Black Brush Algae

[FishBeast]

There is alot of useful information on this very difficult variety of algae but my question is:

Once the conditions which created the algae problem are eradicated, will the algae die off in time?

I ask this because alot of my rocks and plants have it and if I would like to know before I remove all of the fish, plants and shrimps and treat it all manually.

My tank is a approx 400 ltr high tech, 3w+/gallon t5 running at 8 hrs a day. I am fertilising by the EI method at 1 teaspoon of of nitrogen, 1/2 teaspoon potassium phosphate once every 2 days and 1/2 teaspoon of micros inbetween those days. With pressurised co2 running at just over 30ppm. My filters cycle the water approx 12.5 times per hour and I have a good amount of water flow at plant level with the leaves swaying and such. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are all at 0 ppm and ph is approx 7.5 with hardness is at 80.

I beleive what caused the problem is the fluctuating co2 levels before I got it stable in conjunction with a 12 hour light cycle with poor water flow at plant level.

 

[baron von bubba]

There is alot of useful information on this very difficult variety of algae but my question is:

Once the conditions which created the algae problem are eradicated, will the algae die off in time?

I ask this because alot of my rocks and plants have it and if I would like to know before I remove all of the fish, plants and shrimps and treat it all manually.

My tank is a approx 400 ltr high tech, 3w+/gallon t5 running at 8 hrs a day. I am fertilising by the EI method at 1 teaspoon of of nitrogen, 1/2 teaspoon potassium phosphate once every 2 days and 1/2 teaspoon of micros inbetween those days. With pressurised co2 running at just over 30ppm. My filters cycle the water approx 12.5 times per hour and I have a good amount of water flow at plant level with the leaves swaying and such. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrates are all at 0 ppm and ph is approx 7.5 with hardness is at 80.

I beleive what caused the problem is the fluctuating co2 levels before I got it stable in conjunction with a 12 hour light cycle with poor water flow at plant level.

i dont think it will vanish on its own.
it seems the most tried and tested method is using excel or easy carbo.
either use a pipette/syringe and dose the recommended amount directly on to the effected areas.
or use a brush and "paint" the effected areas during a water change and they are exposed.

do you have a drop checker?
the ph of 7.5 is that at peak co2 or before co2 is added?

 

[aaronnorth]

no, because the algae can now utilise nutrients to grow, which is why it is hard to get rid of algae, particularly hair types which attach to any surface.

 

[Mr Bliss]

I had a pretty severe BBA infestation during the summer, and after conditions got more stable it died off pretty fast on its own from from my rocks (I had already manually scrubbed it off from the glass, powerheads etc). I noticed that my bristlenose (and the otos I got later) will eat the algae once it doesn't seem to be doing so well (getting a bit pale) which sped up the process.

BBA on bogwood is a different issue though. It's been three months since I came back home and stabilized the aquarium, and I still have plenty of BBA firmly entrenched on my bogwood, so it's a slow process. It's not spreading rapidly anymore, so the bristlenose is gradually reclaiming the wood, but very slowly (in three months she has cleared the nearest 10 cm radius next to her cave). Harassing the algae with scissors seems to help in having it die off even if you don't scrub it off entirely. I've noticed that when you cut it, you often get another, green kind of algae growing on the BBA for a while and then they both die off.

Spot dosing Excel would probably help a lot. I don't dare use it because I don't want to risk a massive Vallisneria extinction.

 

[aaronnorth]

Spot dosing Excel would probably help a lot. I don't dare use it because I don't want to risk a massive Vallisneria extinction.

another option is too squirt potassium nitrate onto it. that works with some other algaes too.

 

[FishBeast]

Thanks guys, I have some excel on its way in the post.

 

[waterdrop]

I have a small amount of BBA in my son's tank so this was a very helpful thread. I had figured out a while back that probably a main contributor to getting it is that I change 50% on weekends and this large change probably causes a huge fluctuation in CO2 since I don't use pressurized but dose a capful of Excel each morning.

Where does one find the pipettes that can be used to directly apply Excel or other liquids directly to underwater surfaces. Are these like the long thin glass things we used in chemistry labs?

~~waterdrop~~

 

[aaronnorth]

I have a small amount of BBA in my son's tank so this was a very helpful thread. I had figured out a while back that probably a main contributor to getting it is that I change 50% on weekends and this large change probably causes a huge fluctuation in CO2 since I don't use pressurized but dose a capful of Excel each morning.

Where does one find the pipettes that can be used to directly apply Excel or other liquids directly to underwater surfaces. Are these like the long thin glass things we used in chemistry labs?

~~waterdrop~~

plastic will do, you usually get one with test kits. or you can use a syringe, i bought one from fluidsensor online but i reckon you can get them free from the chemist.

some have measurements on which are handy, especially if you only want 3ml of liquid. I have loads lol

 

[waterdrop]

OK, thanks for the pic Aaron, that helps a lot! I'm going to start doing some web searches in the US.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[aaronnorth]

i would of sent you some but the cost of posting them would be pointless

 

[aahhsin]

if it's on wood or decoration, just take it out, let the sun bake those suckers, and it'll dry and die so fast.

 

[waterdrop]

Thanks Aaron, found several sources

 

[Schmill]

Where does one find the pipettes that can be used to directly apply Excel or other liquids directly to underwater surfaces. Are these like the long thin glass things we used in chemistry labs?
~~waterdrop~~

By far the best I have found is to go to your local chemists and ask for a childrens medicine syringe. I have a 1ml one marked off in 0.1ml, a 5ml, a 10ml, and I think a 25ml. Often worth getting more than one as they are very useful for lots of things! (I use mine for measuring 'Prime' into the buckets, measuring concentrated medications into tanks, even taking the water out of the tank for water tests - 5ml syringe full means theres no messing around trying to get the right amount in the test tubes

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, I've taken this route in the past. In the US, around me currently anyway, when you ask at the drugstore pharmacists counter they will give you a rather large clunky plastic graduated eyedropper affair. I do in fact use this for doing the 5ml fills of my test kit test tubes but its not nice and long for direct application of excel deep in the tank. I think the plastic things like Aaron pictured will be better for that and I've found a couple of US web sources.

~~waterdrop~~