Is this Algae or Mold in my cycling tank?

[Gazoo]

I noticed a couple days ago in my cycling 16 gallon some funky stuff growing on substrate, plants and glass.

The facts:
- day 14 of cycle with 1 Betta
- seeded with sponge, BioMax & artificial plants from an established tank on day 1
- additional decoration - "African root wood"
- indirect light
- AquaClear 150 power filter
- 78°F
- pH 7
- Ammonia 4
- Nitrites 2
- Nitrates 10

What do you think?

Thanks,
Gazoo

 

[CathyG]

It looks like hair algae to me. Be careful to read the instructions for any hair algae treatment, it can kill live plants as well as scaleless fish and inverterbrates. It can also lower the oxygen content of your water, you should consider using an airstone should you treat. Your Betta may not take well to the treatment so should be removed...

btw, I would not cycle a tank with a Betta. Irregardless, you should be performing water changes every day to get that Ammonia and Nitrite level down, right now it is highly poisoness. This may delay the maturation of your tank, but better with a healthy Betta than a dead one.

Good luck!

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

Algae I think.

 

[clutterydrawer]

I'm not sure about the algae but as someone said, you need to do a water change asap! At 4ppm I'm surprised your betta isn't already dead. try to keep both ammonia and nitrite under 1ppm.

 

[Gazoo]

I just did a 33% water change. The ammonia decreased from 4 to 1 and the nitrite looks between 1-.5. I'll continue to make sure they don't break 1 from now on.

 

[new fish lover]

I had a similiar problem with a mold like substance on my tank when I first started it. We think it was b/c of the food we fed them. We used some flakes that were really big (like big confettie). I scubbed the inside with my magfloat (algae scrubber), water change and went to smaller flakes.

You may want to get a hardy fish or two to complete the cycle and move the betta back in once the cycle is over. Just remember if you get a couple fish to cycle the tank, you gotta do something with them when the cycle is complete (either keep or find new home)