Blue green algea. Is this true?

[sedgy90]

Hi guys I was reading this ada book as I can see the very beginnings of bga starting :-( and the book advises bacter 100 which I have ( sprinkled in substrate when I set up the tank.) It also says
'put black molly in the aquarium'
Does this work?
Or am I missing something?

Thanks guys.

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[molly100a]

I got rid of my blue green algea which is really a bacteria by removing as much as I can by hand, vacuuming the top of the substrate and treating with peroxide. I was doing weekly water changes but was not paying attention to the substrate. Since then I make sure I go over the substrate lightly as to not disturb the plants. Also try cutting your lights back.

 

[sedgy90]

Thanks I Will try more precise vaccuming for the next few weeks. Still confused about the add a black molly thing though.

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[molly100a]

I don't know of any fish that eats blue green bacteria, remove as much as you can and spot treat with 3% peroxide. this will work, peroxide will not harm your fish or plants. Mollys do nibble on hair algea but not enough in my opinion.

 

[Coyne]

Make sure you turn your filter of when treating with hydrogen peroxide, and leave them off for 20-30 mins. Otherwise you'll be "treating" your BB colony as well.

 

[ljlee256]

My mollies only touch hair algae when I havent fed them for a couple days, which only happened a couple times when I over fed them and was trying to get their bloating down. Even then they only went after the hair algae that was broken free from the substrate, they didn't bother rooting around for it. Ive had better luck with my amano shrimp eating the GHA so far, don't know about BGA, afaik BGA isnt true algae but some kind of bacteria.

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[Rivercats]

When using Peroxide you only want to use 3ml hydrogen peroxide 3% to every 1 gallon of water. If there are no fish then you can use more. If you really want to be sure all the cyanobacteria is killed you should dose with Erythromycin for 5 days. It won't harm BB but you can see an ammonia spike due to the cyano dying off. Something else to remember is tanks with a nitrate reading under 10ppm makes it easier for cyano to take hold in a tank.

 

[sedgy90]

Hi guys thanks for replies.

I am in the uk so cant buy antibiotics (erythromycin) over the counter. :-(

But I will check my nitrates and see how they are.

Thanks guys.


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[ljlee256]

Hi guys thanks for replies.

I am in the uk so cant buy antibiotics (erythromycin) over the counter. :-(

But I will check my nitrates and see how they are.

Thanks guys.


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Cyanobacteria does need light to move around, without it it will rise to the surface like scum, if your plants are healthy enough to withstand a couple of days without light you can try doing a tank black out, remove all light from the tank for a few days. If you are concerned your plants won't make it that long maybe consider pulling them out for the black out period. This probably won't wipe out the cyano, but it should make it easier to spot treat.

Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria) and Their Toxins - Drinking Water

 

[sedgy90]

I did that on my last setup and it worked well for a while. But in this setup its literally tiny but its in the upper middle level of the substrate none on the surface and its very tiny but want to make sure it doesnt take hold.

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[ljlee256]

I did that on my last setup and it worked well for a while. But in this setup its literally tiny but its in the upper middle level of the substrate none on the surface and its very tiny but want to make sure it doesnt take hold.

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I would still give a 2 day blackout a shot, if nothing else it will weaken the BGA making spot treatments more effective, that just my point of view as its a non chemical method. But definitely boost your nitrates first, gives other plant life more of the base nutrients they need allowing them to consume more of the nutrients the BGA needs.

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[sedgy90]

Awesome. Thanks.

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