What Is This Black Stuff?

[Linway]

Hey all,
 
some black stuff I can't identify has started growing in my tank. I've googled all sorts of "black algae" but it looks nothing like any of the pictures that come up.
 
It started just on the fake plants, although it was isolated to the green parts (it doesn't grow on any of the coloured items):
http/i.imgur.com/62FP5ER.jpg
 
But I noticed this morning that the anubias I have in there also appears to have started forming it around the edge of it's leaves:
http/i.imgur.com/jbFLmtU.jpg
 
Any ideas? It hasn't bothered the fish, I have a bristlenose pleco in the tank that isn't phased by it at all, he's still happy sucking on the anubias etc.
 
Tank stats (Taken this morning, roughly 20 minutes before writing this post):
95L (22US Gal)
pH: 7.4
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 2ppm
 
Fish:
4 platy
4 bronze cory
1 bristlenose pleco
9 neon tetra
 
I should mention I had 10 tetras but it appeared one of the developed neon tetra disease, I isolated him as soon as I noticed it but he died this morning. The rest of the tetras all seem fine, none of them show any signs of stress, no typical NTD symptoms or anything but just figured I should mention it as part of this post.
 
Cheers guys and gals!

 

[Meeresstille]

How long has your tank been set up? Maybe the black rims on the leaves of your plants are just the beginning stages of black beard algae or black hair algae. Here is a site I've bookmarked on my computer: http/theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm
 
I'm concerned that you have readings of ammonia in your tank. Did you just do a WC and you have ammonia in your tap water?

 

[Linway]

The tank has been set up for roughly 6 months.
I did a 30% water change on Wednesday.
The 0.25ppm of ammonia isn't anything to worry about, I know why it's there. Basically I have a large hollow ornament in the tank which is quite heavy and causes the sand to impact, also with it being hollow the water can't circulate inside it, I moved the ornament out just before I did the readings and I often get a slight ammonia spike after moving it when they water/sand inside is released. I try to move it every day to help with it but it's something that slips my mind often, I've been trying to borrow a drill from a friend to drill some small holes into it to allow the water to flow in and out but so far no luck. I was planning on buying a new ornament this month but my GF went and got a cat so can't afford to buy anything for the tank this month due to costs of cat stuff >.<
 
Yeah I read about black beard algae but didn't think it was that as the pictures I saw of it didn't look like what mine looks like although all the pics I found were of a situation far worse than mine so it's hard to compare to. If it is that, what's the procedure to get rid of it and how did it occur in the first place?

 

[Meeresstille]

Is there some organic matter trapped under the hollow ornament? It decomposing could cause ammonia to appear. You could try situating the decoration at an angle, maybe tuck a rock under it to lift it? This may help to get some circulation underneath it.
 
Black Beard Algae, as far as I know is hard to get rid of. You may have brought it into your tank buying plants from an infected holding tank. The algae apparently has a good hold on the plants, but you can try brushing it off. Really badly affected leaves, so they say, you could just remove. 
 
Algae is often a problem caused by light/nutrient issues. But I don't know much about it myself. Maybe you could try posting a question in the planted section here on the Forums. 

 

[Linway]

Yeah I can't tilt the ornament, if it isn't placed in the substrate firmly it tips over >.< I'll sort that as soon I can either get hold of a drill or just replace the damn thing lol
 
As for the algae, I read about bleaching the fake plants/ornaments in 1 part bleach to 19 parts water along with boiling it and then leaving to air dry for 24 hours, is this safe? I'm really unsure of the bleach part?

 

[Meeresstille]

Yes, I've read about people having used chlorine to desinfect a tank before as well. Never tried it myself though, and don't know if it would be effective for algae, but If I were to use any bleach on aquarium decor, after a good rinse I'd soak it in some water with dechlorinator just to try to be sure not to have any chlorine residue.

 

[Linway]

I think I'll do that through the week then, I'll soak it in the bleach mix for a few hours, boil it for an hour and then soak in dechlorinated water before letting it air dry. Thanks for the advice.
 
Although not to deter anyone else from giving a definite answer on what the stuff actually is haha