Black Brush Algae (BBA) on my hairgrass

[Quincy]

Hi Guys, knew this had been posted lots of time but i really need some advices. Currently having some BBA problem on my hairgrass. Mine is a 1.5x1x1 ft tank using an ehiem 2213 with rainbar and lighting is a 24w pl tube from Osram. KH is 5 and ph is 6.4. Is there anyting else I could add. Im dosing 1ml-2ml of excel everyday but the BBA just wouldn't go away.

[torque6]

Quincy,

I can't remember if i posted the following link to help you. Lots of people of the late starting new tanks and are already facing algae problems.

http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae.htm

[Quincy]

Thnks torque6, will try to overdose excel to see if it helps.

[Leeson]

you can try spot dosing it since it is not a big tank. i had the same problem as you with around the same tank size and what i did was reduce water level until it is not covering the bba and then apply excel (double dosage) on the bba directly. after that you can top up the water again. it should work but if the bba is on some plants then the plant might get affected.

[torque6]

Leeson method would do, use a syringe if you want.

[Shadow]

you can try spot dosing it since it is not a big tank. i had the same problem as you with around the same tank size and what i did was reduce water level until it is not covering the bba and then apply excel (double dosage) on the bba directly. after that you can top up the water again. it should work but if the bba is on some plants then the plant might get affected.

Actually you can do it under the water using syringe, no need to reduce the water level. What you need it direct contact between BBA and concentrated excel solution. You might need to do it once a day for 3 days. Some goes to all type of algae, you need to fix the source otherwise it will come back again.

The weird thing is you already use excel, maybe you need to increase the dose. By the way what fauna do you have? shrimps does not really like excel.

[Leeson]

Actually, I have tried the syringe method, but I think because I do not switch off the filters, it does not work as well as spotting directly on it without water Btw, when I use the amount of double dosage for spotting I do not dose further and separate addition of Excel.

I have yamatos, RCS and glass shrimps in the tank. Both the RCS and glass shrimps are breeding consistently. However, I am on a non-CO2 method (which explains why I have so many fishes) so I do not know the effect on a tank with CO2.

[Quincy]

Thanks guys, I did dose excel directly on my hairgrass too but only some turned red and die off. Majority of the BBA still surviving. I had increase the dosage to 8-10ml of excel today and will continue to monitor the situation. Intend to carry this dosage for a week to see if there is any improvement. Yes i do have shrimps in my tank and they are fine after today's excel dosage.

[PeterGwee]

Just trim the infected hairgrass and add more CO2 (make sure it gets well mixed in the tank.). Search around for the dropchecker method for CO2 measurement.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[Shadow]

Peter, he is dossing excel instead of pressurize CO2.

[Quincy]

Im having CO2 2, attached to an ISTA reactor

[Shadow]

o.. you do? I miss understand you 1st post then. So you start dossing 1ml-2ml everyday after you found BBA in your hairgrass. If that the case then do as Peter said, by the way did you maintain you filter regularly?

[Quincy]

Its okay i believed i didnt mentioned in my 1st post. For the cleaning of filter Im clearing it every 3mths. Will read up more on the dropchecker method.