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Old 14-02-2004, 07:34 PM
Brian Anderson
 
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Default Black Beard algae

I hope someone has an idea on how to get rid of this crap. My 12 gallon
aquarium has all low light plants that are growing very well and there is
almost no other algae accept for this thick fuzzy stuff.
I have 2 ottos and one pleco that keep the tank spottless but don't do
anything with this algae. I bought a Siamese algae eater hoping it would do
something. He nibbles on the algae but doesn't do much. I manage to barely
keep it under control by picking if off the plants and using an algae killer
AlgaeFix, but it still keeps growing. I have lowered my phosphate level
down to minimum. The tank has mostly tetras with ph around 6.6, nitrate,
nitrite, ammonia are all normal. I don't use CO2, just liquid fertilizer
once a week.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Brian


  #2   Report Post  
Old 14-02-2004, 08:35 PM
Bill Kirkpatrick
 
Posts: n/a
Default Black Beard algae

In small tanks it is usually fastest, cheapest, and least
painful, to just break it down and start over.

Remove the fish. Treat as if they were new... Prepare 3
pots of clean, fresh, water NOT from your tank. 1 dosed
with Malachite Green and Formalin, the second with salt at
about 30ppt, and the third clean fish-happy water.

Net fish from the tank into in the Malachite green, let
stand one day or two, then net them for a few second dip
(tetras max 2 seconds, beefier others 4-5) in salt water,
then let them into the clean water for holding.

Use a different net to take them from the tank to the green,
and from the green, through the salt, into the new water.
Or, you can bleach the net while they sit in the green.

Treat any plants that aren't too involved in chlorinated
water. Save some by cutting badly involved leaves as close
to the main stem as possible. Some can be soaked briefly
(2-4 minutes) in a solution 1 part household bleach, 19
parts water.

See:

http://fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plant.../msg00766.html

Bleach all the hardware, including your bio-filters.

Discard the gravel and replace, unless it is epoxy coated.
If so, you can bleach it too.

Once empty, clean the tank well, bleach it too.

Reestablish the tank, as new.

Return the fish and plants, use Amquel and/or water changes
to keep Ammonia down until the tank cycles again. If you
use Amquel (or similar) don't use carbon until after the
cycle is complete.

Now...

Algae is in the air. You will likely get inoculated with
various forms, over time. Make sure you limit your inputs
(try the PMDD regimen, strictly, Fe testing and all), and
maximize outputs (water change/harvesting), this time. Try
keeping Hornwort.

***********************************
Brian Anderson wrote:
I hope someone has an idea on how to get rid of this crap. My 12 gallon
aquarium has all low light plants that are growing very well and there is
almost no other algae accept for this thick fuzzy stuff.
I have 2 ottos and one pleco that keep the tank spottless but don't do
anything with this algae. I bought a Siamese algae eater hoping it would do
something. He nibbles on the algae but doesn't do much. I manage to barely
keep it under control by picking if off the plants and using an algae killer
AlgaeFix, but it still keeps growing. I have lowered my phosphate level
down to minimum. The tank has mostly tetras with ph around 6.6, nitrate,
nitrite, ammonia are all normal. I don't use CO2, just liquid fertilizer
once a week.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Brian


  #3   Report Post  
Old 14-02-2004, 10:14 PM
Paulo
 
Posts: n/a
Default Black Beard algae

SHouldnt be easier (and safer) just leave the algae alone?

I have same problem, I got some algae eater shrimps (red cherry and
bumblebee) I will see when tehy can do.

I am taking it easy

--
Paulo
"Bill Kirkpatrick" wrote in message
...
In small tanks it is usually fastest, cheapest, and least
painful, to just break it down and start over.

Remove the fish. Treat as if they were new... Prepare 3
pots of clean, fresh, water NOT from your tank. 1 dosed
with Malachite Green and Formalin, the second with salt at
about 30ppt, and the third clean fish-happy water.

Net fish from the tank into in the Malachite green, let
stand one day or two, then net them for a few second dip
(tetras max 2 seconds, beefier others 4-5) in salt water,
then let them into the clean water for holding.

Use a different net to take them from the tank to the green,
and from the green, through the salt, into the new water.
Or, you can bleach the net while they sit in the green.

