Maracyn

[coldcazzie]

Ok, the blackout that I did a while back completely failed to get rid of the BGA in my tank, so having done a lot of reading I have decided to try erythromycin as my next trick. Is there any place that is particularly recommended to buy from or not really? I know I don't need a script, and can buy online, but wondered if there is somewhere particularly to go? Also, does anybody know if pets at home sell it, because I have a discount card for them so it would save me a few pennies if I could buy it from there!

 

[stevereade]

Anti Biotics??? lol

 

[ian]

Just be careful where you buy drugs from online as many are just Sold paracetamol and you wouldn't want that near your tank. I'm seeing more and more people coming into my place of work with drugs bought off of the net. Your best bet would be a vet, as lfs in England won't be licenced to stock anti biotics. As for the bga it's really hard to get rid of when it gets hold, the only way I have seen it totally eredicated was when a uv light was fitted to the filter (not that is the only way)

 

[coldcazzie]

Just be careful where you buy drugs from online as many are just Sold paracetamol and you wouldn't want that near your tank. I'm seeing more and more people coming into my place of work with drugs bought off of the net. Your best bet would be a vet, as lfs in England won't be licenced to stock anti biotics. As for the bga it's really hard to get rid of when it gets hold, the only way I have seen it totally eredicated was when a uv light was fitted to the filter (not that is the only way)

Funny you should mention that - the filter I am getting for my birthday has a UV light on it (the all pond solutions 2000EF+ one). I wasn't planning on using it but maybe I should?

This is what I mean - I don't want to buy something and have it come back as being rat poison. I dont see why the LFS wouldnt stock it - they stock treatments for pop eye and such like and those are antibacterial meds...

Edited to add: if the only way to really get rid is to totally strip the tank down and sterilise everything then I dont mind doing that - I'll be stripping everything down to move house anyway, my issue with that is that I'll have several fish in bags with nowhere to go!

 

[loraxchick]

how long was the blackout?
i had bga BAD once. scraped out as much as i could, did a HUGE waterchange and blackout for 5 days. no peeking or cheating. when i uncovered the tank it was crystal clear. no more BGA. did another huge water change and never had the stuff again. ive read sometimes two blackouts are needed.
just a thought.
cheers

 

[SuperColey1]

Indeed. I know you say you don't want a script so I'll keep this under 10,000 words but too many people are going this type of route.

Use a chemical to kill the problem. Don't know what caused and guess what 'Hello I'm back'.

This is true of people using excel to kill algae and also things like this.

Sort out the disease not the symptom of the disease. If don't sort out the disease then the symptom will come back.

I would do as suggested above. Clear out most of it, do a full 5 day blackout with absolutely no feeding or looking. Wrap it up in thick bin bags, several layers if necessary and tape it all up. That way you will not be able to take a sneaky peak.

I would bet that your new filter may sort the probme out althoughyou shouldn't need the UV. I used to have one and yes it kept the water clear but guess what. I sold it and I still have clear water. Namely the disease isn't there so I have no problem.

There are disputes over UVs being a problem with feritlisers namely that they weaken chelators in the traces. No idea how factual these are as I ditched the UV as I saw no use for it.

If the blackout and filter doesn't sort it out then you need to look at ferts namely nitrates being too low.....yes I did say too low

Sunlight can cause it to start too. Some people put black insulation tape along the visible sides of their tank at substrate level as you can often see some BGA there. I can see some in mine. but then I have seen it for over 3 years without tampering with the substrate and without it spreading so I don't worry. If it does spread for any reason you can bet your aunt I won't be buying any treatments for it

Told you I'd keep it short. Thats really short for me

AC

 

[stevereade]

Trust him he's a doctor lol.

 

[SuperColey1]

Trust him he's a doctor lol.

No I'm not. I'm a layabout that doesn't work

AC

 

[stevereade]

Me too but you sound like one lol.

 

[coldcazzie]

Indeed. I know you say you don't want a script so I'll keep this under 10,000 words but too many people are going this type of route.

Use a chemical to kill the problem. Don't know what caused and guess what 'Hello I'm back'.

This is true of people using excel to kill algae and also things like this.

Sort out the disease not the symptom of the disease. If don't sort out the disease then the symptom will come back.

I would do as suggested above. Clear out most of it, do a full 5 day blackout with absolutely no feeding or looking. Wrap it up in thick bin bags, several layers if necessary and tape it all up. That way you will not be able to take a sneaky peak.

I would bet that your new filter may sort the probme out althoughyou shouldn't need the UV. I used to have one and yes it kept the water clear but guess what. I sold it and I still have clear water. Namely the disease isn't there so I have no problem.

