Hydrogen Peroxide Dosing

[Rorie]

snowflake311 kindly advised me that the above can help get rid of BGA.

I got some today that is 6%. I have read all over about different dosing, from 2.5ml max. to someone putting in 1.5ml per gallon (though that was for 3% concentrate).

Can anybody tell me what dosing i should go for?

 

[ian]

personally, i would go down this route. The BGA will come back, thats a promise as you're not treating the problem. I have read about people spot dosing H202 and working, however, the BGA seems to come back in most cases. Try and treat the cause Rorie, this is what needs to be done, 3 day blackout. Prior to this a 50% water change and manual removal. Add KNO3 (Quarter of teaspoon), turn off lights and C02, cover tank and don't peak! The Discus will be fine they are big fish and don't get fed as we do in the wild and this from Tom Barrs example advice after 3 days...

Remove and turn CO2/light/reduce surface movement and add:
1/4 teaspoon of KNO3(maybe a tad more than 1/4)
1/2 teaspoon K2SO4
3 rice grains worth of KH2PO4
8-10mls of trace mix

 

[aaronnorth]

If you already have KNO3 you caould have just mixed a strong solution up and squirted it directly on the BGA. Works in a lot of cases.

Thanks, Aaron

 

[Rorie]

These things you say to add after the black out... they are ingrediance in my EI are they not? So if i am adding them already, whey am i still getting it?

I will have 2 pumps on order in a couple days, do you think that will help it? I posted with the reasons and solutions for the algae, and my comments as going by that post, i should not have it haha

 

[ian]

You really should have some basic understanding of what you're dosing and why you're dosing when using EI. When going down the C02 route and EI route you really should research. BGA as you know has many influences, the main IMO is low KN03 and lack of flow. Eradicating BGA is very difficult. If we think about it, if BGA is exacerbated by low Nitrates, then up the nitrates. First you need to eradicate the existing BGA. The best way to do this is a blackout, you then at least know you have got it all.

and my comments as going by that post, i should not have it haha

 

[Rorie]

You really should have some basic understanding of what you're dosing and why you're dosing when using EI. When going down the C02 route and EI route you really should research. BGA as you know has many influences, the main IMO is low KN03 and lack of flow. Eradicating BGA is very difficult. If we think about it, if BGA is exacerbated by low Nitrates, then up the nitrates. First you need to eradicate the existing BGA. The best way to do this is a blackout, you then at least know you have got it all.

and my comments as going by that post, i should not have it haha

Well we all need to go through a learning curve, and its by asking questions and getting answers that we learn! So my understanding of EI is not good, but thats just because i have not managed to gain the knowledge of it yet, and dont know where to get the info from! Feel free to help... I am willing to learn given the chance.... better to learn than just give up and not use EI!

My circulation should be good, everything waves in my tank. But as i said, i will be adding more circulation soon. But even when i used to have a 4000l/h pump in there, i still had BGA! So nitrates could be the answer, but its not, i've always had high nitrates. Hence i am confused! Low KN03.... Potassium nitrate... i hated chemistry at school for a reason.... i dont know what it is or what it does! All i know is that i am adding it as part of my micro solution.

So, we have gathered i dont do chemistry, i dont understand what i am adding to my tank as part of EI, that i have high nitrates and that i am already adding potassium nitrate.... so what would the solution to my issues be?

 

[ian]

I didn't mean to come across rude, but i read loads of threads where people dive straight into a high tech tank with out appropriate research and end up in algae hell. I would always advocate in learning to grow plants first, and then going down the high tech route if wanted/needed. However, you have taken the high tech route, you now have encountered you first lot of algae, follow the above steps and you should rid yourself of that algae.
this is the best place to start to understand what EI does.

http/www.jsctech.co.uk/theplantedtank/EI.htm

have a read of this to show what you ferts do

http/www.jsctech.co.uk/theplantedtank/deficiencies.htm

 

[snowflake311]

I read that black outs do not work on BGA. It just goes dormant but comes back.

Yes you need to fix the cause but excel and Hydrogen Peroxide Will kill it. So when you fix the cause then clean out what you can and kill off what is left.

 

[ian]

Blackouts work, this is what is adivised on planted websites and in books the world over. Can you link this info/research Snowflake, would be interested to read?

 

[Rorie]

ianho, dont worry about it. I am not the type of person that dives straight into things. Reading about how to keep discus etc took up every hour i was not working until i was happy i understood! And it paid off, as i have spawning discus....and spawning rams! Hence i wasnt sure what good the 'do research' comment was when posing on here is exactly what i was doing. But never mind, text can lead to misinterpritation of peoples tone.

