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Nice writeup!!
how old is your tank?
Recently started yet another scape for my algae infested 2ft tank, previous two battles were lost to thread/hair algae and BBA. This time round I make sure the co2 was adjusted correctly, added addition outlet to direct flow and got the expensive but idiot proof ADA fertilizer regime, and invested in a the cheaper version of twinstar (I did see a significance reduction in algae for the first two weeks using the same setup as my previous scapes). All was well for the first two weeks, even the initiate new tank sydrome of diatoms attack was minimal. Great news!
That would not last... within the next week, my tank was infested with BGA, slimy green film appearing on the substrate and subsequently moving to cover 1/2 my mosses all over tha tank. This is where the Singapore slang "Sian 1/2" feeling strike me. In my last desperate attempt to rid BGA, inspired by (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lalVHWdNEMs). I decided to try API E.M ERYTHROMYCIN. Some online literature state to do a 5 days treatment, so I did.
Went to c328 to get a pack of API E.M ERYTHROMYCIN, the Aunty gave me a disbelieve look when I told her I'm using it to fight algae BGA Hahaha.
Each box contains 10 sachets:
Pardon the lousy photo, wasn't in the best of mood. BGA infested scape:
Before Treatment: As I did not have any lifestocks, I decided to 1.5 time the recommended dosage by using two sachets per day treatment.
Water Parameter before treatment: Labeling P:PH, 1:Ammonia, 2:Nitrite, 3: Nitrate
Day 1 of Treatment:
Hmm... maybe too soon for it take effect.
Water parameter:
Day 2 of Treatment: Again, no significance change...
Water parameter:
Day 5 of Treatment: Supposedly the day where BGA miraculously disappear...
Water parameter:
This is it, 5 days treatment and yet nothing to show for... This is where I see this as another failed attempt, but decided not to change water for the next week as I just emptied $25 worth of medicine over a 5 days period... I pretty much left the tank alone for the next week and started working on my shrimp tank instead.
Day 14: Time for weekly water change and HC trimming and was pleasantly surprised.
BGA pretty much gone. During the 14 days treatment, I started dosing ADA Brightly shade and Step 2, which I was told not its not needed for the first two, three months.
I started EasyLife BlueExit as follow up weekly treatment. Water parameter was not affected, I reckon that could also signify that the nitrifying bacteria were not greatly affected, if any at all.
I'm not saying this is the best method, it did work out well for me, although not within 5 days as shared by many online contributors.
Nice writeup!!
how old is your tank?
Flooded it a week before CNY, roughly 5 weeks now
Wow. Congrats.
Is that fissidens on the wood.
Your scape looks very nice too.
Did you try blue exit at the start?
yes, those are fissidens, I saw one or two mixed with mini peilia unexpectedlyOriginally Posted by skytan
ya man, I did a DSM for a month to let the fissiden attach on individual twig, the challenging part is having the chopped fissiden on them to begin with, took me at least a total of 6 hours over a span of three days. got to wait a few more months to see how it eventually turns out. 1 sachet treats 10 gallon, about 38L
I wanted to, but decided to go with API cause it was supposed to be a 5 day treatment as compare to blue exit which is 10-14 days. As it turns out, it took me 14 days to see the result...
I really like how your scape is turning out... i'm also in the process of attaching moss on twiggy wood too and you're right, it's very tedious work.
Looking forward to see your aquascape soon!
Crazily tedious, I doubt I want to do it again haha. I think fissiden nolbilis maybe a better choice since its longer, wouldn't really know until few months later.I really like how your scape is turning out... i'm also in the process of attaching moss on twiggy wood too and you're right, it's very tedious work.
Looking forward to see your aquascape soon!
wow....its gone.... awesome!..
Dont know for how long haha.
Does this work against BBA?
I doubt so, BGA is a form of bacteria while BBA is an algae.
Hi, I'm currently doing this as well, but with a reduced dosage as compared to yours.
BGA is minor before the dosage, but I just wanted to get on top of it as I have witnessed first hand how fast it spreads.
