Bright Green Algae - Normal ?

[Nick Sw]

Hi this is my first Tank and it`s been cycling (fishless) for about a week and a half now, it`s just hit the Nitrite spike in the last few days so - Ammonia - 5ppm, Nitrite - V.high, Nitrate - 20ppm ish.

Over the last week or so I`ve noticed some bright green patches on the rocks and sand appearing at first I thought it was where some food flakes had been , over the last 2 days it`s spreading a lot quicker so today I thought I try out my gravel syphon and hoover it up with the food flakes but my gravel cleaner/syphon didn`t pick it up at all the algae sort of formed a skin and just fell back down as one also it just came off the rocks the same way, is this normal algae ? Or what is it ? How do I get rid of it from the sand /rocks ?

 

[Andreeuh]

I have a tank with silk plants in it and there's algae (green) growing on them and a few other places. I just recently bought a lighted hood for the tank so I think that's why it's growing. But how do I get rid of it?

 

[Nick Sw]

That's BGA (blue green algae...a misnomer since it's really a bacteria). There's info on how to get rid of it in this thread (you'll have to scroll down)

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=106371

Thanks I thought it might of been but it didn`t look very blue. My sand is very fine and maybe I`ve got it too deep ?.
I`ll read the topic then.