Temuchin

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimesc...e-34239419bf67

The key is Phosphourous.

Those of you who know more about aquaria than I. What are the implications for algae control in aquarium? I think this is well know in aquariums and I think this is in line with some of what I have read from Tom Barr, all other nutrients in excess, with Phosphorus as the limiting reagent leads to easy fert dosing of aquarium with out worry over algae. This reseacher in Canada just treated a lake as a giant aquarium.

xspy

That is a good article. I often have issues with BGA and I was about to post on what is the real cause of it. My tank is always in spec and it has really been starting to make me want to stop with the planted tank thing. Seems like no matter what I try it always makes a comeback. I have plenty of water circulation. I have a phos-ban setup, but never used it because I was afraid it would harm the plants, knowing that plants need phosphorous. Sometimes I get BGA when one of my cheap (Turbo CO2 Bio-System) co2 jets get clogged or run out of co2, but not always. Sometimes it starts for no reason at all. Perhaps the tap water here has high levels of phosphorous and the little bit I add from pfertz is the problem. My question is what do I do?? Fire up the phos-ban system? I don't know if there is a way to test for phosphorous and I am not sure how much you need and how much is BGA bound. All I do know is that I am so sick of it I am about ready to drain the tank and find something else to do with my time.

Temuchin

My own city has water reports online. Fall River does not, but they should have the information if you call the water department.

I know little about water testing, because I rarely do it, but phosphate test are readily available from all the online stores.

xspy

since reading this I stopped adding phosphorous to the tank. At the very least untill my Phosphate test comes in.

Zapins

Keep in mind that their studies probably don't apply to our tanks at all since they were conducted in nature.

It could very well be that in those lakes there were plenty of other nutrients available and phosphate was the limiting nutrient, when supplied it enabled the algae to grow unchecked. Also Canadian lakes don't have the same plant density as our planted tanks.

In our tanks supplying adequate nutrients will ensure the plants thrive and suppress algae.

Do not stop dosing phosphate. Having 0 phosphate will lead to more algae problems since the plants will eventually die from nutrient starvation.

xspy

I started addong phosphate again, however I cut the dose in half. Should have the test kit in tomorrow.

bgzbgz

When I had BGA a long time ago I added a half a tablet of erythromycin to my tank and it went away... permanently.

Zapins

It doesn't like nitrates in my experience. NO3 levels of about 15 ppm will kill it off if I remember right.

Or you could do as bgzbgz said and dose erythromycin since it is a cyano-bacteria and not an algae.

Wö£fëñxXx

That report is a bit skewed.

BGA bloom in our tanks are from low N03 and
lack of 02/oxygen.

Clean as much of that mess out you can add N03
and aerate the tank daily preferably with surface turbulance
or add an air stone, good flow is a plus.

Daily or nightly aeration is very important.

xspy

I have a couple of jets for water flow, so thats not it. I have in the past used erythromycin to rid the stuff, it works for a while, then comes back worse. something in the tank is off and I don't know what it is yet.