What is this string type substance?

[AmyKieran]

I have this dotted around in my tank just around the ornaments (fake plants etc) and also on the filter intake, any idea what it is and how to deal with it?

Thanks

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10
Ph - 7

 

[AmyKieran]

Could it be fungus from the recently laid eggs ? If so how do I deal with that ?

 

[Colin_T]

It could be a type of fungus, but it's not fungus from eggs

It could be dead algae, fish poop or snail slime (if you have snails).

 

[AmyKieran]

I don’t have snails

Any way to deal with this generally?

 

[Colin_T]

suck it out but not with your lungs. use a syphon hose and gravel cleaner, or a net

 

[AmyKieran]

suck it out but not with your lungs. use a syphon hose and gravel cleaner, or a net

Very funny lol yes I’ve done a bit googling, looks like white hair algae which may be caused by high phosphates. I’m going to remove it by hand and dose the tank with phosphate remover for a week and see if that helps

 

[Lynnzer]

I have much the same sort of stuff in one of my tanks. I put it down to biofilm.
It's probably not though as it appears to have rooted. When I try to pull it off my harscape wood, the wood gets pulled too.
I've reverted to cutting it off with scissors as close to the anchor point as possible, and have put 6 oto's in the tank to chew their way through it. I've seen them feeding on it so here's hoping.....

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Something I do to prevent this happening is the use of these pads...

Superfish Phos Pad - Activated Carbon

Activated filter media for all filters, just cut to size

www.pro-shrimp.co.uk

One of my internal filters has a double can setup, so is pretty much identical as an external canister in that I can mix/match various media. I first cut the pad into 1" wide strips then into triangles. They go randomly into the bottom can above the ceramic ring layer...floating bed style. The second can on top has a similar media style using cut up misshaped pieces of anti ammonia pad (again Superfish) with a topping of floss.

(Superfish also do Nitrate and Carbon pads too)

I find using the pads rather than the liquid additives lasts alot longer and is therefore effective longer, since the liquids get removed/diluted each water change. I change the media monthly (floss weekly)

One pad lasts me around 6 to 8 months and when inside the can, it doesn't lose effectiveness...thus saves money buying the equivalent liquid anti phospate which gets diluted over time with each water change

 

[AmyKieran]

Something I do to prevent this happening is the use of these pads...

Superfish Phos Pad - Activated Carbon

Activated filter media for all filters, just cut to size

www.pro-shrimp.co.uk

One of my internal filters has a double can setup, so is pretty much identical as an external canister in that I can mix/match various media. I first cut the pad into 1" wide strips then into triangles. They go randomly into the bottom can above the ceramic ring layer...floating bed style. The second can on top has a similar media style using cut up misshaped pieces of anti ammonia pad (again Superfish) with a topping of floss.

(Superfish also do Nitrate and Carbon pads too)

I find using the pads rather than the liquid additives lasts alot longer and is therefore effective longer, since the liquids get removed/diluted each water change. I change the media monthly (floss weekly)

One pad lasts me around 6 to 8 months and when inside the can, it doesn't lose effectiveness...thus saves money buying the equivalent liquid anti phospate which gets diluted over time with each water change

I completely forgot I actually have a phosphate pad in my African tank! Yes I’ll buy one of those. Have you (or anyone else) found that nitrate pads actually help for nitrates or is that a snake oil product?

 

[Deleted member 149562]

To try and explain the double can.

I have an Aquael 2000 Turbo.....it comes with a single 620ml can for media. I had a spare second 620ml can from my old setup (you can buy second cans aswell). They slot together and then you can put your own choice of media inside. They work in the exact same way as an external filter...just alot less fuss and bother.



On the left is what comes in the box...the right is the second can. By not using the huge foam and placing the second can there instead, gives you exactly the same media capacity as an external but mounted internally and with, in my case, a max of 2000 lph powerhead to do the business. They also have fully controlled venturi too.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

I completely forgot I actually have a phosphate pad in my African tank! Yes I’ll buy one of those. Have you (or anyone else) found that nitrate pads actually help for nitrates or is that a snake oil product?

Superfish do the nitrate pads too, not had to use them but since the other pads that they supply work well I see no reason why their nitrate pads shouldn't work too

Superfish Nitrate Pad - Activated Carbon

Activated carbon filter media for all filters, just cut to size

www.pro-shrimp.co.uk

(Ignore the references to activated carbon...its a quirk in the link to the website)