Bga Problem, Any Tips?

[RCA]

Update from me is that it is still at bay with no new growth - yeah.
 

Oh dear! It looks like I have this problem in my main tank - I also think I know what caused it - I sometime forget to turn the tank light off when I go to work which means it is on for much longer than advisable. The "algae" seems to be hanging in veils on the cabomba and egeria mostly rather than the anubia or java fern.
I don't have a PO4 test and wouldn't know what the results meant if I had.
I've had lights out for the past 24 hrs altho not a black out and have tried to physically remove the "veils" but they keep breaking up and then floating round the tank in the water flow which probably isn't helping things at all. Think I may have to sacrifice these plants and get some more. I'd like to avoid complete blackout and starvation if possible as I have young fry in there but will seriously consider it, if that's the only way to go.
I have FluvalU1 in marine 60L tank which seems able to cope with the waste side of things. Perhaps I need to get something that will increase the flow at substrate level altho the problems seems to be on the "stem plants" at the top near the surface as mentioned before. So that's why I'm thinking it's a lighting issue in my tank. I have blue lights for a moonlight effect. How will they impact on the problem if at all? I'm doing 15% water changes weekly. A week ago the nitrAtes were at 5ppm. Haven't checked it since tbh.
I have read that dosing with Erythromycin can help, but wouldn't that kill the filter bacteria too?
Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks in advance

 
Mamashack, take a look at my update on Posted 06 April 2013 - 09:35 AM - as this seems to have settled mine down - hopefully forever
 
In respect to flow, my flow was more likely at the top due to the position of the filter, and yet this was also where the BGA was growing, at the top of the bogwood.  I would be tempted to put your bubble wall in there as soon as you can, as I believe this has had a significant difference on the BGA in my tank.
 
Get a timer as soon as you can as these are on all my tanks, imagine how many switches I would be dealing with otherwise
 
In respect to the blue lighting I had been advised by my LFS that this can encourage algae growth, hence some manufacturers have stopped putting them into their tank lighting of late.  Not done enough research myself to support or deny this - anyone else know?
 
 

Increased light period would lead to more nutritient and CO2 demand.
According to an article I read BGA can be associated with nitrate shortage, high phosphate levels and CO2 issues. This of course can be caused by low flow too, or it can grow in areas of low flow.  But decrease the light period too.
If blackout is not an option at the moment, you can try siphoning and cleaning what you can, do several big water changes to reset the nutritient levels, exposing the plants to air will saturate them with CO2 which will help. I am not sure if you are adding any fertilizers, but possibly try dosing some extra KNO3 instead(along with your other ferts because you don't want to substitute one issue for another, or create another deficiency)  If you think the long light period triggered it, then eliminating the algae and reverting back to conditions that worked for you would be best.
I personally don't fancy the idea of treating algae with antibiotics(although BGA isn't algae) but I haven't tried it, so I can't comment how useful or dangerous it can be.

 
Snazy, it is interesting re: the nitrate shortage statements as that is something that my tanks are not short off.  In fact it is high in the tap water and therefore tends to be fairly high in the tanks (considering an RO unit).
 

Didn't realise this topic was still going ^^
 
Unfortunately after about 2-3 weeks I have some BGA coming back in the same place. This may have been because I went on holiday and so I wasn't able to dose with fertilisers and have the air pump on to increase flow, not entirely sure what's causing it though as low nitrate isn't an issue (it's 40-80ppm). It hasn't progressed as fast as it did before so maybe it is the ferts and flow thing.

 
KCB, I found the flow made a big difference and like you (as above) low nitrates are not the issue for me.

 

[snazy]

Snazy, it is interesting re: the nitrate shortage statements as that is something that my tanks are not short off. In fact it is high in the tap water and therefore tends to be fairly high in the tanks (considering an RO unit).

 
Yeah, that's not always the reason I guess, just one of many. That article suggested high phosphates to be the cause in most cases, sometimes accompanied by low nitrAtes, and mentioned CO2 too. Then another thing is the nitrAte test. These are considered to be one of the most unreliable of all and give false values repeatedly. I stopped testing them myself to be honest, but that's out of laziness.
Other than that, see if there's any fluctuating flow, meaning some areas of the tank getting way lesser flow, causing either build up of organics, or lack of something.
 

In respect to the blue lighting I had been advised by my LFS that this can encourage algae growth, hence some manufacturers have stopped putting them into their tank lighting of late. Not done enough research myself to support or deny this - anyone else know?

 
From what I know the colour of light does not matter when it comes to algae or plants, not even marine blue bulbs will promote more algae than other colours.  What matters is that it can possibly extend the light period or intensity of light and that leads to other problems.

 

[RCA]

Snazy, it is interesting re: the nitrate shortage statements as that is something that my tanks are not short off. In fact it is high in the tap water and therefore tends to be fairly high in the tanks (considering an RO unit).

