Maracyn for BGA? EDIT: cold water question

[locorosa]

I have been searching on here but can't find a thread that someone had dosed their tank with Maracyn to get rid of BGA. I have a tropical that has a pretty bad case of it and I want to get rid of it. I've done Flourish and black-outs but it keeps coming back. I want to get rid of it for good and go back to a coldwater set-up in the tank.
How much Maracyn and for how long?

Thanks in advance!

 

[travis simonson]

If you've decided that you must use medication on your tank, Maracyn (a brand name for the anti-biotic Erythromycin) does work for wiping out BGA and many other gram-negative bacteria. Use only half the recommended dose for BGA and it should do the job nicely. It may have side-effects on some plants (Riccia does not seem to like it) and fish so be prepared for them.

And like you've probably already read here and on other forums: using medication will get rid of your BGA, but it will simply reappear if you do not remedy the issues that caused it in the first place. Elevated nutrient levels (NO3 and PO4) and high-light without CO2 supplementation are prime drivers for BGA. It also thrives in tanks with poor filtration (read: low O2 levels).

Good luck

 

[locorosa]

Will going back to a coldwater setup keep it from coming back? I want to get rid of the Tropicals and put Goldfish in there. I already have another Goldfish tank with a couple I'd like to move.

Thanks again.

 

[Devilishturtles]

I do not think BGA is respondent on water temperature.

If you do use Maracyn, like Travis said, also be sure you take the neccesary actions to keep it from coming back. Rumor has it that after maracyn treatment, the BGA CAN come back twice as bad and Maracyn resistant.

Good luck.

 

[evercl92]

I've had good luck with erythromycin treatment and BGA. As Travis mentioned, 1/2 dose works fine.

 

[locorosa]

Ok. I am dosing the tank and have been for 4 days now. I was hoping to rid myself of the problem by pulling all the plants and dropping the temp. I bet the Goldfish would eat the BGA as it gets started. What's strange is I've never had it in my Goldfish tank and I've had a goldie tank for 8 years.
This tank is getting some direct sun so that's probably the problem. I've had it on three different walls and it still gets sun. Any suggestions. I am betting more plants and CO2.

It's lightly planted with low-light lovers and no CO2. Dose Flourish and Fourish Excel once a week.

 

[evercl92]

If you really want Flourish Excel to help, you need to be dosing it more often than once a week. I read somewhere that it breaks down after 24hrs. Upping the dosing to every other day should bring about a lot of new growth for you.