thick purple and bright green algae, HELP

[DooSPX]

in our 55G native sunfish tank, its planted with mostly val. it has 2 T8 bulbs. it is growing thick paper like purple algae. I will post a pic later.
we have tap water, and its loaded with calcium.

 

[Bk718]

how long you keep your lights on?

 

[DooSPX]

about 9 hours

 

[jpappy789]

What's the wattage on the bulbs?

 

[247Plants]

Sounds like BGA to me.

 

[Notophthalmus]

Take a turkey baster and some hydrogen peroxide. Squirt the H2O2 directly on the BGA; this should kill most of it. Repeat as necessary; the dead growth should peel away easily after a day or two.

 

[Bk718]

Take a turkey baster and some hydrogen peroxide. Squirt the H2O2 directly on the BGA; this should kill most of it. Repeat as necessary; the dead growth should peel away easily after a day or two.

I think out of all algaes, peroxide wont work on BGA. Instead use erythromycin

 

[Notophthalmus]

It's worked for me in the past, though it takes more applications than for green algae. I've never tried erythromycin.

 

[Bk718]

It's worked for me in the past, though it takes more applications than for green algae. I've never tried erythromycin.

Since bga is a bacterium, the erythro kills it. Though some are a bit more cautious with erythro since if you use 2 much it may kill off some of the benefitial bacteria as well.

 

[247Plants]

I have used jungle fizz tabs very successfully in the past for this.