Is this algae?

[Splashes]

Is this algae? These are pictures from my cycled tank, still fishless. The readings have been 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and 20 nitrates. Splashes is cured and ready to move, but now I find this in the tank! I guess I'll have to scrub it down. The "algae" is also in little crumbs on the decorations and silk plant, but they fall right off. They're not stuck on like most algae. I'll try to link the pics here, but they're probably big. The stuff is mossy looking hanging on the filter media, but there's also some stuff that looks like thin hairlike strands from filter to sides and on the plant. Help?!


I don't think the pics are coming up. Go here: public.fotki.com/curlilocks/betta_fish/algae00.html
and here: public.fotki.com/curlilocks/betta_fish/algae01.html

[amanichen]

The green stringy stuff is hair algae.

The stuff on the mechanical filration medium is most likely a combination of nitrifying bacteria and trapped particulate matter. If that area is exposed to light, then the dark stuff is most likely a red bacteria.

[Splashes]

I knew I could count on you amanichen! I did look over your site but was still unsure. There is a light on the tank and I turn it on only about 5-6 hrs a day. The tank is near a window but not in direct light. How do I keep this stuff from growing back? Should I rinse the stuff off the filter (with tank water)? Is the red bacteria good or bad for my tank and fish? Thanks!

[amanichen]

Well in the lower grade whisper filters, there's a white polyesther bag that doubles as biological and mechanical media.

the newer ones have a black foam block that stays fairly clean of particulate matter, and acts as the place where the bacteria are.

Mechanical media should be cleaned once a week, and to avoid killing bacteria rinse the media in a bucket of old tank water when you do a water change.

Light is definitely a cause for the algae, but so are nutrients. Only turn on the light at night maybe, and do smaller, more frequent water chagnes.

[Splashes]

Would this filter media replacement work better? www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=30607;category_id=3954;pcid1=1965;pcid2=
Or do you have another suggestion of the type you mention?

I haven't been doing many water changes in the tank since there wasn't any fish in there. I didn't really think about it since the readings were ok until recently. Hopefully that will clear it up.

Any more info on that red bacteria?

[amanichen]

Splashes said:

Would this filter media replacement work better? www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=30607;category_id=3954;pcid1=1965;pcid2=
Or do you have another suggestion of the type you mention?

Actually yes, it looks like the polyesther bag and blue sponge are separate, and that would be a good thing.

Ideally, you want the water to go through the mechanical filter first. The water then should go through the bio filter which never gets cleaned. That way you don't lose bacteria if you decide to toss the mechanical media. You should clean mechanical media weekly.

Any more info on that red bacteria?

No, but I wouldn't think it's harmful. It's pretty common. AGain it just comes down to cleaning your mechanical media =)

[Splashes]

So the white poly bag is the mechanical and should go to the back, then the blue sponge is the bio and should go to the front (output)? I was about tho order those, I'm glad they'll be better.

[amanichen]

Yup, exactly.

[Splashes]

Thank you again!