What will eat blue-green algae?

[BoCoMo]

it will try

Some people are worried about damaging beneficial bacteria in their biological filer but it is very unlikely, as stated on the Maracyn instructions.

Most likely, people who claim that it did damage their biological filter citing nitrite spikes are often just seeing the results of millions of dead cyanobacteria, and not dead beneficial bacteria.

Also, buying animals to eat the BGA will not only be ineffective but more costly than just dosing Maracyn, but do what you want - just my 2 cents

 

[jmhart]

In my tanks I have or have had:

SAE
Oto
Nerites(olive and zebra)
Amano and Cherry shrimp
Pleco
Platies

and none have even come close to eating BGA.

EM to kill, up circulation and dose nitrogen to prevent.

 

[Canuck]

Treatment: Maracyn dosing (follow instructions on packet) OR you can always do a 3-5 day black out. (I would use this as a last resort)

Not trying to pick a fight but drugs should always be the final option (before total breakdown of the tank). This is the reason some jurisdictions are moving away from this stuff being available over the counter.

Since it already has a foothold removing it manually will only provide a temporary solution. (It might make it grow back faster) Since it is a bacteria there is no way to get it all out of your tank this way. Dosing nitrates and increasing oxygen through circulation will not help at this stage.

Many, for some reason, seem to have a lot more difficult time with BGA than me. I have rid the tank of it just by manual removal and dosing nitrate (a couple of times). All the methods of algae removal (including EM) are only a temporary fix if the conditions to growth of BGA aren't corrected. (Or any other algae, for that matter).

In the end a successful plant keeper shouldn't be viewed as the most species of plants kept, but the most adept at preventing and eliminating algae problems.

 

[Dwarf Puffers]

Follow EM direction to a tee and it'll clear up your BGA....but, if you don't fix the problem it will definitely come back--quickly.

2 things to do that will prevent BGA are:

1)Increase circulation. Hydor Koralia works wonders

2)Dose nitrogen


The EM can have an effect on your biofilter if you use it too long. On the other side of that, any negative effects the EM has on your cycle will be more than taken care of by a heavily planted tank.

I took the AC50 off a while ago and didn't get around to putting the new (second hand) AC70 on. Right now there's only an AC110 on the right side of the tank. I'll put on the 70 tonight. A couple questions:

What is Hydor Koralia?

Where do I get nitrogen to dose?

Thanks.

 

[Dwarf Puffers]

Also, buying animals to eat the BGA will not only be ineffective but more costly than just dosing Maracyn, but do what you want - just my 2 cents

I was just wanting to know if there was a nice fish to give a little preventative help. It's a good way to experience a new fish :silly:

Anyways, erythromycin is working fine. The algae has begun to peel and ball up off of a couple of plants, and I'll be taking the stuff on the sandbed off tonight.

 

[BoCoMo]

Not trying to pick a fight but drugs should always be the final option (before total breakdown of the tank). This is the reason some jurisdictions are moving away from this stuff being available over the counter.

Really? This is the reason? I would have to see proof of that. Please cite a source.

Many, for some reason, seem to have a lot more difficult time with BGA than me. I have rid the tank of it just by manual removal and dosing nitrate (a couple of times). All the methods of algae removal (including EM) are only a temporary fix if the conditions to growth of BGA aren't corrected. (Or any other algae, for that matter).

Well, what stage was it in?

Typically, BGA is found floating around in your tank waiting to land in an ideal location. At this stage it is microscopic and harmless. If it finds a dead spot with low oxygen and lots of organic wastes (a dead spot) it will settle down and begin a colony. If nitrates are not high enough, it will quickly find a dead spot to start a colony and begin growing very quickly. Once it gets its foot in the door, it's very hard to combat without antibiotics.

In its second stage the colony appears as a slime-covered green, bluish-green, or brown patch. If you try to remove it, it tends to stick together in big gooey pieces and it has a very strong smell. The slime is the protective membrane the bacteria forms around the colony. Removing it manually will only temporarily help. In fact, removing it manually tends to make it grow back faster. Since it is bacteria, there is no way to get all of it out of your tank. Dosing nitrates will not have any effect on it now, since it has gained a foothold.

There is no one right answer for everyone, I am glad nitrates worked for you, but this BY FAR the most common correct answer to this problem.

In the end a successful plant keeper shouldn't be viewed as the most species of plants kept, but the most adept at preventing and eliminating algae problems.

Really?

:wall:

 

[BoCoMo]

I was just wanting to know if there was a nice fish to give a little preventative help. It's a good way to experience a new fish :silly:

Anyways, erythromycin is working fine. The algae has begun to peel and ball up off of a couple of plants, and I'll be taking the stuff on the sandbed off tonight.

Great! Glad to hear it is working. I love algae eating animals (and ways to experience new fish) but as far as algae prevention or maintenance goes, they are a poor choice, proper balance of aquarium conditions is the best prevention - IMHO

:thm:

 

[jmhart]

Hydor Koralia is a powerhead.

You can purchase dry fertilizers from www.aquariumfertilizer.com

What is your lighting/CO2/plant load like?

 

[Dwarf Puffers]

It has 108 watts of light (T5 Glo, 54 watts x2) and no CO2 (the looking-knowledgable guy at the NSLFS told me if I have lots of fish it isn't any good; I was tired, so I just nodded and didn't get it :wall.

For plants, I have between 10 and 15 feet of some kind of anacharis (wide, thicker stem and longer, meatier leaves than the other stuff I've seen), a few anubias (at least 4), a few medium-sized crypts (at least 5), a few stems of this soft, bushy plant that mostly died during the algae episode (light sensitivity), some kind of sag (at least 6 plants in there, could be 15), a large amazon sword, and 4 moss balls. Some java moss too, but recently its longer strands have died due to algae and it's just now making a comeback.
I had a fair bit of this red coloured ludwigia in there, and it was doing great, but it dissapeared along with some myrio. Probably algae to blame there.

I think I'll put some java fern in there (from another tank). I've tried to find a stronger light, as I know the wattage is terrible (barely 1.25 WPG), but short of buying another 250$ fixture, I don't know how. If I had more lighting, I'd put my 2 bunches of dwarf hairgrass in there.

 

[Star_Rider]

I find that BGA can establish in a planted tank with high nitrate.

I have a heavily planted tank with nitrate in the 40+ and BGA is a problem there.
if dosing with em make sure you follow the complete course.
if any BGA is left it will set up house again.