Can BGA grow in gravel?

[grey_fox]

If that's the algae you've been having, then I'd not worry much... it's really normal, and too much of a hassle to clean up. I have them in my tanks too, maybe I'll take a pic and post it up here later if you would like to see it.

Terence,

Just to check with you, is the algae slimy?

Just vac the substrate/clean the glass/pull back the substrate from the glass....as mulm builds up, the flow of O2/nutrients in/out is going to slow down. Tom mentions that you need to do the removal of excess mulm after a year or so in order to improve things.

Regards
Peter Gwee

Peter,

So its all due to mulm collection as well as low O2/nutrient flow? Any tools to help with the flow rate? Is it possible for me to stir the substrate once in a while to free up the mulm and to have it siphoned up?

[|squee|]

Slimy? I'm not sure... I'll check tommorrow when I do my trimming.

[grey_fox]

Just took a photo.

Is this BGA?

[|squee|]

Frankly, it really looks like the normal green growth along the sides of all matured tanks.

[grey_fox]

Let's do a comparison.

|squee|



grey_fox



Conclusion, I think you are right but mine looks stringy yeah? Also I did sniff some of the algae, can't really tell if it smells bad or not, if you're talking about ammonia smell (rotten eggs) that's a negative.

Btw, my tank is only a mere 3+ months old, considered mature?

[Plantbrain]

That's BGA.
You likely will see more closer to the window than farther away, some folks tape the gravel line with black tape to prevent growth, others scrub it off(my fav + add enough /KNO3 from then on.......), or slope the gravel down to the lip edge of the tank so that you cannot see it.

It's not a concern other than a sign to kill what's there and add KNO3.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[grey_fox]

Hey Tom,

Thanks for the heads-up. Appreciate it!

I have scrubbed off the BGA and also tucked the BGA right to the bottom of the tank, hopefully that will kill off the BGA.

[XnSdVd]

Lol that's BGA? I've had it for months and it's never gone above my "tubifex layer" do the worms somehow combat the stuff? That and what's that brown film on the glass?

[PeterGwee]

Hey Tom,

Thanks for the heads-up. Appreciate it!

I have scrubbed off the BGA and also tucked the BGA right to the bottom of the tank, hopefully that will kill off the BGA.

Siphon it out dude...not hide it.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[grey_fox]

Lol that's BGA? I've had it for months and it's never gone above my "tubifex layer" do the worms somehow combat the stuff? That and what's that brown film on the glass?

maybe tubifex might be the cure to BGA? Anyways not too sure what that brown stuff is either. As long as it does creep upwards I'll assume that its not a biggie.

[grey_fox]

Siphon it out dude...not hide it.

Regards
Peter Gwee

right-o.

Too late for me to do that at the moment, but lesson learnt

[|squee|]

That's BGA? That means I'm having a bad case of it then. Can it be left alone?

BTW Grey_Fox it's not slimy. It felt like green spot algae to my fingers.

[grey_fox]

Hey |squee|, maybe Tom can give you a better insight.

I scrapped all of it but did not siphon it up. Gonna monitor further.

[grey_fox]

Just as an update.

BGA has disappeared. After 'tucking' it into the gravel (could still see some of it) I increased the NO3 dosage from 1.5tps to 1.75tps and it disappeared, I guess it must definitely be the NO3 issue. I am going to stick to the 1.75tps of NO3 from now on and further monitor the situation.