How to get rid of black brush algae?

**shaman** · 22nd Nov 2005, 17:44

Anyway? Thanks!

**benny** · 22nd Nov 2005, 17:55

Do you have a problem with this algae now? If so, what are your tank parameters? Give us more details and perhaps you will get a more specific solution.

Cheers,

**PeterGwee** · 25th Nov 2005, 18:39

Adding more CO2/stabilizing it will stop the BBA from growing. Manual removal will take care of it once it stops growing. (If its a big tank, make sure you have good circulation/current in the tank as water flow is the only thing that can bring CO2 and nutrients to the plant leaves.).

Regards
Peter Gwee

**Thirteen** · 26th Nov 2005, 23:14

does any faunas eat BBA? like diaphia..shrimps..seas...??

**PeterGwee** · 26th Nov 2005, 23:32

Originally Posted by Thirteen

does any faunas eat BBA? like diaphia..shrimps..seas...??

Removing them yourself is the best way and the fastest. Keeping them from coming back is another thing (CO2).

Regards
Peter Gwee

**AkionLCG** · 26th Nov 2005, 23:36

Inject more CO2 and dose seachem excel as well but need to monitor the faunas if they are gasping for air at the water surface and if so, reduce the dosage. Eradictating BBA takes long time. "Unnatural" way is to using a syringe with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to inject directing on the BBA. H2O2 can get from pharmacy.

Originally Posted by Thirteen

does any faunas eat BBA? like diaphia..shrimps..seas...??

My otos do eat dying/weak BBA, they dun eat healthy BBA, I think healthy BBA are too hard for them to chew....

**cjloong** · 27th Nov 2005, 00:27

Recently have BBA outbreak. How I manage to overcome it is as follows:-
1) Like what other says, increase CO2 to 30ppm. (very important step)
2) Make sure plants are growing. One possible sign is bubbling. If not, maybe lacking in some elements.
3) If (2) occur, BBA should be slow to not growing.
4) Manual removal or put lots of SAE. (smallest one that you can find) and don't feed your fish for 1 - 2 weeks. SAE prefer fish food.

My tank is high light. I added CO2 and nutrients before plant grows again. Then 10 small SAE into this 2 ft tank. All BBA gone within 1 week.

You probably need to densly plant your aquascape as well for this to work.

**StanChung** · 27th Nov 2005, 02:40

sae's don't work if you have moss! nye nyea! they love moss more than BBA...chomp chomp...

manual removal is best if you have moss...sigh... only consolation is everything will grow back lush if you keep it well maintained.

[sae's are soOO off my list! fishy non grata!]

**poopoobud** · 27th Nov 2005, 13:07

yah, i personally do not like sae too.. they seem to disturd my faunas too... i just increase my co2 and took out manually what i can and included some plant hormones for plants to grow well and fast... after that i bought a bunch of pgymy(tiny) cories to help mi create some movements to some parts of my low circulated areas in my tank... now bba never came back... hope it help for u.

**cjloong** · 27th Nov 2005, 21:18

Just to highlight, I removed all my SAE after BBA is gone. Manage to catch all of them except 2.

I have a friend who put puffer to eat the SAE.

Downside of SAE from my experience is that it grows very large and tend to uproot newly planted foreground plants (for my case, hairgrass and glosso).

I don't have problems with SAE eating moss though. I had lots of taiwan moss in the same tank. Maybe I removed them before they have a chance to wack my taiwan moss.

Wish to highlight that fauna are living creatures, each individual having their own preferences. Just like in general Indian/Malay love curry but Chinese don't each much in general. However, I love curry and some Indians like chinese food.

**wfc31** · 27th Nov 2005, 22:30

sorry to ask a stupid question, may i know what is SAE ?

**|squee|** · 27th Nov 2005, 22:41

Siamese Algae Eater.

**wfc31** · 27th Nov 2005, 22:48

xie xie ni squee.
SAE easily can get from any LFS?

**barmby** · 28th Nov 2005, 00:58

Originally Posted by wfc31

xie xie ni squee.
SAE easily can get from any LFS?

If you don't know. Drop by Nature Aquarium. Tell uncle you want SAE. This way you will avoid buying Chinese Algae Eater. Because once you throw CAE into your tank. Havoc!

**StanChung** · 28th Nov 2005, 02:17

Originally Posted by cjloong

Just to highlight, I removed all my SAE after BBA is gone. Manage to catch all of them except 2.

I have a friend who put puffer to eat the SAE.

Downside of SAE from my experience is that it grows very large and tend to uproot newly planted foreground plants (for my case, hairgrass and glosso).

I don't have problems with SAE eating moss though. I had lots of taiwan moss in the same tank. Maybe I removed them before they have a chance to wack my taiwan moss.

Wish to highlight that fauna are living creatures, each individual having their own preferences. Just like in general Indian/Malay love curry but Chinese don't each much in general. However, I love curry and some Indians like chinese food.

hahaha, if only can go to the lfs and ask i'll take ten BBA eater please...ones that eat moss or fish food need not apply.

believe me i have kept sae's for 3 years... i always wondered why my moss look so bad or never took off till one day i actually saw the whole pack going at it. nowadays the moss looks fine. i just need to catch the last one...

**cjloong** · 28th Nov 2005, 12:47

Originally Posted by standoyo

hahaha, if only can go to the lfs and ask i'll take ten BBA eater please...ones that eat moss or fish food need not apply.

believe me i have kept sae's for 3 years... i always wondered why my moss look so bad or never took off till one day i actually saw the whole pack going at it. nowadays the moss looks fine. i just need to catch the last one...

Ya... that @#$%^&* last one.

**|squee|** · 28th Nov 2005, 13:29

My testimonial: I had BBA infested all over my driftwood, and nothing I did could remove them effectively so that my original colour and texture of the driftwood will show again.

I took out the driftwood, gave it a good scrub and washed it properly. I went back to my tank and increased my CO2; I didn't care how fast the bubble rate was (using diffusor here), and I did a rescape and put the wood back.

Right now, the wood is clean.

Summary? Prevent BBA at all cost. It's almost impossible to remove totally from my experience, no matter SAE, Excel, blah blah.

**PeterGwee** · 28th Nov 2005, 13:34

Originally Posted by |squee|

My testimonial: I had BBA infested all over my driftwood, and nothing I did could remove them effectively so that my original colour and texture of the driftwood will show again.

I took out the driftwood, gave it a good scrub and washed it properly. I went back to my tank and increased my CO2; I didn't care how fast the bubble rate was (using diffusor here), and I did a rescape and put the wood back.

Right now, the wood is clean.

Summary? Prevent BBA at all cost. It's almost impossible to remove totally from my experience, no matter SAE, Excel, blah blah.

You need to setup your CO2 system so that it is fast and responsive. Add more current/circulation to/pass the diffuser and to the tank. Make sure the mist gets spread around the tank real good. That should give you a good responsive time. It should get you a good CO2 level (30ppm) and remain pretty stable there in an hour or so from ambient levels (3-4ppm). The wood and stones get hit first if the CO2 is low and then later the plants if its bad.

Focus on the in tank mixing of the CO2 and clean the diffuser regularly. BBA will not grow if the CO2 levels are good. Don't get crazy and add CO2 till you hurt your critters. Look more into tank circulation if you have trouble with the CO2 response time. Add more current/turnover using a powerhead and etc.

Regards
Peter Gwee