Help identifying orange spots

alonek

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Need some help figuring out the orange spots growing on my tank.

Had it for about 3 months. Nitrates and ammonia always been at zero each week I test. I added a zoa and GSP about a week ago (dipped them both and started dosing all-in-one and testing for Calcium, magnesium, alkalinity). Stopped dosing bacteria about a month ago and only do so with weekly water changes now. I noticed some white fuzzy spots with strands and assumed it was a bacterial bloom, have not had the ugly phase yet. These orange spots appeared overnight all over my rock work. Would like to know what it is, if I need to do anything like scrub it off or dose anything else. Any help is appreciated as I am brand new to all of this!
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Üter

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Need some help figuring out the orange spots growing on my tank.

Had it for about 3 months. Nitrates and ammonia always been at zero each week I test. I added a zoa and GSP about a week ago (dipped them both and started dosing all-in-one and testing for Calcium, magnesium, alkalinity). Stopped dosing bacteria about a month ago and only do so with weekly water changes now. I noticed some white fuzzy spots with strands and assumed it was a bacterial bloom, have not had the ugly phase yet. These orange spots appeared overnight all over my rock work. Would like to know what it is, if I need to do anything like scrub it off or dose anything else. Any help is appreciated as I am brand new to all of this!
1000012408.jpg
1000012406.jpg
they are all blue in the picture. you will need to repost under bright white lights for someone to see it and give advise.
 
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alonek

alonek

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Good call, hopefully this picture is better.
 

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RabidDragon

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"have not had the ugly phase yet."
You are entering in the ugly phase. Your originally sterile white rockwork will eventually be covered in a biofilm changing the rock to all sorts of colors. The spots are just the begining.
 
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alonek

alonek

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Thanks for confirmation. Now I know what I'm up against and probably just need to be patient.
 

RabidDragon

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might want to look into obtaining some copepods, they'll help with the ugly phase and will also likely help increase your microfauna diversity in your tank.
Your ultimate goal is to achieve a balanced ecosystem in your tank, many people do this by taking some established rock from another tank and placing it in your tank... this will significanly help.
The problem with the ugly phase is there is very little bio-diversity in your tank and a singlar organism type will get out of control unbalancing your tank.
 

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