Battle With Bba

[sif]

I'm attempting to rid my tank of a particularly nasty case of Black Beard Algae trying Zig's recommendations on overdosing with Flourish Excell. After only 3 days I have noticed a distinct change in the algae from a yucky black/grey colour to a rather fetching red ... something is definately happening so fingers crossed, I will update in a few days.

 

[George Farmer]

Good luck. If and when you go pressurized it will help matters furthur still.

How's the 5G project going BTW?

 

[zig]

Red is real good.......thats what you want to see, it means its working, keep a very close eye on the fish.

 

[sif]

How's the 5G project going BTW?

Going OK. I've now got an RO unit to sort the water and am still trying to source my Cherry Reds (currently speaking to Germany believe it or not)!! Am also trying to tempt some Hemianthus micranthemoides into carpeting for me

 

[griffgrogg]

Hi, Ive got probs with bba too and have seen the advice on this site about flourish, how much do you overdose and how often ?

Ive got a 240 litre tank with pressurised CO2 at about 33, ph about 6.8 gh at 17 and kh at 5 .....negligible phosphate and nitrate readings.....................Ive picked out some of the leaves and plants worst affected by the bba..........your advice would be very much appreciated as its driving me mad !!!!

 

[sif]

Zig was the expert who gave me my overdose strategy. Basically its that you overdose 3x, so for my 190l tank: Do a 50% water change then dose an inital 25ml. Everyday thereafter just before lights out I add 15ml.

As I'm following EI as well I will be doing a 50% water change tonight so I'll add another 25ml of Ecxcell after that and then resume the 15ml.

You may want to PM Zig just to double check though!

I must say the results are remarkable, the patches of BBA on leaves has turned white, the sand is now completely free and the large 'clumpc' on my wood are beginning to tinge red... All for a few quid which is also giving my plants a little boost!