Blue Green Algae

[gillicous]

hi all
ive started to get a build up of BGA ive tried total black out and it returned soon after will cherry shrimp eat it.
I dont want to use chems as i have discus and clowns so advice welcome thanks

 

[Aqua Tom]

I had a recent outbreak of BGA. I manualy cleaned it first, then did a 50% water change, then blacked out for 4 days (first turning off my co2), then did another 50% water change.

Seems to do the trick, but early days yet.


Tom

 

[soybean]

You could try searching the algae subforum to see what luck other people have had getting rid of it. http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/forum/222-algae/

 

[wirralbull]

better circulation to prevent dead spots is what i did to get rid of mine

 

[gillicous]

better circulation to prevent dead spots is what i did to get rid of mine

it seems to be at its worse right in the flow of the spray bar

 

[wirralbull]

is it definatly blue green algae?

 

[gillicous]

is it definatly blue green algae?

yeah its all over the plants thick and also on the gravel bed too

 

[OldMan47]

BGA is not truly an algae, it is a bacterial colony. Typical algae treatments and algae eating organisms such as shrimp will not work to control it. My only case of it was "cured" by me starving the algae and the fish in a tank while I was absent on vacation, call that absent on holiday if you are in the UK. I cannot recommend the method. It caused the death of all fry in my tank and might have killed the adults if I had continued much longer. A known "cure" is to use biocides like tetracycline. They will also kill off your cycle bacteria so you need to be ready to deal with that issue also.