Whats This?

[nightstalker2485]

Hi all,
I've just begun my freshwater tank and I'm just about a week into it.

I'm using pure aquarium balls to cycle the tank and have started to notice these tiny white featherduster type plants growing on my rocks, plants and on the glass. Any one know what they are???
I would add pics, but am not able to do so from my phone for some reason
Cheers
Rob

 

[Fishy friend2]

Is the water cloudy, it could be a bacterial bloom

 

[Baccus]

Featherduster type plants sound like hydra, some snails will eat them and some fish will also clean them up but usually hydra are a pest because they sting fish and will trap and consume shrimplets. Check out the common hitch hikers thread, I am pretty sure there is a picture in there of hydra.

 

[nightstalker2485]

The water is Crystal clear, the pics of hydraulic I've come across don't look the same, there is a short stem and then a kinda cup consisting of many feathery branches,tentacles.. kinda strange to explain... It's a real tiny version of a featherduster worm like in a marine tank... That's about the best I can describe it... Kinda wish I went for a feeder cycle rather than fishless one now

 

[minnnt]

Why? A fishless cycle is always best... If you mess up then there is nothing to harm.

 

[Baccus]

Here's the link for the common hitch hikers, http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277805-hitchhikers-in-freshwater-tanks-ponds/ I think they really do sound like hydra.

 

[nightstalker2485]

Ni hydra pics there, and the ones in Google don't resemble what I'm seeing...

 

[gatorsean]

theres a type of algae that looks like that. i think its called staghorn

 

[nightstalker2485]

Nope,
Thats not it I dont think...

Here's my attempt at linking a few pics I took of it the other day...

http/i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa420/nightstalker2485/Fish%20Tank/IMAG0222-1.jpg

http/i1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa420/nightstalker2485/Fish%20Tank/IMAG0222.jpg

Hope it works...

 

[Nightstalker3188]

Looks like it was bacterial bloom, its pretty much all gone now However, what i don't understand is, even though my ammonia levels drop to 0 over 24 hrs my nitrites and nitrates are low.... Nitrites are .50 and nitrates are 5.0. That's using api chemical test kit, however using api test strips the levels are off the chart... So which one do I believe??? I thought if the ammonia is being broken up that the other levels would spike... For a 48ltr tropical tank which is on day 15 of a fishless cycle