BBA in planted tank

kylith

I have got some black beard algae in my tank. The tank is currently in a south facing room so it gets sun during the day, but will be moved to a more north facing room in the next couple of months. I have now reduced the lighting time in the evening and shrouded it with towels to keep the light out during the day. Doing a complete blackout is impossible because the tank itself is planted. I've heard of doing bleach dips but I'm concerned that that would straight up murder my more delicate plants, and slowly murder my hardier ones.

I've reduced feeding, but tend to overfeed as the tetras on top make it hard for the apistos on the bottom to get fed, but everything seems to get eaten between the fish and the snails. Substrate is soil.

Any tips on getting rid of it, or any suggestions on nutrient hungry plants to soak up any excess nutrients in the water?

Stock is 10 x glowlight tetras, 2 adult, 1 juvenile and ~3 Apistogramma fry, 1 BN pleco, 2 nerites, 2 assassin snails.

Meleftone

You could try Fluorish Excel have never had BBA myself but have read of good results with this.

CruelCoin

kylith wrote: »

I have got some black beard algae in my tank. The tank is currently in a south facing room so it gets sun during the day, but will be moved to a more north facing room in the next couple of months. I have now reduced the lighting time in the evening and shrouded it with towels to keep the light out during the day. Doing a complete blackout is impossible because the tank itself is planted. I've heard of doing bleach dips but I'm concerned that that would straight up murder my more delicate plants, and slowly murder my hardier ones.

I've reduced feeding, but tend to overfeed as the tetras on top make it hard for the apistos on the bottom to get fed, but everything seems to get eaten between the fish and the snails. Substrate is soil.

Any tips on getting rid of it, or any suggestions on nutrient hungry plants to soak up any excess nutrients in the water?

Stock is 10 x glowlight tetras, 2 adult, 1 juvenile and ~3 Apistogramma fry, 1 BN pleco, 2 nerites, 2 assassin snails.

For nutrient hungry plants you can try Vallisneria. Grows like a weed.

Other than that, main thing to do about excess nutrients is to increase your water changes.

Also, bleach dipping will murder your plants, correct. Who in the ever loving **** suggested that to you?

How many hours a day are the lights on? its suggested to have them anywhere between 6-10 hours, depending.

kylith

CruelCoin wrote: »

For nutrient hungry plants you can try Vallisneria. Grows like a weed.

Other than that, main thing to do about excess nutrients is to increase your water changes.

Also, bleach dipping will murder your plants, correct. Who in the ever loving **** suggested that to you?

How many hours a day are the lights on? its suggested to have them anywhere between 6-10 hours, depending.

Might see if I can get some regular vals so, I have some giants and a mix of hygrophilia, AM swords, anubias, and some floaty thing. The dilute bleach dip was recommended on an American site. As soon as I saw it I knew it'd be a bad, bad idea. The lights were on about 6 hours, but being in a sunny room the tank is probably getting much more than that. I have it shrouded and it's probably getting about 4 hours at the moment.

kylith

Since my last post I've had the lights on from 8pm to midnight and the tank covered with a thick towel during the day. All that's happened so far is that all my hygrophilia is either dead or dying and the AM swords don't look too happy.

I've heard that black mollys or siamese algae eaters would eat BBA, but I'm happy with my stocking and don't want to add anything that might breed or get too big and just make more problems for myself in the future.

Any and all advice greatly appreciated.

peterk19

If you dose the tank with easycarbo about half an hour before lights out everyday it will start to die off after a week or 2

kylith

Thanks I'll drop up to Seahorse at the weekend and pick up a bottle.

tteknulp

kylith wrote: »

I have got some black beard algae in my tank. The tank is currently in a south facing room so it gets sun during the day, but will be moved to a more north facing room in the next couple of months. I have now reduced the lighting time in the evening and shrouded it with towels to keep the light out during the day. Doing a complete blackout is impossible because the tank itself is planted. I've heard of doing bleach dips but I'm concerned that that would straight up murder my more delicate plants, and slowly murder my hardier ones.