In a 60x30x36 tank, I dosed 1 packet each for the past 2 nights.
Supposed to do a 25% water change tonight, but I'm undecided as the Rams had fries this morning, and I'm contemplating if the water change might spook the parents into eating them.
Did you do a WC, or just did a 5 day dose?
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I didn't do any water change for 14 days, as I did not see any reduction for the first week and just ignored the tank till end of 2nd week.
The treatment seems to be working, albeit extremely slowly. The BGA on the driftwood is slowly disappearing, but BGA(?) in substrate is still present. In its initial stages, i cannot confirm if it is BGA or just GDA.
On a side note, just got my hands on a nitrate test kit from API and weirdly, i seem to have almost 0 nitrates. While i don't dose anything for nitrates, my bioload is fairly high. 6 German rams and 3 rummynose, 4 otos, a couple of shrimps in the tank. Tank is heavily planted though, have some fast growers like Rotala Wallichii, Rotala Macrandra Green. Now wondering if i did the nitrate test wrongly or my test kit is in fact a lemon. Hasn't expired though.
Is anyone staying near the North and has an nitrate test kit too? Would be great if i could bring some aquarium water over for you to do some tests!
If you are not dosing nitrate ferts at the moment and the tank has alot of fast growing plants (especially with Co2 injection and ample lights), its very possible for nitrates to be zero or undetectable levels, means that the plant density and nutrient take up rate match or exceed what the bio-load is producing. Its a good indication of balance. Though this is also a sign that you may need to start dosing additional nitrogen and other macro nutrients if the plant growth starts to slow down noticeably or show deficiencies.
Btw, the API nitrate test kit accuracy also depends on how well the solution is mixed, so you have to really follow the instructions (ie. shake bottle #1 for 30 seconds before adding drops, shake the test tube for 1 minute, then wait 5 minutes before reading results), it can sometimes make a difference in the measurements.
I definitely need to start dosing macro nutrients, currently have GDA, GSA and BGA. Tank is relatively new, hence GDA and GSA is fairly normal. GSA seems to have subsided after i started dosing Phosphorous. Noticed some nitrate and potassium deficiency yesterday, the anubias nana leaves are yellowing, hence the reason why i bought a nitrate test kit. Read some comments that low nitrates seems to trigger BGA, hence i intend to start dosing nitrates. The tropica fert i am dosing currently contains everything except N and P, but with K only in small amounts. Best solution for me is to dose potassium nitrate then, and given that its banned here, seems the only way is to purchase the KNO3 in liquid form from Dr Mallick. Will the concentration be too low though?
Otherwise i might buy calcium nitrate and potassium sulphate in dry form and make a stock solution from it.
Both methods can work, just depends on whether you want the convenience of a pre-mixed solution or prefer to DIY your own solution. You'll just to experiment by dosing and measuring the parameters before and after active photoperiods to gauge the ideal nutrient levels, then can fine-tune the dosages from there.
Any updates?
Not to hijack your post since we are on the same topic, anyway, I'm too struck by BGA. Most info points to low nitrate, low flow and high / long duration lighting. For me lighting have been the same for 2 years so can rule that out. Plant mass is more or less the same. I usually don't add or measure nitrate as I feed my fauna daily but after BGA breakout start to dose again CANO3 until it reach levels beyond 50ppm which I then stopped. Basically Macro & Micro nutrient dose is regular plus WC.
The only difference I did to my tank was add a powerhead to allow better C02 circulation which churned up mulm and detritus on the aquasoil. I then added an internal filter to trapped the free floating mulm. I think the stirring cause NH3 spike. Adding Easylife Bluexit does little to the BGA outbreak even as I slightly overdose.
Now on my 3rd week of battle. Just did a manual removal of BGA and add a wavemaker to stir up remaining mulm though I see none floating in the water column and my water looks crystal clear from 2 years of mulm accumulation. Bought a bigger bottle of Bluexit and will continue using it.
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