BIG problem- possible red algae

[cinnastix911]

I cleaned my fish tank 3 days ago and haven't noticed anything wrong, until I got homew from school today. I turn on the lights and what appears to be small strings, think of stubble shaved off except thinner and possibly green. I took a quick google and saw that red algae might be the culprit. Spots on my plants are starting to show this "fur" but you really have to look to see it.

0 nitrite
40-ish nitrate
ppm total hardness:120
ppm total alkalinity/ buffering capacity:160-180
pH: 7.4 (give or take)

I haven't moved in any new fish but I do use well water to refill tank. Never happened before. I had a bad slimey green algae problem (most likely cynobacteria) but it hasn't come back (which I find odd because I didn't do any treatments).

Well that is my case. Please help!

 

[JDogg]

you did a pwc 3 days ago and you have 40 ppm nitrate!

can you post a picture of the algae?

 

[cinnastix911]

the nitrates might be lower. I have the 5 in 1 strip test. so it is kind of hard to tell I will check again....

30 is probably a closer number. I may have let the first set go to long on that nitrate reading. They have always been in the upper range since I set the tank up. Conditions are normal as to what they have been for 2 years.


I have a bad camera so these are the best I could get.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/cinnastix911/Fish/fish013.jpg?t=1168395319

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/cinnastix911/Fish/fish015.jpg?t=1168395413

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v234/cinnastix911/Fish/fish010.jpg?t=1168395379

 

[Gillie]

You have black hair algae, had it once in my planted tank. I had tried to fight it off, but to no avail It ended up killing every plant in my tank. later I found out that the Florida flagfish enjoys it an awful lot.

 

[cinnastix911]

It starts out as little "bristles" floating in water? I will look into it. How much are florida flagfish typically?

 

[Gillie]

Should be a couple of dollars















































Should be a couple of dollars.