tank a nice tea color. I wasn't sure how well I would be able to keep fish in it, but they seem to like it fine. My problem is, the silt is very water-soluable, and sometimes precipitates on my plant leaves, leaving a brown film that rubs off, but I assume still hurts photosynthesis. What can I do to fix this? Is there a snail or fish or something that I can buy to keep my leaves clean? 

Also, I'm assuming it's the silt. It could also be algae, or something, since I keep my tank outside, but it's not stuck to the glass, so there's my silt assumption.


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

I'm going to assume its diatoms (basically algae in new tanks) just rub it away or buy a fish (otos etc) to eat it. It'll go away eventually, happens to most new tanks.


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## NativeFloridian (Mar 31, 2012)

If I buy the otos fish will they die when the diatoms go away or will they eat other stuff in the tank?


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Algae. Which will probably happen if the tank is outside. The concern with otos is getting some that feel like living after you get them home. They tend to be real sensitive to shipping, so they die often after they get to the pet store. Blah blah. If you're concerned about them eating, I'm sure they'll eat algae wafers. I don't bother mine, he seems fat and healthy and i have no algae, no food for him.


How big is the tank? How warm does it get? What fish are in there?


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## NativeFloridian (Mar 31, 2012)

It's a 20 gallon, and gets lukewarm depending on the day (which seems warm to me for a tank), but another guy on this forum is going to send me a taro plant to keep it kinda shaded. It has 4 baitfish minnows in it to keep mosquito larvae from developing. They won't bother anything (they used to live with my mom's gigantic koi). I'm eventually going to put a betta in it once I get it fully planted. I'm ordering duckweed soon, which will improve water quality, and a peice of wood.


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Lukewarm is different from person to person, all depends on what your hands used to. I worked in a restaurant for a while, so hot to some isn't hot to me. My discus are in 88-90 degree water, so anything below 80 feels cool, 75 feels cold. It sounds probably around 80 though. Maybe take a temp to know if otos will work for you? Sounds like you've got a plan, have fun with that duckweed, itll do what you want but it'll grow like nothing else outside.


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## NativeFloridian (Mar 31, 2012)

I'm going to eat it when there gets to be too much. The purpose of the tank is to grow edibles.Thanks for the tips. I'll check out those fish.


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## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Nerite snails demolished my diatoms! I'd give them a try.


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## NativeFloridian (Mar 31, 2012)

Bought 2 otos the other day. They seem to be thriving even though they looked kinda skinny in the fish store. Yay!


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