I have had BBA problems for over a month now. Per the KH/pH charts my CO2 was always around 30 PPM, so I never thought that was the problem, but guess what, it was.
I had found that the KH/pH chart maybe a good reference, but with the test kits we use, it is hard to get the actual KH or pH right. For instance: My KH is 2, or should I say at 1 KH it is not at the end point, but at 2 the color changes to the end point color. So that leaves me with a KH of 1 to 2.
Now for pH, I get a color between 6.4 and 6.0, most likely 6.2 or within .1 pH units of that.
So if we take those readings and use the KH/pH chart to plot my CO2 we get:
With a KH of 1 and a pH of 6.3, the CO2 is 15PPM.
With a KH of 2 and a pH of 6.1, the CO2 is 47.1PPM.
I don't know about you, but a CO2 from 15PPM to 47.1PPM is really not that accurate. So how do I know my CO2 is good or not. By that chart I don't.
I have been using a 'drop checker' to measure my CO2 levels. What this does is provides you with a reference KH value and now all you do is compare your pH against it. I add a KH solution of 4KH to this drop checker and then add pH test solution to it and what happens is when you hit 30PPM CO2, or close to it, the solution turns green. That green color represents a pH of 6.6, so with a KH of 4 and a pH of 6.6, I know, with a certain amount of error (far less then that without the reference solution), that my CO2 level is 30PPM.
You can also change the KH solution to 5 KH and that will give you a CO2 of 38PPM when the solution turns green. The drop checker costs 9 dollars and was worth every penny.
Here is an article that got me into this type of CO2 measurement and also got rid of my BBA, because my BBA problem was directly related to having low CO2 values. Please read thru it. I use the redsea brand drop checker BTW.
http://www.barrreport.com/co2-aquatic-plant-fertilization/2289-old-co2-idea-good-new-idea.html
Before using this 'drop checker', I had my CO2 at 2 BPS, now I have it set at 3.5 BPS and all my algae problems are gone! 2 BPS vs 3.5 BPS is a huge change.
Now that the CO2 is in the correct range, the BBA stopped spreading. I am now on my last day of Excel dosing to clean up what was left. I have been adding Excel at the first dosage level (ie about 3x the normal level) for one week. My BBA is now dead and I also had GW that the Excel took care of. No need for a 100 dollar filter if Excel can take care of it within 3 days.
I have many different shrimps and fish, not one death during this whole process, but YMMV.
Here are some reference pics:
My Tonina sp. 'Belem' before and after.
My tank with GW and after using Excel.
My Micranthemum umbrosum after 6 days of Excel. (notice the BBA is still there, but it is dead)
My Anubias barteri v. 'nana', you can see the nice color of dead BBA.
Here is my PH that was covered in BBA.
Here is my 28 gallon tank that had a very bad BBA problem. Notice all the BBA is dead.
My tanks are finally looking great. I just want to emphasize that Excel is not the answer to BBA, but that once you find the problem, Excel is a great cleanup tool.
I had found that the KH/pH chart maybe a good reference, but with the test kits we use, it is hard to get the actual KH or pH right. For instance: My KH is 2, or should I say at 1 KH it is not at the end point, but at 2 the color changes to the end point color. So that leaves me with a KH of 1 to 2.
Now for pH, I get a color between 6.4 and 6.0, most likely 6.2 or within .1 pH units of that.
So if we take those readings and use the KH/pH chart to plot my CO2 we get:
With a KH of 1 and a pH of 6.3, the CO2 is 15PPM.
With a KH of 2 and a pH of 6.1, the CO2 is 47.1PPM.
I don't know about you, but a CO2 from 15PPM to 47.1PPM is really not that accurate. So how do I know my CO2 is good or not. By that chart I don't.
I have been using a 'drop checker' to measure my CO2 levels. What this does is provides you with a reference KH value and now all you do is compare your pH against it. I add a KH solution of 4KH to this drop checker and then add pH test solution to it and what happens is when you hit 30PPM CO2, or close to it, the solution turns green. That green color represents a pH of 6.6, so with a KH of 4 and a pH of 6.6, I know, with a certain amount of error (far less then that without the reference solution), that my CO2 level is 30PPM.
You can also change the KH solution to 5 KH and that will give you a CO2 of 38PPM when the solution turns green. The drop checker costs 9 dollars and was worth every penny.
Here is an article that got me into this type of CO2 measurement and also got rid of my BBA, because my BBA problem was directly related to having low CO2 values. Please read thru it. I use the redsea brand drop checker BTW.
http://www.barrreport.com/co2-aquatic-plant-fertilization/2289-old-co2-idea-good-new-idea.html
Before using this 'drop checker', I had my CO2 at 2 BPS, now I have it set at 3.5 BPS and all my algae problems are gone! 2 BPS vs 3.5 BPS is a huge change.
Now that the CO2 is in the correct range, the BBA stopped spreading. I am now on my last day of Excel dosing to clean up what was left. I have been adding Excel at the first dosage level (ie about 3x the normal level) for one week. My BBA is now dead and I also had GW that the Excel took care of. No need for a 100 dollar filter if Excel can take care of it within 3 days.
I have many different shrimps and fish, not one death during this whole process, but YMMV.
Here are some reference pics:
My Tonina sp. 'Belem' before and after.
My tank with GW and after using Excel.
My Micranthemum umbrosum after 6 days of Excel. (notice the BBA is still there, but it is dead)
My Anubias barteri v. 'nana', you can see the nice color of dead BBA.
Here is my PH that was covered in BBA.
Here is my 28 gallon tank that had a very bad BBA problem. Notice all the BBA is dead.
My tanks are finally looking great. I just want to emphasize that Excel is not the answer to BBA, but that once you find the problem, Excel is a great cleanup tool.