 
Yeah, that's not always the reason I guess, just one of many. That article suggested high phosphates to be the cause in most cases, sometimes accompanied by low nitrAtes, and mentioned CO2 too. Then another thing is the nitrAte test. These are considered to be one of the most unreliable of all and give false values repeatedly. I stopped testing them myself to be honest, but that's out of laziness.
Other than that, see if there's any fluctuating flow, meaning some areas of the tank getting way lesser flow, causing either build up of organics, or lack of something.
 

>In respect to the blue lighting I had been advised by my LFS that this can encourage algae growth, hence some manufacturers have stopped putting them into their tank lighting of late. Not done enough research myself to support or deny this - anyone else know?

 
From what I know the colour of light does not matter when it comes to algae or plants, not even marine blue bulbs will promote more algae than other colours.  What matters is that it can possibly extend the light period or intensity of light and that leads to other problems.
 

 
Firstly apologies for the use of OFF rather than OF here, "...that is something that my tanks are not short off"

 
I too found NitrAte tests unreliable and like you do not tend to do them that often.  Also, I tend not to mess with the water with chemicals as fluctuations can cause more issues than trying to change things in the chemical balance, other than using a good water source and natural products i.e. bogwood, IAL.  I do admit though I once tried a product designed to lower the NitrAtes.  I used it on only one of my tanks, yet at each test the reading was exactly the same as the other tanks - go figure!
 
I believe adjusting the flow in my tank made the biggest difference to the BGA problem.
 
What you say re: the lights makes sense, as often the "blue" light is used at night time to prolong the "humans" ability to watch the fish

Do you have a link or the author/title of the article you refer to?
Cheers

 

[snazy]

Firstly apologies for the use of OFF rather than OF here, "...that is something that my tanks are not short off"

 
 
Do you think I noticed?

 

Do you have a link or the author/title of the article you refer to?
Cheers

 
 
I'll post a link via pm to some stuff. My opinion isn't based just on one article so I don't think I can find "scientific" info but I sent you the article I was referring to 

Check your pm in a few min.

 

[Mamashack]

From what I know the colour of light does not matter when it comes to algae or plants, not even marine blue bulbs will promote more algae than other colours. What matters is that it can possibly extend the light period or intensity of light and that leads to other problems.

I just wondered if the blue light was less likely to produce algae/cyanobacteria over white light and whether it would be a good idea to use that instead of the main tank light.

 

[snazy]

From what I know the colour of light does not matter when it comes to algae or plants, not even marine blue bulbs will promote more algae than other colours. What matters is that it can possibly extend the light period or intensity of light and that leads to other problems.

I just wondered if the blue light was less likely to produce algae/cyanobacteria over white light and whether it would be a good idea to use that instead of the main tank light.

 
 I'll pm you a link to an interesting discussion on a similar topic.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

I'd be interested to read that too snazy. Can you PM to me as well?

 

[snazy]

Yep, no problem. I'll actually post it here, hopefully it's ok.  It's just one long forum post with educated conclusions, mainly about algae control and it's worth reading the least. How true or successful it is, is another story but it did help me connect a few points.
 
http/www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/algae/69737-method-controlled-imbalances-summary.html

I'd be interested to read that too snazy. Can you PM to me as well?

 
Actually which one Lunar? I posted RCA and Mamashack two different things? I'll pm you the other one. It's just a discussion about light spectrum.

 

[Mamashack]

Wow! That is one lengthy article, but so very useful!! Thanks for posting the link snazy! I've copied it to Word so I have access to it at all times without having to plough through this thread to find it again! lol
It's answered a few of my questions and I will try to follow the advice for my particular situation.

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Yep cheers snazy, a good read on both counts.

 

[snazy]

No worries. It only took me a couple of clicks

 

[Mamashack]

I've just completed my 3 day blackout and am gradually increasing the light levels around the tank. Most of the fish seem to be increasingly active altho I haven't seen any of the very youngest fry yet.

I know too much light was the major cause of my BGA but I also think the low nitrAtes had something to do with it too.
Before the blackout the nitrAtes were up to 10-20 from 5 a week ago. Haven't tested since the cover came off as they are still adjusting to the light. Do I need to dose with ferts for a couple of java ferns and a small anubia? If so I haven't a clue what to do, so could do with some specific advice like what to buy, how much to use and what to look out for.
Cheers!

 

[Lunar Jetman]

Anubais and Java Ferns are fairly indestructible and don't necessarily need ferts so unless you're planning to add more plants to your tank I wouldn't bother.

I'd just keep up the regular water changes and see if you can keep things at a stable level.

 

[Mamashack]

Thanks Lunar the tank has been fine (keeps fingers crossed) since the blackout and the remaining jave fern is fine. The other small java fern and anubia both on bogwood have gone into the betta tank and also seem to be doing fine.

 

[ballyclover]

I have a tank with just Cichlid and ocean rock and no plants,.I seem to be suffering really bad with BBA on my rocks and heater and thermometer.
 
What could be the cause, I cant treat with ferts as no plants
 
 
thank you