What Is This And How Can I Control It?

[user2704]

Hello,
 
I have just installed the aquarium (Tetra LED Waterfall Globe Desktop Aquarium Kit) 4 days ago doing the following:
 - boiled tap water 1.8G (~7L), let it cool
 - added: Tetra Aqua Safe, Tetra Safe Start, Tetra Easy Balance, JBL Ektol Cristal
 - poured the water into aquarium and let it cycle a bit through the filter
 - let the water reach the required temperature
 - tested NO2, NO3, GH, KH, pH and Cl2 = OK
 - added in 1 Betta Halfmoon gradually (who seems ok atm)
 
I cleaned the sand and the rock decoration before putting them in the aquarium.
There are no natural plants, just a few silk ones as seen in pictures.
 
I have tested the water right now and NO2, NO3, GH, KH, pH and Cl2 are fine.
Temperature is at 80F (27C).
 
Yesterday I did 30% water change.
 
What is this thing clinging to the walls of the aquarium and what can I do about it?

Thanks
 
 
 

 

[BaylorPerez]

its nothing to worry about, its just water stains, they dont do anything to the tank, just make it look really old. so your fine, if it was colored then it would be algae, but with the pictures its just a water stain 

 

[user2704]

its nothing to worry about, its just water stains, they dont do anything to the tank, just make it look really old. so your fine, if it was colored then it would be algae, but with the pictures its just a water stain 

 
To me, those are not water stains. If you look carefully in the third picture, you will see that they are like tiny hairs floating from the point where they are attached.

 

[Far_King]

Firstly, after four days your tank isn't cycled.  There are articles available on this site in regards to fishless cycling.
 
It looks like a hair algae to me - is it on the plants as well?  How long do you have the lights on for?  Is the tank near a window?  Is it particularly sunny where you are?

 

[NickAu]

 
- boiled tap water 1.8G (~7L), let it cool

I would be careful boiling water to use in a fish tank, When you boil water you are concentrating the solids due to evaporation and this may play havoc with your water parameters Eg PH

 

[Far_King]

In addition, boiling removes oxygen from the water.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

More importantly to a new setup, boiling kills the good bacteria we are trying to cultivate in our tank to deal with ammonia and nitrite.

 

[user2704]

Firstly, after four days your tank isn't cycled.  There are articles available on this site in regards to fishless cycling.
 
It looks like a hair algae to me - is it on the plants as well?  How long do you have the lights on for?  Is the tank near a window?  Is it particularly sunny where you are?

 
I've read the articles, but I had no where to keep the fish in the mean time, so I have treated the water (details at top) and added in bacteria.
 
Yes, it's attached to the plants (first picture) and the decoration as well.
The lights are on during the day only and the tank is not near the window (not so sunny in room either).
 
How would I treat hair algae? I did the 30% water change after this thing appeared and nothing happened.
 

- boiled tap water 1.8G (~7L), let it cool

I would be careful boiling water to use in a fish tank, When you boil water you are concentrating the solids due to evaporation and this may play havoc with your water parameters Eg PH

 
Well, I have tested the pH before introducing the fish and it was ok.
 

In addition, boiling removes oxygen from the water.

 
I have let the filter/oxygenator running a while before adding in the fish (I also had oxygen tablets).
 

More importantly to a new setup, boiling kills the good bacteria we are trying to cultivate in our tank to deal with ammonia and nitrite.

 
Yes, but I was also planing on getting rid of some chlorine and eventual bad bacteria. I added bacteria after the water has cooled off. The NO2 and NO3 levels where fine before adding in the fish.

Thank you all!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

 

More importantly to a new setup, boiling kills the good bacteria we are trying to cultivate in our tank to deal with ammonia and nitrite.

 
Yes, but I was also planing on getting rid of some chlorine and eventual bad bacteria. I added bacteria after the water has cooled off. The No2 and No3 levels where fine before adding in the fish.

Thank you all!
 

 
Of course the nitrite levels were fine before adding the fish.  The fish are the source of the ammonia.  
 
I'd suggest reading up on the beginners' resource center (in my sig) and read through the sections on the Nitrogen Cycle, and A Fish-in Cycle.

 

[user2704]

More importantly to a new setup, boiling kills the good bacteria we are trying to cultivate in our tank to deal with ammonia and nitrite.

 
Yes, but I was also planing on getting rid of some chlorine and eventual bad bacteria. I added bacteria after the water has cooled off. The No2 and No3 levels where fine before adding in the fish.

Thank you all!

 
Of course the nitrite levels were fine before adding the fish.  The fish are the source of the ammonia.  
 
I'd suggest reading up on the beginners' resource center (in my sig) and read through the sections on the Nitrogen Cycle, and A Fish-in Cycle.

Ok, I'll do more reading, but can you point me in the right direction please? Is it "hair algae"?

 

[Far_King]

It does look like hair algae to me.  I'd reduce the lighting level for one and remove whatever else I could by hand.  If there's a lot of algae and it dies off it will foul the water and a Betta will not eat the algae.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Ok, I'll do more reading, but can you point me in the right direction please? Is it "hair algae"?

 
It looks like hair algae to me.
 
http/www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm
Try to find which one it matches more closely.

 

[BaylorPerez]

with hair algae all you can really do is clean the sides of the tank and clean off any that is on your plants, algae is naturally occuring in tanks so you cant completly stop it

 

[RainboWBacoN420]

 

 
- boiled tap water 1.8G (~7L), let it cool

I would be careful boiling water to use in a fish tank, When you boil water you are concentrating the solids due to evaporation and this may play havoc with your water parameters Eg PH
 

I never would of thought of that.