With plants, i have read lots, but some of the basics are missing. I.e. why i add each part of the EI solution. I couldnt find the answers, so figured i'd just go with the flow!

getting BGA is a pain in the backside, as i have looked into it, and, as i say, i shouldnt have it (given my set up and stats etc).

Do you think if i follow the black out theory, and then after it just add the KN03 etc as additional on top of my EI ferts?

Those doses you mentioned for dosing before/after the black out, are they accurate for my 360L, or are they 'per gallon' or something?

Thanks

 

[ian]

what is your dosing regimen at present?

but some of the basics are missing. I.e. why i add each part of the EI solution. I couldn't find the answers

i'm not sure what you mean...can you elaborate?

 

[aaronnorth]

These things you say to add after the black out... they are ingrediance in my EI are they not? So if i am adding them already, whey am i still getting it?

Yes, but it is the same principle as adding H2O2, adding it to the water won't do anything, but spot dosing kills it.

All i know is that i am adding it as part of my micro solution

KNO3 is Macro

I read that black outs do not work on BGA. It just goes dormant but comes back.

Blackouts definatley do work. BGA photosynthesizes, therefore cut off the light and it can't produce any "food". Plants are better adapted as they have energy reserves hence why they do not die.

what is your dosing regimen at present?

but some of the basics are missing. I.e. why i add each part of the EI solution. I couldn't find the answers

i'm not sure what you mean...can you elaborate?

If you mean why do you add each element then this is because it is based on a tank with no limiting factors (6WPG & 45ppm+ CO2)
These are the maximum uptake rates (based on a tank with no limiting factors):
Nitrate (NO3) 20ppm per week
Phosphate (PO4) 3ppm per week
Potassium (K) 30ppm per week
Magnesium (Mg) 10ppm per week

So if we add these concentratiosn to our tank nutrients can never be limiting, unless you go over the figures it was based on but I don't think anyone is that crazy lol

It can be triggered by an ammonia spike aswell, so any organic matter rotting, dirty filters etc.

As Ian says post your dosing regime.

Thanks, Aaron

 

[TwoTankAmin]

My personal experience-

1. My one use of peroxide to try an eradicate something served only to kill a few fish.

2. I have had only one major BGA issue over 11 years across about 25 tanks. It was stubborn and kept returning until I hit it with a triple whammy as follows:
a. Manually removed as much of the BGA as possible using an airline sized syphon.
b. A two day dosing of erythromycin (maracyn) according to label directions. Dose one prior to step c. and dose two the following day during step c. period. (Remember, BGA is not really algae it is a cyanobacteria.)
c. A three and a half day blackout.

3. Do big wc and vacuuming after the blackout ends to get as much dead bga out of the system as possible as it can cause an ammonia spike.

 

[Rorie]

My regime for EI is just as is stated on James planted tank:

Daily Schedule

Sunday 50% water change. Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4)
Monday Add Traces
Tuesday Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4)
Wednesday Add Traces
Thursday Add Macros (KNO3, KH2PO4)
Friday Add Traces
Saturday Rest day

I guess a black out it is! My power heads arrive tomorrow, so i will set them up and start a black out tomorrow evening!

Sorry, a few typos in my last post (doing it on the sly at work!). I meant, if i am adding KN03 as part of my Daily Schedule, then i guess its just not effective for my tank to keep the algae away, unless i does it direct? When you say dose direct, should i just dissolve the 1/4 teaspoon in enough water and apply that direct? Obviously when i am adding it at present its part of my dissolved solution, so is going into my tank on a global level.

I've had a read though those links you gave me, ianho. I have read one before. The other about plant deficiencies is good to note.

SO, lets say my 3 day black out and regime that has been given below gets rid of my BGA..... whats to stop it coming back?
Filters get cleaned out every week
Nitrates are around 50ppm
Water flow is consistent throughout my tank (and i am away to add 2 Koralia NANO 900.... in a 360L, i am hoping my discus wont mind?!)
CO2 is pretty consistent (other than the drop over night)

Think the pumps will do it?

I appreciate all the input on this, folks

 

[aaronnorth]

Sorry, a few typos in my last post (doing it on the sly at work!). I meant, if i am adding KN03 as part of my Daily Schedule, then i guess its just not effective for my tank to keep the algae away, unless i does it direct? When you say dose direct, should i just dissolve the 1/4 teaspoon in enough water and apply that direct? Obviously when i am adding it at present its part of my dissolved solution, so is going into my tank on a global level.

Correct, when did the BGA begin to develop?

Aaron