Pink algae growing everywhere turning in to string??? :(

[unknownsoldierr]

I have had small signs of this algae showing up in this tank for a while... But nothing like this. All of a sudden, after a standard tank cleaning with a possibly dirty brush (ashamed to say), there were small pink flakes everywhere and some of it started turning in to string... Rapidly. One of my fish recently suffered from a bacterial infection. I am so afraid they'll die tomorrow and I have no idea what to do. I have a 15 gallon tank, standard walmart carbon filter. I have 3 tropical fish. Recently I have also gotten dried salt-like substance growing all over the lid of my tank. I have heard that the pink algae is actually a bacteria, but all i know is hat there are pool treatments for it out there, and i dont know if theyre harmful to fish. Any ideas of what the problem could be or how I can treat it??? Thanks.

[dkpate]

Are you sure it's not mold from uneaten food?

The white stuff on the lid is mineral deposits from the water. If you don't scrub it off as soon as you start seeing it, it is REALLY hard to get off.

[unknownsoldierr]

Actually, I'm not sure. Could that have been it? ... Apparently I had never turned the filter back on after I was done changing the water (like an idiot!). That was probably why there was such a build-up. I read online that pink algae is actually a bacteria most commonly found in pools and showers... I hope this doesn't mean I have a bacteria in my water. I'm worried that although it's cleared up and I can't see it it may still be there. That may be why one of my fish got a bacterial infection about a month ago. Oh well... thanks for the help!

[bluerose]

I'd suggest getting an aquarium-only glass scrubber and using it only for that - let it air-dry thoroughly between uses.