Not Sure What Type And If It's Bad..?

[FishSurf]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum, and was pleased to see that there is a section dedicated to algae identification. I have had my tank for about four and a half months now. I do not have any live plants, just plastic for now. I have 10 fish, do regular water changes, and test my water.

Im not exactly sure the time that this started showing up, but if I had to guess, about a month and a half ago. I no for a fact that I was keeping my lights on for way too long, so I have started keeping them on for only about 10 hours a day now. Still too much maybe?

Anyways, I have been doing my best to just take the decorations out and clean the algae off with a toothbrush but it just keeps slowly coming back. Some of it is red in color, some is brown, and a little is black. If anyone could identify this for me, let me know if it is "good or bad" algae, and how I might be able to get rid of it that would be great. Thank you in advance!

 

[mike455555]

the second pic looks like black brush algae, i think your timers are on for to long, umm the cure i use for BBA on decor is take it out and squirt with liquid carbon, its a pain to get rid of though, i think 1 cause is normally fluxuations in co2 levels? but also your lights are on for to long, 7-12 hours they should be on for, i have mine on for 8

 

[FishSurf]

My tank is 20 gallons

 

[Ps3Steveo]

As mike said with the Carbon, were you doing water changes with lights on?

 

[FishSurf]

Yes I always leave the lights on during water changes. Is this bad? Should I leave them off for a while after I change the water?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

The water changes should be done after lights out or at least 3 hours before lights on as tap water contains high levels of dissolved CO2 so it will cause fluctuations and algae, if your do them after or 3 hours before photo period then it will gas off before lights on.

 

[FishSurf]

Ohhh ok that makes sense! I will start doing that. Thank you for the help!