Need help on improving water circulation

[torque6]

Not sure if this should be placed here or in equipments, moderators please help to move if in the wrong category.

Seems BGA outbreaks are occuring at the same spots when compared to over a month back possible due to dead spots. Was hoping someone would give opinions on where to best place my 200L/H powerhead or not to put at hold if it doesnt really help.

The following pic includes the following.


thanks in advance.

[wEiPInG]

Wow! Looks so complex. Haha. Actually i am also facing BGA as well. But i guess no matter how effective your circulation is, there is bound to have some algae growing as well. As you improve on your circulation, you might want to try removing the BGA in the meantime. Seachem exel does a good job in removing them. Just use a syringe and spray them on. With better circulation the BGA might just not return Dont know if you are already doing that.

WeiPing

[PeterGwee]

Are you sure of the algae ID? You can kill BGA off via blackouts for the entire tank and then make sure that the NO3 does not bottom out and that the area has good current. Planting plants in those area will help generate O2 to those areas as well.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[torque6]

Thanks weiping/peter,

Yes, it is bga, its the same green skin that is covering on my soil.

Those area have HG growing on them and the last time i went for a blackout, most of my hairgrass went yellow and some died. I couldnt clear those dead algae as well as they clung fast to my soil and disturbing them would have uprooted my foregrass.

Quincy on my other forum suggested double dose of kno3, however since sechem nitrogen does contain ammonium and urea, i m afraid that dosing more will cause algae.

Is the placement of the powerhead correct by the way?

[PeterGwee]

Vac the substrate over that area and then toss the infected parts. Remove the plants over there and replant them once the area is cleared. It does not going away just by increasing current. Seachem Nitrogen has binded ammonium (slow releasing just like fish waste...little pulses) and no urea and does not cause issues.

Regards,
Peter Gwee

[torque6]

will take note of your advise peter. thanks.

[torque6]

Removed and clean up the top soil and uprooted a number of hairgrass, removed the oranged mulm "firt" 3 months filter pad and rinse in existing tank waters the biohome plus+ mr aqua ceramic rings. Changed media order to CR->course pad->wool ->biohome plus due to space constraint, better to sandwich both pads together than separately have them hanging in between the BB medias. Monitoring them now.

[EdwinL]

Hi Torque6, do you have a picture and details of your current tank? The BGA factor mentioned above might not due to a factor. On the contrary, it could be a combination of eco related problem like water management, substrate quality, ferts and critters in the tank.

[alechim]

I am experiencing similar problems as torque6 bro.
Almost everything is similar except that I uses a rainbar with CO2 diffuser underneath and my drop checker is opp as compared to torque6. But same place of BBA growth on rocks placed in these areas
I dosed ADA step2 and brighty K everyday, brighty lights every 2-3 days differences.
74W T5 lights.

[WaterH2O]

Is there some truth that Elodea Densa releases some kind of chemical that restrict bga growth? Read it from Tropica site. Not sure if it restrict bga or bba growth.

[torque6]

should be bba. BGA is bacteria growth, not algae.

[torque6]

Hi Torque6, do you have a picture and details of your current tank? The BGA factor mentioned above might not due to a factor. On the contrary, it could be a combination of eco related problem like water management, substrate quality, ferts and critters in the tank.

I have cleared the mulm clog wool filter and change to a new one, rinse the biohome+ and mr aqua ceramic rings in existing tank water, use a new course sponge to filter between cr -> wool -> biohome+, adding as per peter's advise on potassium nitrate >20ppm to ensure no bottom out. I have also added erythromycin into the soil to curb with reoccurance. So far been a week, no BGA at all, including those in the soil which i havent put any anti biotics. They just cleared on their own.

Will of course monitor again in the coming weeks as BGA tend to return in 5-6 weeks time.