BBA=> too much light/too little CO2.
Very common algae because poor use of CO2 or dosing Excel is also very common.
2 x 54 W T5 lights is a lot of light really, you should have CO2 for this.
Folks that have chronic BBA and cannot get rid of it all have a CO2 problem, not adding too many ferts, too much iron or all the other claims.
Now I can induce BBA in any planted tank pretty easily.
I can also get rid of it in any tank.
Yea, yea, I've heard all this stuff a decade ago, I had the same issues and heard some of the same things and even worse. I went down one by one looking for causes carefully and isolated them. Then went back and induced the algae for verification.
There might be some interactions, say low NO3 and low CO2 etc, but as far as a single main factor, it's CO2. Stable CO2 in particular.
DIY folks run into troubles, non CO2 users are okay, low light and stable low CO2, plants adapt, but if you bob the CO2 all over or cannot add enough, then you will get BBA and likely many other algae, have trouble growing plants at a nice high level.
"Limiting" algae is not going to happen if you have plants, algae need far less and will wait till you add more and make the same mistake all over again.
Rather than worrying so much about algae, focus on the plants and see what makes them grow the best.
The Excel likely can work here, with this lighting if you add a fair amount.
I'd try and turn one bulb on for 5 hours and then the other.
that+ daily Excel dosing.
Should be fine.
Either that, or go back to CO2 gas.
As with all algae issues, trim and remove what is there now, clean and bleach any equipment, rock etc, rinse well, add dechloirnator etc, I do not ever add Excel/bleach etc to infected leaves, I always trim them off, with good reason, they will not look nice later and not add much to the growth of the plant.
Bleaching tears up plant leaves pretty bad, but just looks good for a few weeks after. Plants do better if they can grow new leaves and are given good conditions.
After this, I do a filter cleaning, good fluff of the tank to get any leftovers and water change.
Water changes, pruning and good conditions for plants.
It's not that hard if you are consistent and keep up on it.
If you do not like trimming 1-2x a week, then use slower growing plants or modify the light to reduce growth rates. Why would you make more work for yourself when there are many options?
Go back and focus on CO2 if you have BBA issues.
I've been saying this for 15 years now and I have not been wrong about it.
CO2 is not some simple thing and it's the hardest to measure well over the time that the plants need it, it can vary by huge amounts without folks realizing it.
Keep close tabs on it and watch the fish and plant's responses.
You will be rewarded in doing so.
The Nutrient part is actually pretty easy.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Very common algae because poor use of CO2 or dosing Excel is also very common.
2 x 54 W T5 lights is a lot of light really, you should have CO2 for this.
Folks that have chronic BBA and cannot get rid of it all have a CO2 problem, not adding too many ferts, too much iron or all the other claims.
Now I can induce BBA in any planted tank pretty easily.
I can also get rid of it in any tank.
Yea, yea, I've heard all this stuff a decade ago, I had the same issues and heard some of the same things and even worse. I went down one by one looking for causes carefully and isolated them. Then went back and induced the algae for verification.
There might be some interactions, say low NO3 and low CO2 etc, but as far as a single main factor, it's CO2. Stable CO2 in particular.
DIY folks run into troubles, non CO2 users are okay, low light and stable low CO2, plants adapt, but if you bob the CO2 all over or cannot add enough, then you will get BBA and likely many other algae, have trouble growing plants at a nice high level.
"Limiting" algae is not going to happen if you have plants, algae need far less and will wait till you add more and make the same mistake all over again.
Rather than worrying so much about algae, focus on the plants and see what makes them grow the best.
The Excel likely can work here, with this lighting if you add a fair amount.
I'd try and turn one bulb on for 5 hours and then the other.
that+ daily Excel dosing.
Should be fine.
Either that, or go back to CO2 gas.
As with all algae issues, trim and remove what is there now, clean and bleach any equipment, rock etc, rinse well, add dechloirnator etc, I do not ever add Excel/bleach etc to infected leaves, I always trim them off, with good reason, they will not look nice later and not add much to the growth of the plant.
Bleaching tears up plant leaves pretty bad, but just looks good for a few weeks after. Plants do better if they can grow new leaves and are given good conditions.
After this, I do a filter cleaning, good fluff of the tank to get any leftovers and water change.
Water changes, pruning and good conditions for plants.
It's not that hard if you are consistent and keep up on it.
If you do not like trimming 1-2x a week, then use slower growing plants or modify the light to reduce growth rates. Why would you make more work for yourself when there are many options?
Go back and focus on CO2 if you have BBA issues.
I've been saying this for 15 years now and I have not been wrong about it.
CO2 is not some simple thing and it's the hardest to measure well over the time that the plants need it, it can vary by huge amounts without folks realizing it.
Keep close tabs on it and watch the fish and plant's responses.
You will be rewarded in doing so.
The Nutrient part is actually pretty easy.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Tom Barr
