Trying a Blackout..Need Advise

[knashash]

After fighting a losing battle trying to get rid of a recent algae outbreak, I am trying a black out for a while. My question is how long should I leave the lights off for before my plants start to die off as well. Any help is appreciated.

 

[reiverix]

I think it depends on what type of algae. For BGA it's usually a three day blackout followed by a large water change. If I remember correctly, you also add some KNO3 before and after the blackout.

For other algae types I'm not sure a blackout is the answer.

 

[Rebgen]

Earlier in the year when I was battling green water I did three different blackouts. Each one was 96 hours and my plants didn't bat an eye. I have crypts, Amazon swords, Anubias, and Ludwigia repens. The only algae that tried to hang on after the BO was some minor hair algae.

Remember not to feed your plants or fish during the blackout.

 

[daveedka]

Assuming healthy plants to begin with 5-6 days is safe for all but the pickiest plants. When plants are shipped from overseas, they aften undergo more than a week without light. I have done as much as 5 day blackouts, and the only plant I've seen react adversely is my anachris, but even it didn't die off, only looked a little yellow and stretched when the lights came back on.

Some algaes will survive blackouts as said, green water, BGA, and most green algea I've had will die quickly, BBA seems to be the hard one to kill, but then it also seems to be the slow grower and easy to remove algea in my tanks when I've had it.
Dave

 

[Torontoman5]

I tried 5 day blackouts when I had green water and it was useless. Only cleared up half and then came right back. I used a diatom filter and it was cleared up in 1-1/2 hrs. I mean I have never seen my tank so clear. It has never come back....I have also read another post that someone used a diatom for over 24 hours and it didn't do anything for him.

 

[knashash]

Thanks for all the advice all.....Im mainly just trying to get rid of a carpet algae and hair algae outbreak...I think ill give it a go for 4/5 days along with a good cleaning and water changes....wish me luck

 

[daveedka]

I tried 5 day blackouts when I had green water and it was useless. Only cleared up half and then came right back. I used a diatom filter and it was cleared up in 1-1/2 hrs. I mean I have never seen my tank so clear. It has never come back....I have also read another post that someone used a diatom for over 24 hours and it didn't do anything for him.

There had to be some light available somewhere, green water dies faster than almost anything else when in total darkness, was the filter covered? it's real easy to accidently let ligt get to the algea. AC fiters in particular are good at this, but even the grill on top of an emporer will let some light in. another problem is that whatever is covering the tank is often not thick enough to block all light.
diatom filters and UV sterilizers will both work as well, but in the case of a filter it has to be run long enough to remove every single spec of living algea in the water column
Dave