Slime Algae-maracyn

[alanchown]

I seem to have slime algae as described in GF225s Algae thread, which recommends the use of Maracyn to get rid of it. I have googled for it, but can't find a source in the UK. Does anyone know where to get it from in the UK?

Alan

 

[ChrisP]

Just do a 3-4 day blackout that will kill it off. Make sure to vac well after though.

 

[zig]

The reason you have bga is because you have very low or bottomed out nitrates, curing the bga with a blackout or maracyn will probably work, but it will come back if you dont sort out the root cause of the algae which is low nitrate levels.

 

[lljdma06]

The reason you have bga is because you have very low or bottomed out nitrates, curing the bga with a blackout or maracyn will probably work, but it will come back if you dont sort out the root cause of the algae which is low nitrate levels.

You took the words right out of my mouth, Zig. You are totally and completely right! It works. Increasing my nitrates cleaned up my BGA from my 15g right quick.

 

[alanchown]

The reason you have bga is because you have very low or bottomed out nitrates, curing the bga with a blackout or maracyn will probably work, but it will come back if you dont sort out the root cause of the algae which is low nitrate levels.

My nitrates are around 5ppm. The tank is immature-not been running for 4 weeks yet. 10 cardinals in there at the moment, they seem to be doing fine.

How do I increase my nitrates?

Alan

 

[ChrisP]

Use KNO3 although I would wait until the tank has matured so you know what your NO3 levels really are. You want to shoot for 10ppm minimum.

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=522

The reason you have bga is because you have very low or bottomed out nitrates, curing the bga with a blackout or maracyn will probably work, but it will come back if you dont sort out the root cause of the algae which is low nitrate levels.

My nitrates are around 5ppm. The tank is immature-not been running for 4 weeks yet. 10 cardinals in there at the moment, they seem to be doing fine.

How do I increase my nitrates?

Alan

 

[alanchown]

Use KNO3 although I would wait until the tank has matured so you know what your NO3 levels really are. You want to shoot for 10ppm minimum.

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=522

The reason you have bga is because you have very low or bottomed out nitrates, curing the bga with a blackout or maracyn will probably work, but it will come back if you dont sort out the root cause of the algae which is low nitrate levels.

My nitrates are around 5ppm. The tank is immature-not been running for 4 weeks yet. 10 cardinals in there at the moment, they seem to be doing fine.

How do I increase my nitrates?

Alan

Would this do the job Seachem Nitrogen, given that they don't have any potassium Nitrate?>

Alan

 

[ChrisP]

I believe it would yes, I would wait for the Potassium nitrate though as it works out a lot cheaper.

Use KNO3 although I would wait until the tank has matured so you know what your NO3 levels really are. You want to shoot for 10ppm minimum.

http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...products_id=522

The reason you have bga is because you have very low or bottomed out nitrates, curing the bga with a blackout or maracyn will probably work, but it will come back if you dont sort out the root cause of the algae which is low nitrate levels.

My nitrates are around 5ppm. The tank is immature-not been running for 4 weeks yet. 10 cardinals in there at the moment, they seem to be doing fine.

How do I increase my nitrates?

Alan

Would this do the job Seachem Nitrogen, given that they don't have any potassium Nitrate?>

Alan

 

[alanchown]

I believe it would yes, I would wait for the Potassium nitrate though as it works out a lot cheaper.

I seem to drifting into EI already!

Alan

 

[zig]

You can get it HERE

Edit: I dont know what it is with that website sometimes it links correctly and other times you get the message to enable your cookies........anyway on the left hand column click "General garden fertilisers" and you will find Potassium nitrate on page 2, they have phosphate or po4 also if you are interested, its in the same section.

 

[Themuleous]

You could just add some more fish? They would add nitrates for you and save you haivng to dose it? If you add them a few at a time you'll be able to see the affect they have on the NO3 and stop when its around the 10ppm. The fish will look cool too and that can't be a bad thing?

Sam

 

[alanchown]

You can get it HERE

Edit: I dont know what it is with that website sometimes it links correctly and other times you get the message to enable your cookies........anyway on the left hand column click "General garden fertilisers" and you will find Potassium nitrate on page 2, they have phosphate or po4 also if you are interested, its in the same section.

Will the upping of nitrates help get rid of the BGA, or do I still need to get rid of it seperately? I have ordered both the Potassium nitrate and Phosphate.

I gave the substrate a good vacuuming yesterday, but it shows signs of re-appearing already! It hasn't taken over the tank yet, but I just seem to be keeping it at bay.

Alan

 

[zig]

You can get it HERE

Edit: I dont know what it is with that website sometimes it links correctly and other times you get the message to enable your cookies........anyway on the left hand column click "General garden fertilisers" and you will find Potassium nitrate on page 2, they have phosphate or po4 also if you are interested, its in the same section.

Will the upping of nitrates help get rid of the BGA, or do I still need to get rid of it seperately? I have ordered both the Potassium nitrate and Phosphate.

I gave the substrate a good vacuuming yesterday, but it shows signs of re-appearing already! It hasn't taken over the tank yet, but I just seem to be keeping it at bay.

Alan

This is a planted tank, right?

If you are getting patches of it on the substrate you will need to get rid of that as well as add the nitrate, adding the nitrate alone will not make the already present bga disappear, heres what you need to do.

You need to do a blackout and add the nitrate both in conjunction with each other.

