Can You Pass BGA From One Tank to Another?

[LindaC]

Is it possible that you can reinfect a tank with Cyanobacteria by putting a cutting from a tank that has it into another tank that did not?

I now have BGA in my 10 gallon tank again, I got rid of it a couple of months ago and now it's back. I just finished blacking out my 29 gallon for 3 days because I had it in that tank. I'm wondering if my putting a plant cutting from my 29 gallon into my 10 gallon could have infected it again.

Thoughts?

[Apocalypse_Gold]

Short answer...yes. Long answer...the conditions in your 10 must still have been favorable for BGA, so the root problem still needs to be addressed. What is your nitrate level? Low nitrates can lead to BGA.

[malkore]

And realistically, the BGA bacteria are always present, and really just need the right conditions to grow to a colony large enough to be seen with the naked eye.

[LindaC]

My nitrate level in my 10 gallon, the last time I checked was 10 ppms, but I've been using AP test strips and I've heard how unreliable they can be. To be perfectly honest, I haven't been dosing much ferts in this tank because I'm not injecting CO2, only Flourish Excel, however, I'm wondering where I have 2 15 watt compact flourescent lights on this tank, if that is creating a higher uptake with my plants.

Actually the plants in this tank, especially my Rotala R. is growing okay but the leaves are very stunted, and small, not like the leaves on the Rotala in my 29 gallon. I did another 50% water change last night and added 1/8 tsp of KNO3, 1/8 tsp of fleet mixed with DI water and 1/4 tsp of Potassium. I think I'm going to try uping my ferts in this tank and hopefully that will take away the BGA. I have an airstone running in the tank and just put on a bigger filter.

I'm so afraid that I'm going to come back from vacation and find the tank smothered in Cyano......any advice before I leave tomorrow morning? Should I do another water change and does ferts again or would that be overkill? The most important thing to me is the fish, I have a pair of rams in the tank and I do not want them to be harmed by this bacteria.


Thank you!
Linda