Control Of Algae On Light Coloured Substrate

[brewyn]

your having a laught arent ya, EXPERIENCED, just very lucky!!!!! and 10 years of mbuna practice LOL.
I under feed as apposed to over feed, spirulina, mbuna pellets, and sinking catfish pellets, only once a day. I alternate the feeds to give them variety and from time to time I will skip a feed, maybe once a month. I have no real routine with my fish, I aim for a water change once a week, but some times miss that If Iv'e not had the time, and then try catch up with it.

KEEPING MBUNA IS NOT TEXT BOOK, the more experienced fish keepers dont even keep water testing kits (i have lots of them), its more trial and error. I 1st kept mbuna cichlids about 10 years ago, I had about 120 cichlids in a 150 uk gallon tank, I never lost any, or had casualties, they bred for me no end, and I knew nothing at all about them. I find the more people look into the text books, the more problems they encounter. can anyone else agree with this???

 

[Nick Sw]

Tanks I think Mamfish has beaten me to it but I think it sounds like Cyanobacteria/BGA/Slime Algae I`ve had a bit of it in my tank it formed a sort of "skin" on the sand and some of the rocks while my tank was cycling. I`m hoping it doesn`t return but it washed off the rocks easily enough though.

http/i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/nic...ting/Algae2.jpg
http/i79.photobucket.com/albums/j142/nic...ting/Algae1.jpg

EDIT : - Forgot to say that I read a total blackout of the Tank for a couple of days can get rid of it. If it is BGA.


Quote from planted section : -
Cyanobacteria (BGA)

Strictly speaking this is not a species of algae but a form of bacteria. It does, however, act in a similar fashion to algae and can be prevented using similar principles.

I am no expert on BGA (or algae for that matter) but I can share my experiences with it in the hope that it may help you.

Also known as Slime Algae, due to its physical nature, it covers the substrate and plants with a blue/green slime like substance. Untreated this will spread very quickly smothering everything, substrate, plants and d飯r. It out competes the plants for nitrogen and prevents photosynthesis due to it blocking the plants from the light. It is also toxic to fish and nothing will eat it. In short it is nasty stuff ? it even has an unpleasant smell. This is one method of confirming it is BGA.

I understand it originates in the substrate, this is certainly true in the couple of cases I have had. I am unsure as to what the true cause of its manifestation but I think stagnant water helps it and the anaerobic bacteria associated with it. Low nitrates and natural light are often associated with its spread too.

 

[brewyn]

hahahahaha, come on tanks, not about to show you my fish crap, BUT IT IS THERE!!!! LOL, I try to syphon the sand once a week when I do the water chages, given up with the syphon gadget as the tank is too deep, just hover the end of the hose pipe over the crap and its gone LOL.

 

[Nick Sw]

After a 2nd look it looks exactly the same as what I`ve had in my Tank and it did seem to start in the area which had a few pieces of flake that were left from when I had the small fry in my Tank, I thought it may of been the depth of sand as well so I reduced this but your Coral gravel should be far more aerated than fine sand so I wouldn`t of thought it was that.

Maybe Low Nitrates and High Phosphate levels ?

 

[denis coghlan]

Hey nick

Now that you mention it there is a bit of a whiff when you take the rocks out of the water. (this will teach me for sniffing rock!!!!) Those pics that you posted, is there meant to be algae on them, they look that clean that they could be sterile. So how did you go about combating the dreaded BGA in your tank cause I feel like I am going to have to go to war with this stuff in the next few days.

As for what the planted section post had to say about the stuff, they are dead right the stuff covers everything in my planted tank and it has literally prevented my plants from growing. I'm now going to go and read that article to see what can be done about this menace!!!!

Brewyn I knew you cared too much about appearances to post a picture of your fish crap!!!!

My fish don't crap. And if they do, it looks like sunshine and smells like roses

 

[brewyn]

Nick, I have it in my quarantine tank, its not so much on the substrate but more on the glass, anarobic bacteria forms where the substrate is too deep and is lacking aireation!!! mine cant be anarobic as I have loads of airiation and extremely shallow gravel!!!!!!!

