Not your everyday BBA

[Purrbox]

I've been dealing with BBA in my 2.5 gallon tank for awhile now and just a couple days ago it decided to turn some really bright colors instead of staying the normal shades of black/brown/green. Perhaps it's trying to talk me out of irradicating it. Thought you might find these pics interesting.

 

[Glenc]

That's strange looking stuff. I to am having lovley BBA in my ten, it's all over everything except the HC, which seems imune to it. First real bad algea I've had besides green water. I think I waited to long to dose. Blacked it out for 3 days, very little effect. Cutting back on lights and cranking the CO2! Good luck getting rid of yours!

 

[mr funktastic]

i had BBA once when i first started planting but i bought a siamese algea eater and it went bye bye. since then not a speck of it anywhere. i guess i am lucky.

 

[frostby]

My BBA (normally dark colored), turns red after I dipped the stuff in salt water. -in an attempt to kill it...

 

[Thebluyak]

what else can you do to kill it? How can you prevent it? I have co2, medium-high light, dose csm+b and potassium nitrate when needed to keep at 20ppms. What else can you do? I clearly cant get an algea eater..my piranha will eat my algea eater

 

[Purrbox]

Basically keep your CO2 above 30ppm, the steadier the better, and don't let any nutrients bottom out. This should prevent the majority of algaes from getting a foothold.

 

[7Enigma]

I have this on my java fern and it laughed at my 3day blackout attempt. If the fern wasn't so well attached to my terra cotta pot I would remove it and bleach the little $#@$@#. I swear its killing the plant as I havn't seen any new leaves from this particular java in a long time.

 

[Purrbox]

Well, after about three days of being brightly colored the BBA is back to normal. There does appear to be less of it, so I may finally be getting the upper hand. Time to keep my fingers crossed and wait and see.