Strange stuff growing in my swamp bucket.

[MTRX]

HI, i have this little 5GALLON acrylic i been using just for growing plants, no show tank stuff, i threw in just a couple of apple snails, and danios to add life to it, but recently i've gotten this very strange growth in it. I'm not super careful with this tank as i said it's nothing, just for plants. I noticed the other day
this white rooty/veiny looking growth coming out of my filters into the water. it appears to be some sort of primitive algae, it's white almost transparent in parts, and branches out maybe 2 at a time.

anybody have any idea what this stuff is?? it's right in the middle of all the pics. O_O
is it algae or bacteria, anyone know the species name, and if it's harmful?? There's hair algae in there too, but that stuff is not hair algae.

*DRUMMER*

 

[lauraf]

I can't see your pics for some reason, but it sounds a bit like staghorn algae...

 

[MTRX]

pics.

I was thinking staghorn too.

 

[MTRX]

oh and i couldn't see the pics either, but if i click on the black part of the popup window it takes me to a page that says i'm not logged in, i log in, then it shows me the pics. O_O

 

[MTRX]

hmmmm i posted pics in my reply but it said something about needing a moderator. i can try again.

 

[MTRX]

pics will be up as soon as a moderator clears the post. with the image links.

 

[arcab4]

pics are approved. you needed a certain # of posts before it'll auto approve. good to go.

 

[MTRX]

yay!! thanks!! yeah look at that stuff ain't it creepy?? i actually like it, looks crazy primordial, and i haven't seen it attack any fish or snails. lol, but i don't know what it is, if it's just algae i'll leave it be, cuz it's the swamp bucket, but if it's somekinda bacteria it's got to go. i'll even restart the bucket if i have to. 8(

 

[lauraf]

It's a bit spooky looking, actually Staghorn is my best guess. Are you doing any CO2 - Excel, or whatnot - in your swamp tank? That might help clear it up....

 

[MTRX]

yeah i'm not worried about it, the tank is just for plants, and its meant to be frothy and alive, hence "swamp bucket." the substrate is super old and muddy and it grows plants like a mofo. and the light is ridiculous i'm using like a 75WATT cf light in there or something. it's very nutrient rich, and just for growing plants. the giant danios are super mean, and don't go in any other tanks. all they do is pace the mid water, and attack the fish who try to swim in the middle resulting in all my fish huddling in the bottom in fear, and my gambusias at the top. I hate them pretty much. i took them out of the community tanks, and now my tanks are teaming with life, and fish everywhere. 8D anyways i just don't the stuff to kill them or the snails. since the swamp bucket doubles as a snail farm. i was thinking staghorn too, but if anyone knows for sure, please let me know what you think. I can name every species of every plant mold and animal in every one of my tanks except this stuff, so it's freaking me out cuz i got to know if it's harmful to my animals. Thanks for the help though.

 

[Lotus]

It does look like staghorn. It usually goes away after a while. Removing it when you see it usually works well to keep it under control. It's usually a sort of grayish color, but it can be other colors.

 

[MTRX]

awesome, i'm gonna say that's what it is, since that seems to be the consenses. thanks!!!! it looks crazy as heck, and i don't mind it growign in the swamp bucket. i just wanted to be sure it was gonna hurt anything. it looks freaky as heck. lol. 8D