There are disputes over UVs being a problem with feritlisers namely that they weaken chelators in the traces. No idea how factual these are as I ditched the UV as I saw no use for it.

If the blackout and filter doesn't sort it out then you need to look at ferts namely nitrates being too low.....yes I did say too low

Sunlight can cause it to start too. Some people put black insulation tape along the visible sides of their tank at substrate level as you can often see some BGA there. I can see some in mine. but then I have seen it for over 3 years without tampering with the substrate and without it spreading so I don't worry. If it does spread for any reason you can bet your aunt I won't be buying any treatments for it

Told you I'd keep it short. Thats really short for me

AC

That is pretty short for you!

Having done some ringing around, the vet would need a consultation for a prescription, which is £50 (ouch! ), so that rules that out straight away, especially as it's not a fish I want it for!

I can put duct tape on the tank at substrate level no problem, and I can manually scrub as much off as poss for the decor. The plants would need their lower leaves completely stripping off, which would leave some of them rather small, but the roots would still be big and unaffected so I guess they'd bounce back fine.

Will TPN+ be enough to raise the nitrates, or will I need an extra something. I have been meaning to really look into it but have that many other things to juggle it always seems to get forgotten. If I can get rid of it by means other than antibiotics then I'd rather do that. I'm not that keen on them at the best of times, so if I can avoid them that would be good.

The blackout I did before was for 3 days. I did ask if I needed to scrub anything and was told that James's planted tank website (it's in PARC) had all the info I needed but I read that page about 5 times, and it's doesn't go into as much detail as I wanted to know. I will try a longer one if you think that will work...or a double one if that might be the way to go.

As I said before - I hand't planned on using the UV at all.

 

[SuperColey1]

Do water changes daily. Your tap should have enough nitrates in it

Use electrical/insulation tape (stretchy rubber stuff in multi colours)not duct tape. It will come off without any glue mess.

I would get rid of most of it, do the water changes for a few days to let the plants get some light and then do the 5 days. Give them another couple of days light before the second if needed.

The water changes will improve the water conditions and as a side effect remove ammonia and replace with nitrate.

AC

 

[coldcazzie]

Tap nitrate is 0.

Will do my best to find insulation tape instead of duct tape, I'm sure we must have some somewhere.

 

[coldcazzie]

Well I've done a major clean - scrubbed all the decor, turned the gravel over and put insulation tape along the gravel (although not convinced how helpful it will be because it's yellow lol), cleaned as much as I could off the leaves and pruned ones that were too far gone, gravel vac and 60% water change (I think).
Have to order some more Prime as I'm down to a dribble in the bottom of the bottle so may as well order some ferts as well. Have been reading up on dry ferts - I already have some Seachem Flourish which will cover trace, so am I right in thinking I would just need to buy potassium phosphate and potassium nitrate to make up the macros?

 

[SuperColey1]

Tap nitrate is 0.

Wow. I always seem to find the O people when I suggest that tapwater should have plenty. lol

Well I've done a major clean - scrubbed all the decor, turned the gravel over and put insulation tape along the gravel (although not convinced how helpful it will be because it's yellow lol), cleaned as much as I could off the leaves and pruned ones that were too far gone, gravel vac and 60% water change (I think).
Have to order some more Prime as I'm down to a dribble in the bottom of the bottle so may as well order some ferts as well. Have been reading up on dry ferts - I already have some Seachem Flourish which will cover trace, so am I right in thinking I would just need to buy potassium phosphate and potassium nitrate to make up the macros?

All sounds good. Doesn't matter what colour the tape is. It will block direct sunlight. If you decide to keep it there then get some black.

Yes those are the ferts. You won't need much really.

AC

 

[coldcazzie]

Tap nitrate is 0.

Wow. I always seem to find the O people when I suggest that tapwater should have plenty. lol

Well I've done a major clean - scrubbed all the decor, turned the gravel over and put insulation tape along the gravel (although not convinced how helpful it will be because it's yellow lol), cleaned as much as I could off the leaves and pruned ones that were too far gone, gravel vac and 60% water change (I think).
Have to order some more Prime as I'm down to a dribble in the bottom of the bottle so may as well order some ferts as well. Have been reading up on dry ferts - I already have some Seachem Flourish which will cover trace, so am I right in thinking I would just need to buy potassium phosphate and potassium nitrate to make up the macros?

All sounds good. Doesn't matter what colour the tape is. It will block direct sunlight. If you decide to keep it there then get some black.

Yes those are the ferts. You won't need much really.

AC

Well, I've done it. After 2 days of procrastinating (limited finances and fish stuff aint cheap!) I've bought some nitrate and phosphate. Don't have a phosphate test kit so will have to take an educated guess as to how much there may be (I'm thinking not much - the tank is fairly low stocked).