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#1
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72-Hour Blackout Cure for Algae is Rubbish
Well, after 72 hours of total darkness in my 4' aquarium I removed the
covers and: thankfully, the fish are all still alive, most of the plants are fine (java moss has suffered), a bit of the algae has gone, but most is alive and healthy. So to those advocating 72 hours of darkness as a guaranteed algae cure I say: Nonsense, it is a myth. Don't bother even trying it. I did, and it doesn't work. |
#2
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Umm, not sure if you did your homework beforehand or just got bad advice
from someone, but it only works for about 95% of BGA's(Blue-green algae) and greenwater type algae. It will probably not work for brown(diatomic)/film/spot/fuzz/hair/thread/staghorn/BBA inc.(red types). "blank" wrote in message ... Well, after 72 hours of total darkness in my 4' aquarium I removed the covers and: thankfully, the fish are all still alive, most of the plants are fine (java moss has suffered), a bit of the algae has gone, but most is alive and healthy. So to those advocating 72 hours of darkness as a guaranteed algae cure I say: Nonsense, it is a myth. Don't bother even trying it. I did, and it doesn't work. |
#3
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On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 15:45:03 +1000, "blank" wrote:
Well, after 72 hours of total darkness in my 4' aquarium I removed the covers and: thankfully, the fish are all still alive, most of the plants are fine (java moss has suffered), a bit of the algae has gone, but most is alive and healthy. So to those advocating 72 hours of darkness as a guaranteed algae cure I say: Nonsense, it is a myth. Don't bother even trying it. I did, and it doesn't work. Reassuring to know fish can survive 72 hours without food isn't it? I tried the darkness routine for only 48 hours to treat Ich. Didn't work for that either, but I feel better about missing a couple of feeding times. dick |
#4
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"Dick" wrote in message ... On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 15:45:03 +1000, "blank" wrote: Well, after 72 hours of total darkness in my 4' aquarium I removed the covers and: thankfully, the fish are all still alive, most of the plants are fine (java moss has suffered), a bit of the algae has gone, but most is alive and healthy. So to those advocating 72 hours of darkness as a guaranteed algae cure I say: Nonsense, it is a myth. Don't bother even trying it. I did, and it doesn't work. Reassuring to know fish can survive 72 hours without food isn't it? I tried the darkness routine for only 48 hours to treat Ich. Didn't work for that either, but I feel better about missing a couple of feeding times. dick absolutely i have been biting my nails for 72 hours non-stop and my wife has been even more uptight but all is well, which is very reassuring except it doesnt kill the damn algae anyway it was an experiment i had to try and thank god no harm has been done |
#5
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In rec.aquaria.freshwater.plants blank wrote:
absolutely i have been biting my nails for 72 hours non-stop and my wife has been even more uptight but all is well, which is very reassuring except it doesnt kill the damn algae anyway it was an experiment i had to try and thank god no harm has been done Fish do perfectly fine for 3 days without feeding unless they are young or already ailing. Mouthbrooding cichlids go weeks without eating while holding a clutch of eggs for example. Anyways, since darkness did not work for your algae, perhaps you should be reconsidering what kind of algae you have. Of course, microscopic examination would probably be needed to made an absolute ID, but if you could post pictures (overall tank shot and closeups are good) to a webpage, perhaps more directed cleanup suggestions could be given. |
#6
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"blank" wrote in message ...
