BBA 9 Months Working Away.

[Metta]

Hey everyone I’ve been working away for 9 months with a relative doing water changes for me. I came back to the tank in a not so good condition covered with BBA especially on the filter and outlet. Images to show.

I only have 2 shrimp and 2 otos in there which have survived the 9 month no problem. I’ve ordered a new U2 Filter for the tank. However I think I may be in a better position to completely strip the tank clean it ‘advice what to clean it with to remove all spores of BBA’ and put new sand in then pop old folder media into the new filter or will this cause BBA to come back? If it’s in the filter.

plants I will just bin and start again.

My main questions
Rocks - can I clean those or am I best to replace them as I don’t want risk of BBA to come back when I re do the tank.
Substrate - would you advise on replacing it all? Or taking it all out giving it a rinse and use some of the old? Again don’t wanna risk it coming back.
Filter - I have a new one coming but will use old filter media again will this cause it coming back?
Heater - same as above remove and clean with fresh water or replace?
If anyone else has any advice for me please let me know. I’ve thought about hydro proxide but it worries me.

 

[Essjay]

Other members will be able to advise better on what to keep and what to get new, but I can tell you that BBA is caused by too much organic matter in the tank water - food decomposing in the substrate for example. A thorough clean and a few water changes should get rid of any organics, but it's getting rid of the current BBA I'm not sure about.

As a matter of interest, what is the nitrate reading currently? A high nitrate would indicate the water changes not done often enough, or big enough, or not done thoroughly enough.

 

[Metta]

Other members will be able to advise better on what to keep and what to get new, but I can tell you that BBA is caused by too much organic matter in the tank water - food decomposing in the substrate for example. A thorough clean and a few water changes should get rid of any organics, but it's getting rid of the current BBA I'm not sure about.

As a matter of interest, what is the nitrate reading currently? A high nitrate would indicate the water changes not done often enough, or big enough, or not done thoroughly enough.

I’m yet to do a reading waiting on my new testing kit to arrive due to the other one I had was out of date. I have already removed the plants most of them anyhow.

there was a lot of dead plants in the tank when I got home and I mean a lot.

 

[Essjay]

Dead and decaying plants = organics in the water as well as uneaten food, etc. It does sound as though your partner didn't do as good a job as you would - I hate to think of the state my tanks would be in if I left my husband to care for them.

It may be OK to scrub the decor clean and get new plants. The filter should be OK. Once you get those sorted, if you keep on top of the maintenance the BBA shouldn't come back.

 

[Metta]

Dead and decaying plants = organics in the water as well as uneaten food, etc. It does sound as though your partner didn't do as good a job as you would - I hate to think of the state my tanks would be in if I left my husband to care for them.

It may be OK to scrub the decor clean and get new plants. The filter should be OK. Once you get those sorted, if you keep on top of the maintenance the BBA shouldn't come back.

Brilliant, I’ll await some advice on the scrubbing of the heater etc would you advice new substrate or some new and some old?

 

[Essjay]

I have just realised that when I read BBA my brain interpreted that as BGA

This is usually caused by an imbalance in light, fertiliser and CO2. Infrequent or insufficient water changes can also contribute.
Lights on too long or even not on long enough can cause it - was the light running on a timer when you were away or turned on and off manually?
Was plant fertiliser dosed while you were away? Excess fish food can also be regarded as fertiliser if the tank was not cleaned properly.