Combatting BBA with H202/Excel

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marchmaxima

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Jan 26, 2008
Messages
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Location
Melbourne, Australia
Co2 fluctuation has resulted in a mass increase of BBA on a few leaves of my plants but mainly on a bare patch of the sand substrate. I have scooped up a fair amount and will probably spend the better half of Friday night manually removing what I can.

I wanted to ask those who have used either the Hydrogen Peroxide method or Excel to treat the rest. I have a couple of really nice crypts I'd hate to lose, so I'm assuming that'll have to be removed and treated in H2O2 or 1:20 bleach solution.

I see 2 ways to use H2O2 ot beat algae. Dipping the plants or treating the entire tank (@ 1 drop per gallon). I'm a little concerned about treating the entire tank as I read an article of someone who did that and fish loss occured.

So I'm thinking I might remove the crypts, dip them in H2O2 and treat the tank using Excel. With Excel, I see varying differences in the suggested dose.

If you've used any of the above methods, I'd like to hear your experience.
 
I'd suggest using Flourish Excel over H2O2. Since it is a liquid source of carbon, it will benefit your plants at the same time as helping to fight the BBA. I'd start with double the normal dose applied directly to the affected areas and work from there.
 
While this is a question I have I think its related, Will the BBA algae eventually go away? or will the remains have to be manually removed? After increasing CO2 output I believe I have stopped anygrowth but what about the nastly ol hairs?
 
Manual removal of the leaves with dead BBA on them is the quickest way to get rid of it. If you keep CO2 up, hopefully you won't see a return. It worked for me...
 
I've never used Excel.

Peroxide is best applied with an eyedropper, usually provided in your water test kit. You can use quite a small amount and target it fairly specifically so it poses minimal risk to your fish. Be sure to apply with lights on, since it breaks down rapidly in the presence of light, so this is necessary both to ensure destruction of the algae and to prevent leaving chemicals in the tank. It works marvelously. The algae is generally gone the next day.

The only downside is that you haven't removed the cause of the problem (nutrient imbalance), so algae will recur unless additional steps are taken. A large water change the day after should do the trick in most cases.
 
When I had BBA, I blacked the tank out for 5 days, killed it but it came back. I tried treating with Excel with no success.
I used H2O2 @ 2 ml per gallon, and nothing changed (no livestock fatalities either).
I pulled the plants and dipped in 3% H202 for a couple of minutes, replanted and the next day ALL algae was a pinkish orange in color. It disappeared in a couple of days.

Then I started using two DIY CO2 mixes piped in tandem and changed one per week.
The CO2 started staying at a steady level and the BBA disappeared.
ONLY problem is with two bottles the CO2 can go too high at night.
With Forts help, I determined that my CO2 was about 30 ppm.
Charles
 
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