Wierd things growing in my tank!

[daemonis_cinxi]

I have a 10 gallon tank with gravel, and live plants. I have a Whisper 10-20 power filter, and a heater that keeps the tank at a constant 76-78 degrees. The tank's residents consist of mainly live bearers, but also 3 tetras, and 1 algae eater. I havn't tested the water for a couple weeks now (no kit), but last time I did, the guy at the LFS said my water was perfect (literally everything)...

Anyway,
there is this wierd black plant growing all over my tank. On the other plants, the decorations, the water intake, and the heater. It looks like little roots or hair that is growing off of everything.

Anybody have any clue what this is? Is it harmful or no? Please help.

 

[Feline]

This is a kind of algae, I think it's called thread algae, correct me if I'm wrong. May b u r overfeeding, so the water has too many nutrients in it. Removing them out totally is hard, coz in time they'll start to grow back. Try getting more plants, stop feeding plant food, n try lowering nitrate n phosphate levels.

 

[daemonis_cinxi]

Ok, I'll try that. Do you know if it is harmful in anyway to the fish, or the plants?

 

[Cian McLiam]

As Feline said,
These types of algae arent harmful as such but do absorb chemicals such as medications. Please dont use any 'Algae Destroyer' type of chemicals in your tank though, they kill all invertebrates such as snails and the tiny crustaceans living in the gravel which can reduce further your water quality as well as being health hazards themselves. If you can, test your tap water for nitrate and phosphates, if they arent too high then it is as a result of too much feeding or too much light or of course both together.
More frequent water changes 10% every two days will clear it over time, but dont be impatient with it, I did once and it ended in disaster!!

Ken