Treat any plants that aren't too involved in chlorinated
water. Save some by cutting badly involved leaves as close
to the main stem as possible. Some can be soaked briefly
(2-4 minutes) in a solution 1 part household bleach, 19
parts water.

See:

http://fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plant.../msg00766.html

Bleach all the hardware, including your bio-filters.

Discard the gravel and replace, unless it is epoxy coated.
If so, you can bleach it too.

Once empty, clean the tank well, bleach it too.

Reestablish the tank, as new.

Return the fish and plants, use Amquel and/or water changes
to keep Ammonia down until the tank cycles again. If you
use Amquel (or similar) don't use carbon until after the
cycle is complete.

Now...

Algae is in the air. You will likely get inoculated with
various forms, over time. Make sure you limit your inputs
(try the PMDD regimen, strictly, Fe testing and all), and
maximize outputs (water change/harvesting), this time. Try
keeping Hornwort.

***********************************
Brian Anderson wrote:
I hope someone has an idea on how to get rid of this crap. My 12 gallon
aquarium has all low light plants that are growing very well and there

is
almost no other algae accept for this thick fuzzy stuff.
I have 2 ottos and one pleco that keep the tank spottless but don't do
anything with this algae. I bought a Siamese algae eater hoping it

would do
something. He nibbles on the algae but doesn't do much. I manage to

barely
keep it under control by picking if off the plants and using an algae

killer
AlgaeFix, but it still keeps growing. I have lowered my phosphate level
down to minimum. The tank has mostly tetras with ph around 6.6,

nitrate,
nitrite, ammonia are all normal. I don't use CO2, just liquid

fertilizer
once a week.
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

Brian




  #4   Report Post  
Old 15-02-2004, 06:16 PM
Gordon James
 
Posts: n/a
Default Black Beard algae

I have a 9 inch plecostamus that loves the stuff.

It only seems to grow on one plastic plant, which I debate removing, but he
loves it. (Eating it right now)

Aside from physical removal I don't know any easy treatment.

Florida Flag fish sometime develop a taste for it.

I use Java Moss to remove nutrients from the water. I don't often have
treouble with any algae one I add Java Moss



  #5   Report Post  
Old 15-02-2004, 07:00 PM
Gordon James
 
Posts: n/a
Default Black Beard algae

I have a 9 inch plecostamus that loves the stuff.

It only seems to grow on one plastic plant, which I debate removing, but he
loves it. (Eating it right now)

Aside from physical removal I don't know any easy treatment.

Florida Flag fish sometime develop a taste for it.

I use Java Moss to remove nutrients from the water. I don't often have
treouble with any algae one I add Java Moss





  #6   Report Post  
Old 16-02-2004, 03:12 AM
 
Posts: n/a
Default Black Beard algae

The most common issue with folks that have BBA seems to be one
surrounding CO2 levels. Often folks with DIY are plagued. A few with
gas CO2 but it's far less common generally.

If you can maintain a 20-30ppm range of CO2 for the entire light
period, am to pm, then you will likely not have any issues with new
growth. Doing this might not kill wahat is there, but if the algae
stops growing, then you have it beat.

Adding a good amount of CO2 will help the plants grow faster and
better and maximize the available nutrients they need to grow and also
it maximizes the light you use as well.

You can use, as suggested, bleach dips for slow growing tough leaved
plants to kill what's there, or trim them or a combination of both.
Fast growers easily outpace the BBA.

Test your pH in the am and the pm and see what the CO2 levels are at
these times. Try and get the CO2 to be 20-30ppm for this entire
period.

You'll also see a marked increase in peraling and NO3/PO4 uptake etc.
Some folks on the APD did some test on BBA and we tried all sorts of
things, but limiting it never worked, good plant growth and good CO2
levels did and at least stopped it.

Mild cases can be solved with SAE's, trimming etc.
If you follow Diana Walstad's or my modified version for non CO2
methods, you will likely never get it in a non CO2 tank.

By taking a good look at the CO2 and making sure there's enough for
the plants, no matter what, this will help the plants grow better.

Regards,
Tom Barr




Regards,
Tom Barr
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