I've reduced feeding, but tend to overfeed as the tetras on top make it hard for the apistos on the bottom to get fed, but everything seems to get eaten between the fish and the snails. Substrate is soil.

Any tips on getting rid of it, or any suggestions on nutrient hungry plants to soak up any excess nutrients in the water?

Stock is 10 x glowlight tetras, 2 adult, 1 juvenile and ~3 Apistogramma fry, 1 BN pleco, 2 nerites, 2 assassin snails.

Try and increase flow in tank also ,this is a knowing cause bba

CruelCoin

peterk19 wrote: »

If you dose the tank with easycarbo about half an hour before lights out everyday it will start to die off after a week or 2

Plants use carbon/carbon dioxide during the day and Oxegen at night.

Adding the carbon just before lights out makes it less effective.

For better results, and to boost your plants, add your fertilisers and carbon in the morning and run an airstone during the night.

Don't use an airstone at daytime in a planted tank as this robs it of carbon for the plants.

Contrary to popular belief, if you have your filter outlet correctly positioned it should be rippling the water surface, and this is plenty for fishes oxegen needs during the day.

kylith

Yesterday I took a trip to Petco and got some Crinums and some pogostemon Helferi. I took out the dead and dying Hygrophilias and planted the new stuff. I've ordered EasyCarbo so should have that in the next day or two. I've also moved my filter outflow so it's pointing square at the area worst affected with BBA, and is rippling the water nicely. I don't have an airstone. Do I need one if I have good flow from my filter breaking the surface? I'd rather not have to add any more kit for the time being.

Hopefully all these, coupled with an upcoming move to a north facing room, will stem the advance of the dreaded algae. I like the clean, uncluttered look of the Crinums more than the leggy Hygrophilia. I must get some FTSs.

One thing if you're in Dublin and thinking of buying from Petco: there are snails in the plant tanks. I'm not bothered because any hitchhikers will be taken care of by my assassins, but if you don't have assassin snails you'd want to take precautions to avoid an invasion.

CruelCoin

kylith wrote: »

Yesterday I took a trip to Petco and got some Crinums and some pogostemon Helferi. I took out the dead and dying Hygrophilias and planted the new stuff. I've ordered EasyCarbo so should have that in the next day or two. I've also moved my filter outflow so it's pointing square at the area worst affected with BBA, and is rippling the water nicely. I don't have an airstone. Do I need one if I have good flow from my filter breaking the surface? I'd rather not have to add any more kit for the time being.

Hopefully all these, coupled with an upcoming move to a north facing room, will stem the advance of the dreaded algae. I like the clean, uncluttered look of the Crinums more than the leggy Hygrophilia. I must get some FTSs.

One thing if you're in Dublin and thinking of buying from Petco: there are snails in the plant tanks. I'm not bothered because any hitchhikers will be taken care of by my assassins, but if you don't have assassin snails you'd want to take precautions to avoid an invasion.

Pogostemon is rated as a difficult plant to keep.

Needs loads of light and carbon to really thrive and provide the carpet it's famous for. Not giving these will give you leggy pogostemon instead.

I run an air-stone at night only using a timer switch. You don't absolutely need one but it helps the plants, as they need carbon during the day and oxygen at night. The carbon is more important, but the oxygen helps a little.

As for the hitchhikers: An Assassin will eat around 3-5 snails per day. You need to have enough assassins that they can eat more than the pests can breed or it will be a losing battle.

Mind you that's not entirely a bad thing. Assassins are generally in poor supply, and i basically keep myself in free food all year by selling my assassin babies back to the fish shop.

kylith

CruelCoin wrote: »

Pogostemon is rated as a difficult plant to keep.

Needs loads of light and carbon to really thrive and provide the carpet it's famous for. Not giving these will give you leggy pogostemon instead.

I run an air-stone at night only using a timer switch. You don't absolutely need one but it helps the plants, as they need carbon during the day and oxygen at night. The carbon is more important, but the oxygen helps a little.

