Black algae?

[sealion]

I've had my tank for about 4 months now. Recently little black hair-like algae (at least to my understanding thats what it is) started growing. When I first saw it, it wasnt a big deal, but now 2 weeks later about 60% of the tank is covered with black carpet. Does anybody know of a critter I could buy to take care of this problem?

I have the lights on about 12 hours a day because my fish get stressed out without the lights on.

Water parameters:
40ppm nitrate
0 nitrite
0.5 ammonia

 

[sharkguy]

I've had my tank for about 4 months now. Recently little black hair-like algae (at least to my understanding thats what it is) started growing. When I first saw it, it wasnt a big deal, but now 2 weeks later about 60% of the tank is covered with black carpet. Does anybody know of a critter I could buy to take care of this problem?

I have the lights on about 12 hours a day because my fish get stressed out without the lights on.

Water parameters:
40ppm nitrate
0 nitrite
0.5 ammonia

ive got the same problem in my little 10 gallon dunno if its good or bad but mine is brown adn about 75% covered including the rocks

0 nitrate
0 nitrite
0 ammonia
8.2 ph

any ideas for me as well?

 

[mrebolton]

The first question would from me would be what kind of lighting are you using. Certain flourescents will give you a bad algae growth in your tank. Also twelve hours a day of lighting IMO is too much unless you are running a reef. Second, is your tank near a window or does sunlight casts its rays on your tank anytime during the day. I had that problem with my tank before, the brown algae. I have a 55gal, and I am running 96W on it. I used to run my tank lights 12 hours a day, then I started minimizing. 10 hours one week, 7 hours two weeks, now I am down to 6 hours a day. I dont have the brown algae as much. If I went a month without changing the water, then it would start to show up again.