Maracyn

[ChrisP]

I have tried the blackout method a few times now to shift BGA and I am finding its just not doing the job. I dose KNO3 to good levels and I find it just comes back or the blackout does not shift it. I am confident I am doing the blackout correctly and cleaning after and before and all that.

Is Maracyn my only next option to shift the BGA? Also anyone feeling generous with a stock pile of the stuff before I falk out £16 for one shot of the stuff?

 

[Themuleous]

Ive used it and although I don't like using medications if I don't have to its the only thing that removed my BGA. Have you tried Dr Foster Im pretty sure the ship to the UK, or ebay is another option.

Also try looking for erythromycin as that is the active ingredient, maracyn is a trade name.

Also, think you need the Maracyn 1, think the Maracyn 2 doesn't work as well as is for different bacteria, not 100% sure on that, can anyone else confirm?

Sam

 

[zig]

Try and increase the circulation in the tank, this can sometimes shift bga in a tank, if its lots of bga then maybe the maracyn is the best option, but increasing the circulation has worked for me recently on some stubborn spots of bga that were caused by dead spots from lack of water circulation in the tank. They disappeared within 24 hours 1. by just pointing a powerhead at the spot of bga 2. manual removal of the second area of bga, both areas of bga have not come back and its now several weeks.

 

[ChrisP]

I think the maracyn is needed unfortunatly as I have tried everything and read everythng I can about shifting the stuff.

I have tried blackouts as I said, also tried the circulation as you mentioned. I had my spray bar so that it would move the water surface a lot and also made the spraybar cause a breeze over the substrate as thats where I get that BGA the most and still it persists.

I have battled this for so long now that I am willing to throw anything at it so long as its gone, I have avoided the use of a drug for as long as I can but it looks like there is no avoiding it.

I just want my tank back in control and this smelly snot gone!



Themuleous cheers Il prob just buy off eBay as it seems cheaper and its easier. Just need confirmation as to wether I want Maracyn 1 or 2.

 

[alanchown]

I think the maracyn is needed unfortunatly as I have tried everything and read everythng I can about shifting the stuff.

I have tried blackouts as I said, also tried the circulation as you mentioned. I had my spray bar so that it would move the water surface a lot and also made the spraybar cause a breeze over the substrate as thats where I get that BGA the most and still it persists.

I have battled this for so long now that I am willing to throw anything at it so long as its gone, I have avoided the use of a drug for as long as I can but it looks like there is no avoiding it.

I just want my tank back in control and this smelly snot gone!



Themuleous cheers Il prob just buy off eBay as it seems cheaper and its easier. Just need confirmation as to wether I want Maracyn 1 or 2.

Definately Maracyn 1

 

[alanchown]

I think the maracyn is needed unfortunatly as I have tried everything and read everythng I can about shifting the stuff.

I have tried blackouts as I said, also tried the circulation as you mentioned. I had my spray bar so that it would move the water surface a lot and also made the spraybar cause a breeze over the substrate as thats where I get that BGA the most and still it persists.

I have battled this for so long now that I am willing to throw anything at it so long as its gone, I have avoided the use of a drug for as long as I can but it looks like there is no avoiding it.

I just want my tank back in control and this smelly snot gone!



Themuleous cheers Il prob just buy off eBay as it seems cheaper and its easier. Just need confirmation as to wether I want Maracyn 1 or 2.

Get it here http/www.inhousedrugstore.co.uk/infectio...ythromycin.html

Alan

 

[ChrisP]

For anyone who has used the tabs in the link above what sort of dosage did you use?

 

[alanchown]

For anyone who has used the tabs in the link above what sort of dosage did you use?

It's the same dosage as Maracyn. Of hand I can't remember, but Georges Algae link at the top has the dosage (I think it's 400mg/100L, but I'd double check if I was you). I think Maracyn tabs are 200mg tabs and the ones above are 400mg, but as I say double check.

ALan

 

[ChrisP]

Cheers mate I didnt realse there was a dosage guideline in there.

 

[zig]

For the 400mg tabs the dosage is 1 tab per day for each 20 US gallons, dosage continues for 5 days, i wouldnt be tempted to dose longer than this or you may kill your filter bacteria.

 

[ChrisP]

Right last question. I am on day two of dosing, I just want to check how others administered the tablets?

On the first day I just popped the tabs in, they sat on the bottom and broke down although did not seem to dissolve until I put my hand in and wafted the powder around.

Today I decided to crush it prior to adding it, a lot of it now seems to just be sittign on the water surface and going round and round with the circulation of water and I dont see it fully dissolving as there are bits just sat on the decor also.

 

[Themuleous]

When I did it, I dissolved the whole tablet in a small pot of water then slowly poured it into the tank. You will probably have noticed the white fluffy stuff, I think this is the sugar coating they have (they are for people after all) when I pouring it into the tank I stopped just before I added this 'fluff' then added some more water to the pot and did the same again. Then I chucked the white stuff in the bin. It took days to dissolve in the tank the first time I added it and it not being in there didnt seem to affect the treatment.

Sam

 

[ChrisP]

Ah ok sounds good, I think I will just stick to what I am doing and let the stuff work its magic. I can always vac it all out when the course is finished.

Also since this stuff is antibiotic have I to leave the tank for a while once the treatment is done? For example no filter cleaning as to not disturb the bacterial colony. I know with the blackout method its routine to clean the filter after to remove any remaining algae/dead algae.

 

[plantbrain]

It'll come back with drugs or blackout if you missed something.

Generally if you really are dosing 30ppm of NO3 weekly, then it's dirty filters, old substrate that needs a good vacuuming, tank needs a pruning etc.

You need to kill it good, total blackout for 3 days, not just turn the lights off. The tank must be covered or in total darkness.

Cleaning the substrate will help as it unclogged the pores and allows good flow through there and this along with ample NO3 prevents fast growth etc.

THE CAUSATIVE ISSUES OF ALGAE ARE FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN MERELY KILLING WHAT IS THERE, OTHER WISE IT KEEPS COMING BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN. THIS IS WHY ALGICIDES, PILLS AND SILVER BULLETS/MIRACLE CURES ARE BAD AND USE LITTLE/NO USE.

They do not grow plants.
When the plants do not grow well, then we see algae.
Why don't the plants grow well?
A lack of something, CO2, light, nutrients etc.......

This is a universal observation.


Regards,
Tom Barr

 

[ChrisP]

Thankyou for the reply plantbrain I made sure I cleaned the filter both before and after the blackout so I am quite confident that was not the problem.

I think you could be correct when you mentioned the substrate though, although I did vacuum the gravel I feel I may not have been thorough enough in doing so. I will make sure I vacuum very throughly when I vac from now on.

One thing I would just like to mention to you to see if you can shed any light. The first few times I did a blackout it worked excellent, not a single trace of the BGA was around after the 5 days (although it came back probably for reasons outlined above).

The last 2 times I tried a blackout it was unsuccessful, I did everything to the letter with a good cleaning prior of the tank and filter, 50% waterchange, KNO3 dosing and made sure the lights were out and covered with 2 layers of binbags which I made sure were tight, the tank was in total darkness.

Yet after 5 days I still could see patches were the BGA was still alive at this point I got frustrated and opted for the drugs.