Brown goo on frogbit roots, what is it and how to treat it?

[bronzel]

Just watched an Aquarist on YouTube yesterday and I came across this YouTuber with an amazing-looking Frogbit. Made me take a closer look at mine and I noticed some differences.

Her Zorchzon Frogbit has really long and clear white roots, whereas mine have shorter roots and these brown fuzzy bits that resemble algae. I'm guessing it might just be a matter of time for mine to catch up, but I thought I'd check - is this something I should be concerned about or is it fine?

[dungeon]

How long you've had the frogbit? I'm guessing maybe liquid ferts could be a factor? And is your water flow possibly too strong?

[bronzel]

I dont think so.. I'm using a sponge filter, and I've got it on low air pump settings - the pump itself is on the other side of the tank. No ferts are being used in this tank.

[dungeon]

What's the tank size, btw? That brown fuzzy stuff on the roots looks like a bunch of mulm to me. Maybe add another sponge filter or upgrade to a bigger one? Got any snails in there?

[bronzel]

No snails here, just shrimps - around 20-30 of them. Tank size is 66 Gal, with a BF-4 sponge filter, which says it's for 380 litres.

[dungeon]

I think it's just mulm accumulation, nothing to be concerned about, but if you're not a fan of the appearance, adding extra filtration might be the way to go. Over-filtering is always a good idea, especially when you're pushing the limits of the spec.

My own setup, for instance, is a 200-liter tank with a minimum recommended filtration of 600 liters per hour, but my canister actually runs at 1400 liters per hour.

I'm not sure about snails, but I think they could be helpful. Maybe someone else can offer more insight on that. What's your fish stock looking like in there?

[kingrise]

I've had something similar on my Salvinia in a smaller setup, a 10g tank. It didn't cause any issues with my fish. If you're not a fan of the appearance, I'd recommend upgrading to a better filter - one with a higher GPH rating would likely make a difference.

[bronzel]

Thanks guys, I was just worried it might harm the aquarium. But sounds like it's just mulm, so I'm good. I've got 10 Congo Tetra, 9 Albino Corys, and the shrimps.

[angelica]

It's mostly organics and algae that have collected on the roots. You could try swishing them around in a bucket of water during water changes. Trimming the roots to about 2cm will help them grow faster. Adding liquid ferts would be a good idea too. I've added extra aeration to my tank to keep the water moving around the roots. If you keep on top of it, your corys and shrimps will likely help keep the roots clean for you.