Blue green slime survey

[Byron]

I have cyanobacteria in my tank. I'm not sure how to get rid of it because if I reduce the light by how much and how will I know it is working. Just a thought but I'm quite frustrated.

Cyanobacteria in an aquarium is caused by high organics in the presence of light. This covers lots of things, but is the base, and it discounts nothing in this thread about seasonal and so forth. Reducing the light rarely works long-term because the organics are feeding the cyano, just as they feed problem algae. Major water changes, cleaning the substrate, cleaning the filter, not overstocking and not overfeeding all factor in, and live plants especially floating help by using more nutrients/organics.

 

[Lamie]

Cyanobacteria in an aquarium is caused by high organics in the presence of light. This covers lots of things, but is the base, and it discounts nothing in this thread about seasonal and so forth. Reducing the light rarely works long-term because the organics are feeding the cyano, just as they feed problem algae. Major water changes, cleaning the substrate, cleaning the filter, not overstocking and not overfeeding all factor in, and live plants especially floating help by using more nutrients/organics.

Thanks I guess I need to do bigger water changes

 

[Byron]

Thanks I guess I need to do bigger water changes

I've no idea what you are presently doing, but as I indicated, reducing organics/nutrients and light in balance is the key. It is not overnight, but at each weekly water change loosen all the cyano you can see with your fingers, it will sink to some surface where it will easily be sucked up. Do a good clean into the substrate, and keep the filter spotless (that brown gunk is organics).

 

[biofish]

Idk if my vote counts bc California is in a permanent state of drought LOL

I’ve had small infestations in all my tanks but just water changes was enough to deal with it.

Except my 55 gallon. It was so throughly covered that my plants were dying from being suffocated. I ended up having to use chemiclean to treat it. Hasn’t come back since.

Just a word of warning for those thinking of using it: don’t use it if your fish aren’t at 100% health. And remove scaleless fish like cories and plecos. All my scaled fish were perfectly fine with the treatment but the cories and my pleco had to be air lifted mid treatment.

 

[Stan510]

Without a doubt it's caused by too heavy a load+ high light. You have to reduce one or both. That's the only cure for good. Any other way-chemicals- will only last weeks at most. Although,once plants REALLY start to fill in? That reduces BGA to a nuisance. I suppose if I exchanged my group of large Rainbows for Tetras I would have no BGA at all. BUT..love them 'boses..
So I settle for siphon of some plants (others are totally bga proof) and do a partial water change. Keeps it in the not obvious look.

 

[jaylach]

I get the crud but only on my lights that are REALLY close to the water surface and always wet. Well the lights aren't actually wet but the clear cover for the lights is. I just don't worry about it and use a paper towel to wipe off the light cover when I do water changes. I have yet to see the stuff in the water column. I'm just sure that what I get on the light cover is the perfect environment for the stuff and not something that I can prevent in my tank. This situation has been going on since I setup the tank. As long as it stays out of the water column I don't worry about it and just wipe off the light cover.