Well, after 72 hours of total darkness in my 4' aquarium I removed the covers and: thankfully, the fish are all still alive, most of the plants are fine (java moss has suffered), a bit of the algae has gone, but most is alive and healthy. So to those advocating 72 hours of darkness as a guaranteed algae cure I say: Nonsense, it is a myth. Don't bother even trying it. I did, and it doesn't work. For BGA is certainly does, I've never claimed it works with other algae. You did not do something right as far as my advice if you were trying to cure BGA algae. If you follow the advice it, does work. If you do not, I cannot help you. If 3 day blackout kills or otherwise harms plants, there would be no mail order plant vendors. Regards, Tom Barr |
#7
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On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 19:48:53 +1000, "blank" wrote:
"Dick" wrote in message .. . On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 15:45:03 +1000, "blank" wrote: Well, after 72 hours of total darkness in my 4' aquarium I removed the covers and: thankfully, the fish are all still alive, most of the plants are fine (java moss has suffered), a bit of the algae has gone, but most is alive and healthy. So to those advocating 72 hours of darkness as a guaranteed algae cure I say: Nonsense, it is a myth. Don't bother even trying it. I did, and it doesn't work. Reassuring to know fish can survive 72 hours without food isn't it? I tried the darkness routine for only 48 hours to treat Ich. Didn't work for that either, but I feel better about missing a couple of feeding times. dick absolutely i have been biting my nails for 72 hours non-stop and my wife has been even more uptight but all is well, which is very reassuring except it doesnt kill the damn algae anyway it was an experiment i had to try and thank god no harm has been done At least you tried. Algae takes lots of trying. There are many types and causes. To get any useful suggestions you will have to post more specific information about your tank, light schedule and power, fish population, feeding habits, etc. dick |
#8
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Dick wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 19:48:53 +1000, "blank" wrote: "Dick" wrote in message .. . On Mon, 4 Oct 2004 15:45:03 +1000, "blank" wrote: Well, after 72 hours of total darkness in my 4' aquarium I removed the covers and: thankfully, the fish are all still alive, most of the plants are fine (java moss has suffered), a bit of the algae has gone, but most is alive and healthy. So to those advocating 72 hours of darkness as a guaranteed algae cure I say: Nonsense, it is a myth. Don't bother even trying it. I did, and it doesn't work. Reassuring to know fish can survive 72 hours without food isn't it? I tried the darkness routine for only 48 hours to treat Ich. Didn't work for that either, but I feel better about missing a couple of feeding times. dick absolutely i have been biting my nails for 72 hours non-stop and my wife has been even more uptight but all is well, which is very reassuring except it doesnt kill the damn algae anyway it was an experiment i had to try and thank god no harm has been done At least you tried. Algae takes lots of trying. There are many types and causes. To get any useful suggestions you will have to post more specific information about your tank, light schedule and power, fish population, feeding habits, etc. dick A blackout does no good if your tank's nutrients are still out of balance. You need to get those in line, or the algae will never go away. You have to treat the source. |
#9
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Nick Wise wrote: A blackout does no good if your tank's nutrients are still out of balance. You need to get those in line, or the algae will never go away. You have to treat the source. I agree with this. I would've personally done some scrubbing on more built areas, done a major water change and then tried the blackout. Probably for longer than 3 days, whilst not feeding the fish. They'll pick up any loose particles. |
#10
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Nick Wise wrote:
A blackout does no good if your tank's nutrients are still out of balance. You need to get those in line, or the algae will never go away. You have to treat the source. I agree with this. I would've personally done some scrubbing on more built areas, done a major water change and then tried the blackout. Probably for longer than 3 days, whilst not feeding the fish. They'll pick up any loose particles. Always worked for me. |
#11
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Ali Day wrote: Nick Wise wrote: A blackout does no good if your tank's nutrients are still out of balance. You need to get those in line, or the algae will never go away. You have to treat the source. I agree with this. I would've personally done some scrubbing on more built areas, done a major water change and then tried the blackout. Probably for longer than 3 days, whilst not feeding the fish. They'll pick up any loose particles. Always worked for me. On diatoms? |
#12
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"Geezer From The Freezer" wrote in message ... Ali Day wrote: Nick Wise wrote: A blackout does no good if your tank's nutrients are still out of balance. You need to get those in line, or the algae will never go away. You have to treat the source. I agree with this. I would've personally done some scrubbing on more built areas, done a major water change and then tried the blackout. Probably for longer than 3 days, whilst not feeding the fish. They'll pick up any loose particles. Always worked for me. On diatoms? Yep on a 4 week old seeded tank, but whether it was the darkness that killed it off, or the plants and filtration kicking in and using up the available resources could be debated I suppose. A |
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