First Ever Algae Post

[snazy]

test water often and no ammonia present?
 

 
What the test is showing you if accurate is that the levels of ammonia at the time of testing are undetecable on a home test.
The levels that the algae needs at any given time are very low and the algae is also working as an ammonia remover along with the filter so for the most part those are dealing with the bioload but there maybe times/hours when the level slightly increase, hence not stable yet.  How many times a day do you test?

 

[baker360360]

Once per day
Ammonia nitrate nitrite ph gh kh

 

[snazy]

Once per day
Ammonia nitrate nitrite ph gh kh  
 

         
Thanks. Mine was mostly a rhetorical question. You just can't detect sudden minor spikes of ammonia with a home test by testing once a day. Diatoms-ammonia is a close love relationship. The levels of ammonia may not be enough and for long enough to affect most fish but can be bad for sensitive species and inverts.
And I am still talking over my head because there's no picture or video.  The only thing I am trying to point out is that there's always ammonia in a fish tank, but in a mature tank the levels are very low at any given time and stable.  However, when there's an issue those levels can either spike from time to time, or just slightly elevate.  If that goes on for long periods of time one can have issues starting from algae(in the presence of light), to health issues with the fish.

 

[SO19Firearms]

Post #4 for the pic - But you can't test for anything with accuracy at home. So never try to use a test to diagnose anything to do with plants. Ammonia, Nitrate, Phosphate etc.
Leave testing to the fishkeeping types that think it means something.

IMO