Blue Green Algae

Vendetta

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Having got rid of all the other algae problems in my cold water tank I am now stuck with blue green algae which is now covering everything! I have the tank blacked out during the day and don't put the lights on 'till about midday, in total the tank gets about 10hrs a day from the tube.
Before I shut this tank down for the second time does anyone have any ideas how to get rid of this damned stuff please??
I noticed yesterday that it is now starting to appear in the tropical tank next to this one! I'm seriously thinking of packing up all together so any help would be much appreciated before I make such a drastic decision.
 
If you Black out the tank(cover with towels), so that its very dark inside and leave it for 4 days, without lighting.
Also reduce your lighting to about 6 hours.

hope that helps,

Westwood
 
Thanks Westwood but already done all of that, it got rid of all the other types but nothing light wise has worked. I'v tested the nitrates and they're around 40 so I don't think it's due to a nitrate problem either. It's driving me insane and costing me a fortune in plants! :angry:
 
3 day blackout worked for me. But, I also completely changed my substrate before I planted.

After ruling out nitrates, low oxygen levels, and fluctuating co2, I found the source of my BGA was a dirty substrate.
 
As Steve H suggested, you need to do a super vacuum of your substrate as organic waiste could be causing it. Another reason for it could be excessive amount of phosphates.
 
Is it getting a lot of natural light from a window too?
 
Sounds like the best idea is to dismantle completely. The substrate is sand and is always spotless but the bga is even under the sand!
The tank is near a window but is completely covered up with a blanket until it's dark outside. The bogwood is completely smothered, as are all the plants so I think it's best to just call time on it. As soon as the weathers warm enough I'll put the weather loach in the pond and be done with it.
I don't want to lose the bogwood though, anyone know what I can do to make sure none of the algae remains? I thought about steam cleaning it..
 
Another reason for it could be excessive amount of phosphates.

Noooooooo. :no:


double noooooo

I'll trust you all on this one as I never had this type of algae but there is a lot of info out there saying otherwise.
Here is one article, although of course I wouldn't know how valid it is:

http://www4.carleton.ca/jmc/cnews/07032008/n4.shtml

There was another one I read ages ago that I can't find at the moment that was based on fresh water tank algae research and it said something of the sort that the reason for this algae is the ratio between nitrAtes and phosphates but the old brain of mine can't remember what it was
 
If I haven't already posted it here - The Planted Tank - Algae follow the instructions that apply to you there. :good:

There was another one I read ages ago that I can't find at the moment that was based on fresh water tank algae research and it said something of the sort that the reason for this algae is the ratio between nitrAtes and phosphates but the old brain of mine can't remember what it was

If that's the one I'm thinking of I have the reason why you should ignore it somewhere...But I can't remember where....
 
If I haven't already posted it here - The Planted Tank - Algae follow the instructions that apply to you there. :good:

There was another one I read ages ago that I can't find at the moment that was based on fresh water tank algae research and it said something of the sort that the reason for this algae is the ratio between nitrAtes and phosphates but the old brain of mine can't remember what it was

If that's the one I'm thinking of I have the reason why you should ignore it somewhere...But I can't remember where....

Wow, what did I do to you to be answering like that?

Here is info on the ratio I was talking about. Whether it is true,I have no idea. I was only trying to help as the OP was running out of options.


http://buddendo.home.xs4all.nl/aquarium/redfield_eng.htm
 
BGA is because of less oxygen, increase oxy levels by adding air pumps.BGA will go in 2-3 days.For fast action best way is to add 1-2ml/gal of H2O2 hydrogen peroxide......
but some plants die because of H2O2 so plz mention which plants u have in thr.


Thanks
Sanket
 
Wow, what did I do to you to be answering like that?

Sorry, wasn't supposed to come across in a way that would garner that reaction. I do tend to type on forums how I talk which would never come across badly IRL...you'd be bored way before then :good:

I'll find the response to the Redfield ratio for you later today.
 
Tom Barr said:
I will not get into the issue with the difference between the mass ratio, which is what is used, versus what Redfield actually shown in his paper based on averages of marine phytoplankton, it was atomic ratios, atoms, not mass(eg ppm etc). So 106 carbon atoms to 16 nitrogen atoms to 1 P atoms and so forth. To convert to mass, you need to factor in molar weights, N/P will be 16N's* 14 g/mol/ 1P* 30.97 g/mol= 7.2 for a ratio for N:p for algae based on weight or about 10:1 for ratio for NO3/PO4. Likely N is higher in practice since NH4 is also used by algae and plants and that is rarely detected.

That aside, some seem to have fallen for the trap that because they went from bad to okay or even good, that the reasons must be due to the claim that it is the ratio, not that they simply have started to dose a strongly limiting nutrient.

The concept of limiting growth is based on Liebig's law of the minimum. Not ratios...........
Algae are not limited based ion ratios either. They are limited based on concentration, and light and CO2 play significant factors also.

Plants are doing better because they are not as limited now, not because of a "ratio".
You can have success but attribute it to the wrong reason and make the entirely incorrect conclusion.

That was what was done with PMDD in years past with PO4.
Same type of thing here and the same issue with most methods.

They take great liberty when it comes to explaining their results in the conclusion.
Even if the results do not support them :roll:

I can have a ratio of 5ppom of PO5 and 5ppm of NO3 and still do pretty well.
Likewise, I can have 30ppm of NO3 and 1 ppm of PO4 and do well also.
Ratios are 1:1 and 30:1, far outside the RR, and yet no algae of any kind...........

So what explains these observations?
Simple: in both cases the tanks' plants are not limit for N or P.
The ratio with 1:1 will become limited faster for N, but at this ratio, it explains nothing. It's only when the nutrient become limiting, that growth is affected, so anything above a limiting value, just like Liebig states............is what determines growth.

Plant growth, not limiting algae(they are not limited in my ratio systems either, which is a wider range than RR), is what the issue is.

Generally, most have low light also, so that means/implies even more flexibility when it coems to dosing and ratios/lower values for limiting, easier CO2 dosing etc.

I also have not seen any of the so called algae issues based solely on the nutrient ratios as claimed either.
But then again, my CO2 levels are in good shape and demand for CO2 is not influenced by low PO4 etc. They seem to have non independent factors occuring(eg poor CO2 which is being propped up by semi limited PO4 and low light).

When you add more light and good CO2, these same results are no longer present and the model does not fulfill the logic: a "ratio" some how limits and controls algae and helps plants grow better.

If you I have a ratio of 0.01 PO4 and NO3 of 0.16, I can promise you, plants will not do well.
They are limited and the ratio falls apart.

Regards,
Tom Barr


Now that isn't to say what the Dutch guy did did not work, as it evidently did, it's just the chances are that they influenced some other factor to create the outcome. IMO
 

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