An experiment for controlling BBA?

[BrianNY]

I'm losing my battle fighting this scourge. It is growing like thick mats on my java fern, anubias, driftwood, rocks, you name it. It's virually impossible to remove by hand as it adheres better than any epoxy I've ever used.

I've done alot of reading on this and peoples success at eliminating it seems to be rather poor. Being somewhat lazy, I don't want to use the bleach method and break down my tank, rinse the gravel with bleach, etc.

The concensus seems to be that this nuisance proliferates as a result of very low nitrates. I'm thinking of taking an anubias and placing it in a 2 1/2 tank dosed with KNO3 to get the nitrates up to VERY high level. I'm just curious whether or not an elevated nitrate level will kill the algae, and not the plant.

Any thoughts?

 

[Steve Hampton]

Hi Brian, are you talking about BBA or BGA? BGA is associated with very low to zero nitrates, but I've never seen BBA associated with low nitrates. Usually BBA is associated with low levels of CO2 with moderate lighting. BBA can be usually driven away by insuring that CO2 levels remain at 20-30 ppm throughout the photoperiod and pruning and removal of as much of the affected leaves as possible. BBA can also be killed with plant dips of hydrogen peroxide, potassium permanganate, or bleach. SAE's and Rosey Barbs are very good at grazing on BBA.

Certainly I'm not trying to discourage experimentation...I love experimentation. I do have strong doubts as to high nitrate levels being toxic to any form of algae...algae blooms are usually natures way to cleanse polluted water (high organics and high nitrates). I would think that high nitrates would cause both the plant and the algae to flourish...unless all the needs of the plant were meet with regards to lighting, CO2, and comprehensive nutrients. Generally speaking, overdosing one nutrient while letting to others go underdosed is a recipe for algae problems.

 

[tiptoptank]

SUp brian. Is this BBA in as planted tank?

If so just raise the Co2

O and also I have some "?" for you. I just started owning disc's and was wondering a few things. First off my discus are in a heavly planted tank with co2. Secondly my disc seem to be hudling near the surface, and don't seem happy. i thought it might be the water temp but my temp is at 82.6. also I have yet to get them to eat anything. AT all. I tryed brine shrimp, frozen bloodworms, formula one flakes. even those color peletes with no luck.

My water parm's are
GH-2
kh-4.5
ph goes up and down thought the day between 6.5 and 7
the tank mates ate a clown loach, tigerloach, acorycat, and 3 SAE

It's a 55 gallon tank and I change 45-40% of the water weekly.

Any advise to give?

O one more thing. If my discus get parisites or need meds, what meds wont kill my plants?

 

[QTOFFER]

I've seen the tank that Brian's talking about - it's definitely black brush, and not blue gree algae - and he's got a pretty scary-looking case of it. 8O His plants look like Rip Van Winkle!

Brian, I thought you were going to try the permanganate dip. I have a little bit of BBA on those anubias that I got at the auction. Some, but not all of it rubbed off by hand. I was planning to borrow some KMnO4 from my lab, but I was going to ask you what concentration to use and how long to dip.

 

[BrianNY]

Thanks for the reply Steve. It's BBA and is has taken over my low light 55. I don't use any CO2 in this tank at all. I've been reading about about this algae in various places but most of the articles written at The Krib mention low nitrates as source of bloom. Now it is present in my CO2 injected 125 gallon discus tank (which gets almost 3 wpg of light), but in much smaller quantities.

As for your discus tiptoptank much would depend on their age. The younger the discus the more water you need to change. Even with a low bioload you should be changing one third at least every other day. If they are adults you can get away with weekly 40-50% changes. To stimulate their appetites bump the temp up to 85 and leave it there. Discus seem more prone to malodies at temps under 85 JMO.

You should have a QT tank of at least 20 gallons to medicate an individual. What types of med to use is entirely dependant on the illness. If it becomes necessary to medicate the entire tank I'd be happy to discuss the cause and effect when the time arises. A good hygiene routine and proper QTing of any new fish is really the best preventative.

HTH

 

[BrianNY]

Andy, I used a 1:10 ratio but this is really tough stuff. What I'll probably do is remove all the affected leaves. Bleach anything not living, and then diatom the heck out of this tank.

 

[Steve Hampton]

I've been reading about about this algae in various places but most of the articles written at The Krib mention low nitrates as source of bloom.

Hi Brian, let me give you some more reading that has the most current information. Honestly, the preponderance of evidence points to low CO2 levels being the culprit. I always run low nitrate in my CO2 injected planted tanks, on the anecdotal belief that it makes my red plants redder. Anyway, I never ever have BBA in CO2 injected tanks, but I do fight BBA in tanks without CO2 injection regardless of the nitrate levels. Anyway here's some current experts opinions.

http://fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plants/month.200104/msg00148.html

http://fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plants/month.200202/msg01030.html

http://fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plants/month.200411/msg00054.html

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=3049

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=12305&highlight=black+brush+algae

 

[TankGirl]

Very good reading - thanks for posting the links, Steve.

I can say from my own experience that when I got pressurized recently my BBA has definitely not continued to grow as it did with my unreliable DIY. I'm slowly hacking away at the old stuff but I see no sign of new growth.

 

[QTOFFER]

Here's a tip for removing BBA from broad-leafed plants. I got some anubias at an auction that had some mild algae growth on them. I was able to rub some, but not all off by hand - especially at the edges.

Yesterday, I decided to try a mushroom brush - these are small very, very soft nylon brushes designed to clean mushrooms without tearing them up - you can buy them in any houseware/kitchen store. I'm happy to report that it worked like a charm! Cleaned the leaf without damaging it!

Now, my aquarium tool chest contains a mushroom brush to go with the toothbrish and nail brush that I use to clean rocks and ornaments.

 

[BrianNY]

Thanks again Steve. I'll keep you all posted on my progress.

Looks like I'll be picking up a mushroom brush soon too.