Clean as much of the bga as you can, if its on patches of the substrate try and bury it or remove it altogether, try and remove as much as you can from the tank that you can visably see, even physically removeing the bga does not at all guarentee that you have gotten rid of it, because it is a bacteria, and will still be present (hence the use of maracyn in bad or stubborn cases, because maracyn is an antibiotic or antibacterial medicine)

Clean the filter and do a 50% water change and add 15ppm KNO3 to the tank and then start the blackout for the next 72 hours, this wont harm the plants or fish both will be fine, when the blackout is completed do another 50% water change and add a further 15ppm KNO3 to the tank, you need to completely blackout the tank during this time using a blanket, binliners etc whatever will do the job.

If the blackout has been successful the bga should be gone, but you must keep nitrate levels from now on around the 15-20ppm mark or the bga may come back.

If it does come back i would then consider the maracyn, some cases of bga can very stubborn and the only thing that will work is an antibiotic, if you do go the maracyn route the same applies afterwards, you must keep the nitrates at a decent level or it may come back, so buying the KNO3 is not a waste of money regardless.

Try the blackout method first of all it will probably work for you.

You can get the Erythromycin (same as maracyn) HERE

But definatly try the blackout first of all, best of luck with it, make sure you do the full 72 hours as well.

 

[alanchown]

You can get it HERE

Edit: I dont know what it is with that website sometimes it links correctly and other times you get the message to enable your cookies........anyway on the left hand column click "General garden fertilisers" and you will find Potassium nitrate on page 2, they have phosphate or po4 also if you are interested, its in the same section.

Will the upping of nitrates help get rid of the BGA, or do I still need to get rid of it seperately? I have ordered both the Potassium nitrate and Phosphate.

I gave the substrate a good vacuuming yesterday, but it shows signs of re-appearing already! It hasn't taken over the tank yet, but I just seem to be keeping it at bay.

Alan

Alan

This is a planted tank, right?

If you are getting patches of it on the substrate you will need to get rid of that as well as add the nitrate, adding the nitrate alone will not make the already present bga disappear, heres what you need to do.

You need to do a blackout and add the nitrate both in conjunction with each other.

Clean as much of the bga as you can, if its on patches of the substrate try and bury it or remove it altogether, try and remove as much as you can from the tank that you can visably see, even physically removeing the bga does not at all guarentee that you have gotten rid of it, because it is a bacteria, and will still be present (hence the use of maracyn in bad or stubborn cases, because maracyn is an antibiotic or antibacterial medicine)

Clean the filter and do a 50% water change and add 15ppm KNO3 to the tank and then start the blackout for the next 72 hours, this wont harm the plants or fish both will be fine, when the blackout is completed do another 50% water change and add a further 15ppm KNO3 to the tank, you need to completely blackout the tank during this time using a blanket, binliners etc whatever will do the job.

If the blackout has been successful the bga should be gone, but you must keep nitrate levels from now on around the 15-20ppm mark or the bga may come back.

If it does come back i would then consider the maracyn, some cases of bga can very stubborn and the only thing that will work is an antibiotic, if you do go the maracyn route the same applies afterwards, you must keep the nitrates at a decent level or it may come back, so buying the KNO3 is not a waste of money regardless.

Try the blackout method first of all it will probably work for you.

You can get the Erythromycin (same as maracyn) HERE

But definatly try the blackout first of all, best of luck with it, make sure you do the full 72 hours as well.

Planted tank-yes. I'll start a blackout this evening as it will coincide nicely for it to be clear for the weekend.

Alan

 

[alanchown]

You can get it HERE

Edit: I dont know what it is with that website sometimes it links correctly and other times you get the message to enable your cookies........anyway on the left hand column click "General garden fertilisers" and you will find Potassium nitrate on page 2, they have phosphate or po4 also if you are interested, its in the same section.

Will the upping of nitrates help get rid of the BGA, or do I still need to get rid of it seperately? I have ordered both the Potassium nitrate and Phosphate.

I gave the substrate a good vacuuming yesterday, but it shows signs of re-appearing already! It hasn't taken over the tank yet, but I just seem to be keeping it at bay.

Alan

This is a planted tank, right?

If you are getting patches of it on the substrate you will need to get rid of that as well as add the nitrate, adding the nitrate alone will not make the already present bga disappear, heres what you need to do.

You need to do a blackout and add the nitrate both in conjunction with each other.

Clean as much of the bga as you can, if its on patches of the substrate try and bury it or remove it altogether, try and remove as much as you can from the tank that you can visably see, even physically removeing the bga does not at all guarentee that you have gotten rid of it, because it is a bacteria, and will still be present (hence the use of maracyn in bad or stubborn cases, because maracyn is an antibiotic or antibacterial medicine)

Clean the filter and do a 50% water change and add 15ppm KNO3 to the tank and then start the blackout for the next 72 hours, this wont harm the plants or fish both will be fine, when the blackout is completed do another 50% water change and add a further 15ppm KNO3 to the tank, you need to completely blackout the tank during this time using a blanket, binliners etc whatever will do the job.

If the blackout has been successful the bga should be gone, but you must keep nitrate levels from now on around the 15-20ppm mark or the bga may come back.

If it does come back i would then consider the maracyn, some cases of bga can very stubborn and the only thing that will work is an antibiotic, if you do go the maracyn route the same applies afterwards, you must keep the nitrates at a decent level or it may come back, so buying the KNO3 is not a waste of money regardless.

Try the blackout method first of all it will probably work for you.

You can get the Erythromycin (same as maracyn) HERE


But definatly try the blackout first of all, best of luck with it, make sure you do the full 72 hours as well.

Should I cease the CO2 during blackout (DIY mix nutrafin)?

Alan