55 Transformation
- Thread starter CcJ23
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
Wise woman. That's better
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
I've got quite the algae problem. Turned the lights back to 6 hours a day about a week ago, and today I unplugged the second set of bulbs. I've been dosing 5 mL of each of the PPS Pro contents, and I've been upping my dose of glut. I dosed about 40 mL today. I have typical green algae on rocks, Eco Complete, DBT, and on the tops of the plant on the far left side (forgot the exact name). I also have either Blackbeard or diatoms on my foreground plant, my sword,, my java fern, and the plants just to the right of the sword. It's making them turn very black and they don't look healthy. What should I do? I want to recover they before I lose them.
You are going to just have to use 2 banks of lights to get the algae under control. What I would do is keep your tank lights off for one day then start the next day with only two banks at 6 hours. Also you might want to spot treat the BBA with hydrogen peroxide. You may find that you have to use CO2 in order to use all 4 banks of lights. It's tricky trying to find the right balance of light/CO2/ and ferts without getting algae.
Old Scales
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hi all! You know, with a 55 g tank you're going to go thru those 500ml bottles pretty quick. I bet in a few months you'll want to get the 1000ml bottles. I did. I got an extra 1000ml bottle for my glut and painted it with black spray plastic friendly paint. I taped off the little fill chamber and caps so I could see the liquid level. I fill with half and half glut/distilled and it lasts longer before refill. I use 22ml daily in my 16g & 29g. I keep the glut bottle in the dark under cabinet of my stand.
Cc your tank looks great. The Ozelot sword is a great choice as it will stay fairly compact compared to many swords and are very pretty. I'm enjoying following along. Congrats! OS.
Cc your tank looks great. The Ozelot sword is a great choice as it will stay fairly compact compared to many swords and are very pretty. I'm enjoying following along. Congrats! OS.
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
Thank you very much! Should I up my doses of ferts? Is 5 mL not enough? Also, I think I will go up to 55 ml of glut tomorrow. It needs it! Pictures of algae to come soon.
You've been upping your Glut really fast and honestly need to slow down. You only want to increase every 2-3 weeks while trying to figure out the amount needed and to let stock adjust to increased levels.
What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? Don't just up your ferts without having an idea of the numbers your shooting for. And use your micro's at 1ml per 10g period.
What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? Don't just up your ferts without having an idea of the numbers your shooting for. And use your micro's at 1ml per 10g period.
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
You need a phosphate test kit, I use the API one. One the 1st and 3rd picture that algae, is it in shiny sheets that if you rub it- it just comes off and often comes off in sheets like pieces of paper? In those two pic's it looks like Cyanobacteria, which is called Blue-green algae but isn't algae at all. If you do have Cyano it needs to be treated with Erythromycin. Look up some pictures of Cyanobacteria or Blue-green algae and see if what you have looks like that and post your findings.
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
I think pictures1,3,6, & 7 are examples of BGA. I will do a blackout, and maybe I can find some of that erythromycin at the store.
Many people use Maracyn but any Erythromycin will work. Just be sure to treat the 5 full days as you want to kill all the bacteria or it can easily come back. Also Erythromycin won't hurt your beneficial bacteria but you can see a slight ammonia spike as the bacteria begins to die.
Also vacuuming out as much of the cyano as you can before doing your blackout or the Erythromycin treatment.
Also vacuuming out as much of the cyano as you can before doing your blackout or the Erythromycin treatment.
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
Got the erythromycin today. Should I just dose 2 packets a day for 5 days? I'll start tomorrow.
How much does the directions say to use? Follow the directions on the amount to dose to the size of your tank daily for 5 days. Then on day 6 I suggest doing a 50% WC.
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
It says 1 packet per 10 gallons, but that's for fungal infections. From what I read it says dose 50% of that for BGA. So I figure about 2 packets aught to cut it.
You should follow the directions for the proper amount as you want to kill the bacteria. I know a lot of different information about how much to use is out there but the fact remains is that cyano is a bacteria, which means it needs the full amount to kill that bacteria so there is none left in the tank to start growing again. Also it's often found in tanks with nitrates lower than 10ppm so you might want to check that.
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
Unfortunately, it's $15 a piece. It would cost me $45 to treat per the package. Also, I'm doing a blackout.
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
Well the algae is a lot better, but I just discovered these small brown micro worms! Ugh! Here's a picture. What do I do?
Can't see anything on the pic. See if this helps... Bugs you might encounter in your aquarium
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
Think they're tubifex. Where did they come from?
CcJ23
Aquarium Advice Freak
Picked up some young neons today. I'm quarantining them for a few days. I got 15 to add to the existing 5. The others are a couple years old anyways. These guys are small!
