White fuzz floating in tank, on heater, on plant roots

[totalnoob]

Good morning everyone! I am completely new to the forums (I have been lurking for a while, reading a lot of posts - I am using the (almost) complete guide to cycling your tank for my new tank), and I need some help.

I have not had a fish tank since I was around 14 (I am 26 now), and back then I knew absolutely nothing about fish. These days, thankfully I am good at Googling - for the most part. I am in the process of cycling my tank, and I have noticed that there is some whitish/clearish fuzz growing on the roots of my anubias plants (there are 4 total) and my (I believe) java fern. Two of the anubias are tied to a rock, the other two and the fern are tied to a holed cube decoration. None of the roots/rhizomes are buried in the substrate, which is just white aquarium rocks. The light I use on the tank is the light that came with it, I turn it on around 9-10 am and turn it off around 7-8 pm.

There are also white particulates floating on the top of the water, it is very slimy. In addition, it's growing around the top of my heater. I have a Fluval Spec V 5 gallon tank, everything is right out of the box (filter, pump, etc.) except the heater (I don't remember what kind I bought, I no longer have the box). It's uncycled, I am on roughly day 7 of that. The tank has been set up ~10-11 days, but I couldn't get my hands on ammonia until last weekend.

As of this morning, my pH was 7.2, my ammonia had dropped to 1 ppm (so I dosed back up to 4 ppm), and I had more than 0 ppm nitrites, but less than .25 ppm. The temp in the tank is between 78 and 80 degrees, and has been holding at that temp for the last week.

I have tried to research the white fuzz, and I have found everything from bio film to algae to fungus (not harmful or KILL IT WITH FIRE!!) to "it'll go away in a few weeks", so I am not sure what the correct answer is or how to proceed from here. Do I need more agitation of the water? A different filter? (I have been reading the planted tank forums, and I guess I need to get rid of the bag of charcoal that came with this tank's filter sponge), A water change? Kill it with fire? Or leave it alone?

I have attached photos for you guys, hopefully so you can see what I've got. Thank you in advance for your help!

 

[Delapool]

I'd leave it alone and it should settle. Sounds like bio-film. Was also thinking bacterial bloom but your tank water looks fine. The carbon will help clean the water but if your filter is just sponge and carbon - I'd replace the carbon with ceramic bio-media.

 

[totalnoob]

Thanks! I am using the stock filter, and I would consider myself a total noobie to the hobby since I don't count being 14 and having a tank as actually having a tank, haha. What is ceramic bio-media? I ordered some filter floss, as I was reading that that is better for catching stuff and for holding onto the good bacteria.

I think what I had was actually some rhizoclonium algae, it took me forever to figure that out, but given its growth pattern and habit, I think that is what it was. I cleaned everything yesterday and did a partial water change, and everything is okay so far. But if it comes back I will leave it and see what happens during the rest of the cycle.

 

[Delapool]

Can you get that as a white colour?

I find the rubber mounts on UV unit and heater get a white colour to them but not too bad.

Ceramic media is like the link below if that helps? It's where most bacteria can live undisturbed while carbon and filter floss are replaced or sponges are cleaned in old tank water (your mechanical filtration). Bacteria will live on anything (including carbon) but they die off easily.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000HHSG5M?pc_redir=1403423954&robot_redir=1


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[enrgizerbunny]

I get this stuff too, it smells horrible and mainly grows on my heater.

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[totalnoob]

So where would I put it in the filter sponge that I currently have?

(This is what I have: http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-SPEC-Replacement-Filter-Block/dp/B0049RL3G0)

There's a charcoal bag in the top hole, and biomax rings in a small bag in the bottom one. Should I pull out the carbon and add another bag of biomax rings?

 

[sindyt89]

This happened to me when I was cycling my tank. I think its a type of algae because my snails ate it until none was left.

 

[totalnoob]

This happened to me when I was cycling my tank. I think its a type of algae because my snails ate it until none was left.

Yeah, I believe it's rhizoclonium (sp? I'm on my phone lol) algae. It took me forever to figure that out though. What kind of algae eating thing would you recommend for a betta? Something that won't eat my plants or my fish lol. A snail or a shrimp, maybe? I've read that both are sensitive to co2 and fertilizers in the tank so I'm sort of wondering if it'll go away once the tank cycles and I won't need an algae eating thing.

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[sindyt89]

Honestly I'm fairly new at this so I shouldn't answer that. I have a golden mystery snail and a nerite snail,they eat left over fish food and algae. They have never eaten the plants but I'm not sure about the co2 or fertilizer. Sorry I wish I could help more

 

[totalnoob]

Honestly I'm fairly new at this so I shouldn't answer that. I have a golden mystery snail and a nerite snail,they eat left over fish food and algae. They have never eaten the plants but I'm not sure about the co2 or fertilizer. Sorry I wish I could help more

lol I'm also new so... yay for being in the same boat!

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[sindyt89]

Lol best of luck ?

 

[Delapool]

So where would I put it in the filter sponge that I currently have?

(This is what I have: Amazon.com : Fluval SPEC Replacement Foam Filter Block : Aquarium Filter Accessories : Pet Supplies)

There's a charcoal bag in the top hole, and biomax rings in a small bag in the bottom one. Should I pull out the carbon and add another bag of biomax rings?

Many people end up replacing the carbon with either more biomedia or seachem purigen

Seachem. Purigen

Carbon will certainly help filter the water. If you are replacing the carbon and getting ammonia spikes it would suggest you are throwing out too much good bacteria when the carbon is replaced. Bacteria will start to grow on the carbon after one to two weeks. Then more bio-media is needed for sure. Purigen is worth checking out as well.

 

[totalnoob]

Many people end up replacing the carbon with either more biomedia or seachem purigen

Seachem. Purigen

Carbon will certainly help filter the water. If you are replacing the carbon and getting ammonia spikes it would suggest you are throwing out too much good bacteria when the carbon is replaced. Bacteria will start to grow on the carbon after one to two weeks. Then more bio-media is needed for sure. Purigen is worth checking out as well.

Since I'm in my 2nd week of cycling, would it be better to buy the new media now, and let the bacteria get established early on? I do have a bunch of plants in my tank, I added a couple more yesterday. I've got 3 amazon swords, 5 little stalks of water wisteria (3 are floating, 2 are planted, I wanted to see if they'd do better one way or the other), 4 anubias, and a lone little java fern. Do the plants take care of what the Purigen takes care of? It was my understanding that they ate a lot of the bad leftovers from the water and helped balance the system.

 

[Delapool]

Since I'm in my 2nd week of cycling, would it be better to buy the new media now, and let the bacteria get established early on? I do have a bunch of plants in my tank, I added a couple more yesterday. I've got 3 amazon swords, 5 little stalks of water wisteria (3 are floating, 2 are planted, I wanted to see if they'd do better one way or the other), 4 anubias, and a lone little java fern. Do the plants take care of what the Purigen takes care of? It was my understanding that they ate a lot of the bad leftovers from the water and helped balance the system.

I would do that and add more media now yes. When I run carbon I use it in a second filter or just when needed to remove meds.

Plants are definitely useful. Purigen absorbs a lot of waste product, is then removed and recharged so it's just so much more efficient.


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[totalnoob]

I would do that and add more media now yes. When I run carbon I use it in a second filter or just when needed to remove meds.

Plants are definitely useful. Purigen absorbs a lot of waste product, is then removed and recharged so it's just so much more efficient.


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Alright, the Petsmart actually has those Fluval bio rings, and I've gotta go back up that way today for something else, so I'll swing in and grab some and see if they have the purigen too. Thanks for the suggestions!