Common culprits include iron and manganese. When the water enters your toilet tank and sits for some time, these minerals can precipitate and form deposits, resulting in a brown tint. Higher amounts not only make your water taste metallic but also leave a brown sticky slime inside the toilet bowl and tank.
Algae. Nothing to worry about. Scrub and flush.
If you notice a slimy layer around the average water level inside your toilet tank, this is likely caused by iron bacteria. Additional brownness or other discoloration to the tank itself isn't caused by the bacteria alone but most likely because of excess iron or manganese in the water.
Visible Signs of Iron Bacteria
If you see slimy or clumpy deposits, they are likely caused by Iron Bacteria. Orange/brown/red slime often accumulates in toilet tanks. Sometimes it floats in the water like “orange snot”.
Iron Bacteria – These naturally occurring organisms live off the iron and can produce a rusty slime that discolors your water. Sediment and Dirt – Deposits of minerals or sediment in your water heater can mix with the water flow, resulting in a brownish color.
Chlorine bleach used to disinfect the toilet will help eliminate the occurrence of the pink residue. An easy way to do this is to periodically stir three or five tablespoons of fresh bleach to the toilet tank, flush the toilet to allow the bowl to be disinfected, then add another dose of bleach to the tank.
Brown stains under the toilet rim are often caused by a combination of scale and urinary stone. There can also be a build-up of deposits deeper inside the toilet, where toilet water remains. Lime scale is the most common type of scale on plumbing fixtures.
Add a cup of white distilled vinegar to the tank once a month. Leave it to sit overnight and then flush it in the morning. Check for sediment buildup and staining every month or so. This may be especially important if you have hard water or if you have a toilet that doesn't get used very much.
The black particles are likely the result of the disintegration of the float in the toilet tank. The float is especially likely to break down over time if you use an automatic toilet bowl cleaner in the tank. Replace the float or call a plumber about replacing the float.
Have you ever lifted the top of your toilet tank and been surprised by the presence of slimy strands or another odd-looking gelatinous substance? It's likely that this slime is caused by iron bacteria or related slime forming bacteria such as sulfur bacteria.
If you have ever kept an aquarium, then chances are you've run into diatoms before. Diatoms are commonly referred to as “brown algae,” one of the most common forms of algae that we see in the fishkeeping hobby that usually forms within the first month of a new tank setup.
For the toilet you rarely use in the house, make sure to flush it at least once daily. Also, lift the lid to avoid darkness inside the bowl; mold thrives where there is stagnant water and darkness.
We recommend using a mixture of ¼ cup of vinegar for every 1 cup of water. This ensures your toilet tank is being disinfected without causing damage, which the use of bleach or chemical cleaners can do.
If there are brown stains in the tank, it's probably from iron in your water. Toilet water that's brown in color is due to iron bacteria that fixes to iron particles in the water. If you discover a thick, slimy mess, it's likely from iron bacteria growing in your toilet tank.
It's essential to clean the inside of a toilet tank to remove mineral deposits that can damage or interfere with the toilet's operation. Baking soda will absorb odors, break down stains, and dislodge fungal growth with its abrasive power.
You can buy a bathroom or all-purpose disinfectant cleaner to clean the inside of the toilet tank, or you can make a disinfecting solution using rubbing alcohol or white distilled vinegar. For rubbing alcohol solution, use two parts rubbing alcohol to one part water.
The water that goes into the flush tank is exposed to air and may leave sediment, rust, and corrosion by-products from the pipes (if there is any in your plumbing).
A Lack of Toilet Cleaning
Allowing days or weeks to pass without thoroughly cleaning your toilet bowl can cause mold, bacteria, and brown deposits to form inside the bowl and tank.
Citric acid
More importantly, it's probably even more effective than vinegar for getting rid of that brown stain in the toilet. Simply pour a kettle of almost boiling water into the bowl, follow up with 250ml of citric acid, and leave it for some hours – preferably overnight. The next day, scrub and flush.
For example, applying white vinegar or lemon juice and scrubbing with a toilet brush typically works on newer stains. You can also try mixing white vinegar and baking soda if you need a stronger scrub. For older stains, using an industrial-strength cleaner like CLR should do the trick.
Clean toilet bowl according to directions on the toilet cleaning chemical of your choice. After cleaning and disinfecting, pour ¼ cup of household bleach into the toilet tank. Let sit for 20 minutes and flush several times.
For you and your aquarium, it means slime algae is persistent and difficult to eradicate. This may be due to lack of water changes and regular maintenance or overfeeding, or it may be because the tank is new and the beneficial bacterial colonies have not become established.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of *bleach to every gallon of water you store - Bleach kills algae and prevents it from growing.