Blue/green algae

[Wolfpulse]

I have order the KNO3. Is there a certain percentage i should use. Meaning should i thin it out or use pure form. I will try to lookfor some more info before I add anything. Thx

 

[ldaniel]

What size is your tank? I dont dillute the KNo3 at all.

 

[Wolfpulse]

270 L. How much do u add?

 

[ldaniel]

270 L. How much do u add?

From the calculator that I have, for a 270L tank, I would make up a batch using 250ml DI / RO water with 0.46g KNo3. Add all of the mixture to the tank and this should give you a baseline of ~ 65ppm No3.

 

[Wolfpulse]

From the calculator that I have, for a 270L tank, I would make up a batch using 250ml DI / RO water with 0.46g KNo3. Add all of the mixture to the tank and this should give you a baseline of ~ 65ppm No3.

I will receive the KNO3 next tuesday then i will try. I have no DI/RO but my tap water is very soft.

 

[BillD]

I have had BG algae in tanks with no plants so low nitrates would not seem to be the cause. Low water flow is often cited as part of the cause, but I found increasing current was of no help. If you are not adverse to using drugs, Erthromyacin (Maracyn) at half dose will kill it off, and it may or may not return. BG algae is not real algae, it is cynobacteria (hence it's suscepibility to antibiotics), and seems to show up occasionally even when you don't have a lot of light, or unclean tanks, in my experience.

 

[Wolfpulse]

I have had BG algae in tanks with no plants so low nitrates would not seem to be the cause. Low water flow is often cited as part of the cause, but I found increasing current was of no help. If you are not adverse to using drugs, Erthromyacin (Maracyn) at half dose will kill it off, and it may or may not return. BG algae is not real algae, it is cynobacteria (hence it's suscepibility to antibiotics), and seems to show up occasionally even when you don't have a lot of light, or unclean tanks, in my experience.

The tank with the cyano in it is fully planted, two external filters, 1-2 wattsof light per gallon.
That would be my last resort because i have fish in there that i dont really want to dose. I have had it another tank before and once I found the right balance of nutrients it was gone. Or at least under controll. I am walking a fine line with fully planted discus tank. thank youmfor the input I will take it into consideration.

 

[Sparky74]

The tank with the cyano in it is fully planted, two external filters, 1-2 wattsof light per gallon.
That would be my last resort because i have fish in there that i dont really want to dose. I have had it another tank before and once I found the right balance of nutrients it was gone. Or at least under controll. I am walking a fine line with fully planted discus tank. thank youmfor the input I will take it into consideration.

I look at is this way...Having nitrates at 20 is only going to benefit plants and won't harm the fish.

I had the cyano really bad a while back and kept doing more and more water changes and ceased dosing. This made it even worse. My nitrates were almost unreadable at times as well.

After trying everything, I found several places recommending dosing nitrates to rid the tank of BGA(and listing one of main causes as low nitrates). BGA can fix it's own nitrogen, so you can't starve it of nitrates.

I set a schedule of dosing and eventually it went away. I also used hydrogen peroxide to spot treat it with a syringe(which works very well IMO).

It took time to rid it completely, but I have not seen it since.