As for the hitchhikers: An Assassin will eat around 3-5 snails per day. You need to have enough assassins that they can eat more than the pests can breed or it will be a losing battle.

Mind you that's not entirely a bad thing. Assassins are generally in poor supply, and i basically keep myself in free food all year by selling my assassin babies back to the fish shop.

I can't remember what the lights I have are. Would there be a particular recommendation you'd have for getting decent growth? I'll see how they go for the time being.

I'll consider an airstone in the future, but the wee slot in the hood for cables is getting pretty crowded.

I haven't a clue how many assassins I have, definitely two, probably more. I saw the pair having some intimate relations recently so if there aren't more than two in there now there soon will be.

CruelCoin

kylith wrote: »

I can't remember what the lights I have are. Would there be a particular recommendation you'd have for getting decent growth? I'll see how they go for the time being.

I'll consider an airstone in the future, but the wee slot in the hood for cables is getting pretty crowded.

I haven't a clue how many assassins I have, definitely two, probably more. I saw the pair having some intimate relations recently so if there aren't more than two in there now there soon will be.

This is a good guide for lighting needs.
http://watershed3.tripod.com/lighting.html

Strong lighting can be considered 1 watt per 2 liters, which will suit the pogo. Less than that and you'll not see great results with this plant (leggy instead of dense carpet)

You can get light tubes in a variety of types (day-light-blue/red/warm/etc etc). In my opinion, daylight tubes give the best light intensity, but warm/plant look the best for colour.

There are 2/3 main plant suppliers for aquariums, and Tropica being one of them, have a good guide for this plant.
http://www.tropica.com/en/plants/plant-articles/pogostemon-helferi-.aspx

donal7

Thanks CruelCoin - some great tips there.

I have a black algae similar to what original poster is describing - around plants and filter inlet. Tank is Rio 180, 2 X T5 Bulbs and filtration is Ehim External. The lighting is probably overkill as I only have Anubias and Java species in the tank. The tank itself is getting a lot of daylight (not much sunlight) during the day. I will put my airstone on a timer for during the night. Some of my anubias leaves are covered in black algae. I have some Otto catfish - thought they might help but they don't seem too interested in clearing the plants.

CruelCoin

donal7 wrote: »

Thanks CruelCoin - some great tips there.

I have a black algae similar to what original poster is describing - around plants and filter inlet. Tank is Rio 180, 2 X T5 Bulbs and filtration is Ehim External. The lighting is probably overkill as I only have Anubias and Java species in the tank. The tank itself is getting a lot of daylight (not much sunlight) during the day. I will put my airstone on a timer for during the night. Some of my anubias leaves are covered in black algae. I have some Otto catfish - thought they might help but they don't seem too interested in clearing the plants.

Otto are sold as algae eaters but that's largely a myth.
They do eat it, but only in very small quantities.
If the shop told you "get some of these they'll keep your tank clean" go back to them and get your money back, as they just don't/won't.


Lads, the vast overwhelming majority of all algae issues are down to a combination of

1: insufficient water changes
2: too much light
3: overfeeding

Sort those three out and you'll cure your algae problem.

kylith

CruelCoin wrote: »

This is a good guide for lighting needs.
http://watershed3.tripod.com/lighting.html

Strong lighting can be considered 1 watt per 2 liters, which will suit the pogo. Less than that and you'll not see great results with this plant (leggy instead of dense carpet)

You can get light tubes in a variety of types (day-light-blue/red/warm/etc etc). In my opinion, daylight tubes give the best light intensity, but warm/plant look the best for colour.

There are 2/3 main plant suppliers for aquariums, and Tropica being one of them, have a good guide for this plant.
http://www.tropica.com/en/plants/plant-articles/pogostemon-helferi-.aspx

My tank is ~100L and there are 2 20w lights, so 0.4w/L. Looks like I'll be off to buy new lights this weekend. Tropica.com gives a wattage of 0.5w/L for pogostemon, but that's probably the bare minimun. Anyway, I like a planted tank so increasing my lighting would be no harm.