Black Beard Algae and Flourish Excel

[ctclee]

HI all I am loving having a tank and I also enjoy it being planted.

I went out and bought a chunk of Flame moss and was so concerned at the store that there better not be snails I totally forgot to add what about Algae. So I had a rather large patch of BBA (black beard/brush algae). I have read that large steady levels of co2 are good ways to get rid of it but after 3 weeks of high constant co2 I am still reaching in and pulling it off my moss. So I decided to try dosing with flourish excel. I have found some other forums saying this will work . I've even seen it here.

It seams that the most common way is to over dose your tank. I am new but I still do not like the word OVERDOSE. So I found one forum entry that details a members attempt at killing the BBA.

What he did, and what I will be doing in 10 mins , was to "spot treat" the algae by stopping the water movement and using a syringe slowly add excel directly to the affected area. Now he was using 25 ml for his 55 gallon tank. DAILY for 14 days.

I am starting on a much smaller scale and a small infected area. So my dosing will still be straight excel but less of it. I'm thinking 2 ml. per time.

I have started with doing a 50% water change.

while the filter was off and the tank was at 1/2 empty I spot treated. waited 10 mins and topped up tank with fresh treated water.

I hope this works .

 

[JennDFK]

We had troubles with beard algae (it actually made a beard on a statue in one tank!). We put a siamese (not chinese) algae eater in the tank and he went to town on it. He also helped us rid the tank of a nasty hair algae.

 

[Butterfly]

If you have any sensitive fish in the tank I wouldn't recommend dosing that much.
Usually when you do a water change/use for the first time you use 1 capful for each 10 gallon , then use 1 capful every day. this is normal use.
What I have done is use normal use on first application then use 2 capfuls a day for a week. This pretty much gets rid of it.
This may get rid of it but you need to find out what caused it so it won't come back.
carol

 

[Nate McFin]

BBA can be caused by Low Nitrates as well as low or fluctuationg co2. Whats the Nitrate reading?
Fluctuating co2 levels if you are using a HOB filter can be common. Try to the surface of the water moving but too much will cause loss of Co2.
I agree with Buttefly on the Excel. Be very careful with the stuff as it can do more harm than good. The syringe method does work well but I can't imagine putting in that much.

 

[ctclee]

2 ml is a lot ?
Bottle says cap is 5 ml so I think I'm using less than you guys.

Directions

On initial use or after a major (> 40%) water change, use 1 capful (5 mL) for every 40 L (10 gallons*). Thereafter use 1 capful for every 200 L (50 gallons*) daily or every other day. Dosing may be slowly increased in high-growth aquariums. For smaller dosing please note that each cap thread is approximately 1 mL.

And I know what caused it ! It came WITH the moss I bought. I am looking for a link I found once on DIY co2 Gel to make production longer and more controlled but so far its pretty steady.

I know the SAE will get it but I do not want one. Nor do I want to stress one out by buying it to return it. Poor little guy.

Why/how would a HOB filter change my co2 levels?

I've been watching and it looks like nothing is going on with the BBA but I will continue with the 2 ml dosing watching the fish for anything strange.

By the way I love this forum I value all opinions and just because I do not agree/understand does not mean that I do not want your opinion.

 

[Nate McFin]

What he did, and what I will be doing in 10 mins , was to "spot treat" the algae by stopping the water movement and using a syringe slowly add excel directly to the affected area. Now he was using 25 ml for his 55 gallon tank. DAILY for 14 days.

25 ML daily for 14 days is a ton!
The 5 your are dosing should be fine. Just keep an eye on the fish.

HOB filters tend to cause a lot of surface agitation which is good to get Co2 if you are not using DIY or pressurized. If you are doing pressurized a lot of surface agitation will cause your Co2 to offgas which lowers the Co2 levels in the tank. Canister filters don't do this because the Co2 is trapped in the filter.
Not to say you can't make a HOB filter work but you may not have as much Co2 as you might think. Drop checkers tend to be the prefered method of gauging Co2 levels. Though are just reference. True Co2 level testing equipment is quite expensive.


This link may explain better filter type and Co2 offgassing better...lol


Glad to hear things aren't spreading and will hopefully stay under control.
Best Wishes,
Nate

 

[ctclee]

Thanks nate I'm only spot treating like him but my ratio is 2 ml pr 15 gallon tank .


Yeah canada hockey !
time to go drinkin !

 

[ctclee]

Good Lord my plants are loving this and the BBA is slowly disappearing. I'm winning !!!!

So far just spot treating 2 ml every night in calm water and not turning the filter on for 15 mins.(I have done water changes as needed)

My Red Rotala is actually finally going red. My Fish are all surviving and I am finally starting to think this purchase of moss was a good idea.

 

[Butterfly]

Yep good stuff
Carol