nsamuel
06-11-2008, 12:46 AM
I have this tank that has been sitting with water (ph=6.0) and i had put assorted equipment and plastic plants in an effort to clean it up. I suspect some of the plastic plants might have had algae spores, because they were bought as used. After about a week of unattending to this cleaning chore, i noticed them first. Now, i have a this algae that has grown on the equipment and it also floats in small patches on water surface (water is still with no movement). As far as i can see, it looks like beard algae, but wanted to check with people who have had beard algae in their tanks. The picture of beard algae on the web shows a much darker color. In the picture below that shows algae on a wire, the size of the growth is about 5mm to 8mm.
One of the pictures shows the algae in one corner at bottom of tank. This is not very clear picture, and there is not actually anything on the glass walls - its just my camera not being able to focus through the glass properly. So, the only thing of concern is in the corner of the tank - the rest is to be ignored. In the corner the algae has grown more like a fluffy cotton ball, dark gray in color.
I am planning on disinfecting the whole tank and equipment with diluted bleach, since the tank is not being used and is getting prepared for a new setup.
Seperately, i wanted to discuss the ill effects of white bacteria, the type that typically blooms in new cycling tanks. I searched the web, and can not find many articles on the ill effects of this type of bacteria. Most search results only discuss about how this bacteria blooms during cycling and that it is not harmful. But most of these guys are not bacteria experts to judge how harmful they are. The only expert article i found on the subject says its not desirable to have it, and it grows on dead bacteria or other stuff, and that the cause has to be eliminated to remove the white bacteria. I would like some opinion on this topic from guys who are experts in aquaculture or someone who has read a good deal about bacterial types and their effects. Would like to see a thread on this topic that says something other than "yes its normal in cycling, dont worry about it". would be useful addition to the knowledge base of WWW.
One of the pictures shows the algae in one corner at bottom of tank. This is not very clear picture, and there is not actually anything on the glass walls - its just my camera not being able to focus through the glass properly. So, the only thing of concern is in the corner of the tank - the rest is to be ignored. In the corner the algae has grown more like a fluffy cotton ball, dark gray in color.
I am planning on disinfecting the whole tank and equipment with diluted bleach, since the tank is not being used and is getting prepared for a new setup.
Seperately, i wanted to discuss the ill effects of white bacteria, the type that typically blooms in new cycling tanks. I searched the web, and can not find many articles on the ill effects of this type of bacteria. Most search results only discuss about how this bacteria blooms during cycling and that it is not harmful. But most of these guys are not bacteria experts to judge how harmful they are. The only expert article i found on the subject says its not desirable to have it, and it grows on dead bacteria or other stuff, and that the cause has to be eliminated to remove the white bacteria. I would like some opinion on this topic from guys who are experts in aquaculture or someone who has read a good deal about bacterial types and their effects. Would like to see a thread on this topic that says something other than "yes its normal in cycling, dont worry about it". would be useful addition to the knowledge base of WWW.