 

[Nick Sw]

It might not be BGA but it looks and sounds EXACTLY like the stuff i had, I`ve still got a little.
It washed off the rocks really easily like I said like "skin" that stays together I reduced the depth of substrate and did a large water change and didn`t put the lights on for quite a while but my tank was cycling so there was no need for light.
At the time my ammonia and Nitrite were off the scale which doesn`t relate at all to your situation but I`d like to know what the cause exactly is and how to get rid of it.

BTW I have fish ! Will post later when I can get a couple of shots.

 

[mamafish68]

lmao i've never seen so many "MEN" go round and round about bacteria, wonder what would happen if you lot compared your shorties!!

 

[brewyn]

DID SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE FOR ONCE

 

[mamafish68]

DID SOMEBODY SAY SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE FOR ONCE

OHHH NOOO SHE DIDNT?!??2 snaps & a circle?!??!? DID MISSY BREWYN JUST TRY AND DIS ME?!?? look here BACTERIABOY!!!!! i'll have you know that I (knock on the wood that is your head) have never ever never ever had this green slimey crap in any of MY TANKS thank you very much!!! NOW....go back to doin' your nails and lookin' pretty!!!! LMAOOOOOOOOO



















tanks, nick eerrr can I hide behind you guys??

 

[brewyn]

GET OFF THE SCREEN AND GET BACK TO YA PACKING TUT TUT TUT, SEE GUYS, WE HAVE A PERFECTLY GOOD CONSTRUCTIVE CONVERSATION GOING ON AND SOMEONE HAS TO LOWER THE TONE. LOL

 

[denis coghlan]

tanks, nick eerrr can I hide behind you guys??

You most certainly can not hide behind me, I don't know about nick! When it comes to serious problems such as bacteria infections in fish tanks us MEN need to stick together. God knows you women stick together when it comes to other microorganism problems such as Yeast infections.




In your words mamafish LMAOOOOOOOOO

 

[brewyn]

YOUR TANKS DONT HAVE TIME TO FORM THE GREEN SLIMY STUFF, CAUSE NO SOONER YOU HAVE THEM SET UP, YOUR PACKING AGAIN AND MOVING ON LOL

 

[denis coghlan]

Just a note about the action I am planning on taking to rid my tank of this problem.

From reading the pinned topics in the planted tank section. I am going to reduce the length of time that the lights are on for and also try a siesta period in the middle of the day. So the timer will be set from 11 in the morning for 5hrs on then 2hrs off then 5hrs on and then the lights will switch off for the rest of the night. Apparently this messes with the growth rates of the photosynthetic part of the bacteria, resulting in reduced growth. In addition I am going to increase the level of water changes to about 30% every week with a major gravel vac.

I will let you know how I get on!

Another question has anyone tried the following

The second is by using antibiotics. Remember that BGA is bacteria. Ethyromycine (trade name - Maracyn) is commonly used to rid BGA. It is also highly effective and is apparently fish and plant safe. The whole tank is normally treated via mixing the drug with the tank water. Dosage - 200mg per 10 US Gallon every day for five consecutive days.

 

[brewyn]

If it were me, I would do two 25% water changes a week, add the phosphate remover (if price is ok) and leave the lights off for a couple of days, then just switching them on for maybe 8 to 10 hours a day.
I HAVE TO SAY I ONLY USE THIS ROWA PHOSS IN THE MARINE TANK.

another thing I use in my main tanks is a product called clearwater, it removes all nasties in your water, its like a giant t-bag, (no, not like mama) its placed in your canister filter, and you have to replace it every 2 months or so. its great stuff for newly set up tanks especially.

dont think the siesta will make a blind bit of difference and your fish may may not respond too well to the different patterns of daylight!!!!! never heard of this being done so cant agree or dissagree.

and with regards to the antibiotics, I have heard of people who add 3 drops of TCP to there water every day!!!!!