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View Full Version : White cloudy algae and tiny bushes on the glass.



icarium
03-16-2009, 11:53 AM
Looking for opinions on what this is, course of action and do you think its safe to add some more fish?

Info below, appreciate any suggestions and comments. Sorry for the long read, but trying to get as much info to you as I can.

Looking over my tank on Saturday, I noticed a white cloudy growth in each corner of the tank (photos attached). Then looking closer on the glass are these little waving white bushes, about a 1mm long and pretty much scattered over the entire glass surface. Have sketched up what they look like.

Sunday I cleaned out the growth in the corners and a section of the glass, so I can see if or how quick it comes back. Nothing noticeable as of tonight (Monday).
Have read through the Algae Primer thread and tried Google for answers but white cloud algae/mold/fungus seems to either get fish with fungus or forum posts with no replies.

Some more details are,
Tank has been up and running for 10 days, using Seachem Stability for cycling the tank, have added one cap of Flourish Comprehensive, day after plants (Day 2).
4xTetras were added on day 4 (last Tuesday).
Ammonia 0-.25, Nitrite 0-0.25, Nitrates 5, PH 7.4. This has been stable all week. Tested 5 out of 7 days.
Lights have been on 6.5 hrs/day - 4pm to 10:30pm, except first night where I didn't have timer set correctly and so stayed on.
No direct sunlight on tank, room is resonantly dark throughout the day.
Tetras feed twice a day, small amounts added at a time as they eat for a couple of minutes. A small percentage getting to gravel.

My guess, from what I have been able to find and read, its likely a fungus or Cyanobacteria.

Causes, just a phase for a newly setup tank, excess nutrient from dose of Flourish, to early, to much or not required. Not enough light.

So have added an extra 2 hours of light in the morning and changed evening times to 3:30-9:30pm, and won't add any more Flourish for the time being.

AnthonyTCaps
03-16-2009, 12:00 PM
i believe those are Hydras.
I had them as well i was told from someone on here if i remembered who id tell ya but they said they were pretty much harmless and they said to watch the feeding and do some water changes and they should go away.
I did just that plus i scrubbed the inside of my tank before the water change so i would suck up a bunch seemed to work plus my fish have been nippin at them lol hopefully this helped.

icarium
03-16-2009, 01:23 PM
Thanks for the quick reply. Yes will go with Hydra as the little white bushes. Mine are slightly different looking to ones on the thermometer pics in this post http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/aquariumforum/showthread.php?t=37770&highlight=hydra.

I Think the stuff in the corners is something else though...

I think a saw a Planaria wiggling across the glass too, so will cut back on feeding and start doing some gravel vacuuming.