# Battling BGA under the substrate?



## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

I've been noticing some bga growing on the back of the tank under the substrate. 

It's only one small part of the corner. 
I've actually been using my scape tool to push the substrate around to loosen the bga and air out that area. I have to do this every 3-4 days in order to keep it clean. 

My fear is it will spread on top of the substrate.

Any suggestions on how to kill it?
I so have a good amount of shrimp in the tank. So any suggestions would have to take that into consideration. 

I will probably out my nano wave maker aimed at that corner to see if it helps. 
Maybe inject a little peroxide into the substrate ?


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## Xiaozhuang (Feb 15, 2012)

Does the back of the tank receive light ? You can try blocking up the area with something; if its dark I doubt BGA will thrive


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

Xiaozhuang said:


> Does the back of the tank receive light ? You can try blocking up the area with something; if its dark I doubt BGA will thrive


it doesn't get any light from the back. Maybe I should put some masking tape back there and see what happens? I'm going to inject some hydro peroxide into the substrate over there. small amount.. don't want to kill my shrimp.


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## lamiskool (Jul 1, 2011)

erynthromycin will do the trick, sprinkle it in the area that you see it growing, ive even pinched it between my fingers and pushed it in the substrate. pretty sure its shrimp safe, you should google it just in case though lol


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

I'd deep vacuum it and keep up the KNO3 dosing.
That typically takes care of it in most cases.


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## EarlyGrayce (Jul 15, 2014)

lamiskool said:


> erynthromycin will do the trick, sprinkle it in the area that you see it growing, ive even pinched it between my fingers and pushed it in the substrate. pretty sure its shrimp safe, you should google it just in case though lol


+1 to the above ^^^ avoid mixing into the water column and keep it contained. turn on a UV
if possible and reduce flow, if you are able to remove all or most before dosing erythromycin this will provide best results. A turkey baster works really well for sucking up Cyano "patches". remember its not algae its a bacterial infection of the substrate and system and they form "spores" that move through the water column


> They fix atmospheric nitrogen in aerobic condition by heterocyst, specialized cell, and in anaerobic condition


 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria


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## happi (Dec 18, 2009)

last time i killed it few times without any medicine was with 1tsp of KNO3 in 20gallon and dosed nothing else, dose this and walk away and dose nothing for next few weeks, plant wont suffer much either. after few weeks do a big water change and go back to your normal dosing. but erythromycin works much faster and it should be all gone in less than one week.


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

plantbrain said:


> I'd deep vacuum it and keep up the KNO3 dosing.
> That typically takes care of it in most cases.





EarlyGrayce said:


> +1 to the above ^^^ avoid mixing into the water column and keep it contained. turn on a UV
> if possible and reduce flow, if you are able to remove all or most before dosing erythromycin this will provide best results. A turkey baster works really well for sucking up Cyano "patches". remember its not algae its a bacterial infection of the substrate and system and they form "spores" that move through the water column
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyanobacteria





happi said:


> last time i killed it few times without any medicine was with 1tsp of KNO3 in 20gallon and dosed nothing else, dose this and walk away and dose nothing for next few weeks, plant wont suffer much either. after few weeks do a big water change and go back to your normal dosing. but erythromycin works much faster and it should be all gone in less than one week.





lamiskool said:


> erynthromycin will do the trick, sprinkle it in the area that you see it growing, ive even pinched it between my fingers and pushed it in the substrate. pretty sure its shrimp safe, you should google it just in case though lol


thanks for the replies guys. I haven't dose anything yet. Haven't been home much the past few days.

After reading everyones suggestions.

I will probably mix some erynthromycin with some water and inject it into the substrate a day before my weekly WC. Followed up vacuuming up whatever is left over and then dosing KNO3. Anyone know if KNO3 is harmful to shrimp? I guess i'll do conservatively to be safe.

*anyone know where to buy erythromycin? I just typed it into Amazon and it had paraguard.. don't think I want that.*

Will post updates when I've done some progress.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

I don't recommend using any kind of antibiotic on something that is so common and easily removed/killed because it promotes antibiotic resistance.

Also, light is most definitely getting back there. Otherwise, it wouldn't even grow since it requires light to photosynthesize. I've had success taping/blocking light to that part of the substrate and it disappeared. Black paper would work.

Keeping up the nitrates is preventative medicine. And patience is key.


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## EarlyGrayce (Jul 15, 2014)

Down_Shift said:


> thanks for the replies guys. I haven't dose anything yet. Haven't been home much the past few days.
> 
> After reading everyones suggestions.
> 
> ...


For the record KNO3 IS BANNED IN Canada as it is an explosive.


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## Solcielo lawrencia (Dec 30, 2013)

Oxygen should be banned because that's an explosive, too!


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

Solcielo lawrencia said:


> Oxygen should be banned because that's an explosive, too!


+1, 

So is gasoline, did they ban that?

KNO3 is avialable as potash of saltpeter and they do sell it at agriculture and turf supply places. Stump remover at Canadian Tire I think. KNO3 is not that explosive compared to say some other chemicals that are widely available. 

Internet sales etc also can ship stuff there as long as you call it something else, no nefarious stuff going on there with 200 grams of KNO3. 
Blackpower gun owners use it.


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## Korya (Sep 22, 2013)

I'm Canadian and I can buy it. I believe it is legal in smaller amounts. I had to provide a photocopy of my id and sign a waiver that I wasn't a bomb maker. If you knew me you would know how funny that is. My hands shake when I change the CO2 canister...it's paintball size


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

EarlyGrayce said:


> For the record KNO3 IS BANNED IN Canada as it is an explosive.





Korya said:


> I'm Canadian and I can buy it. I believe it is legal in smaller amounts. I had to provide a photocopy of my id and sign a waiver that I wasn't a bomb maker. If you knew me you would know how funny that is. My hands shake when I change the CO2 canister...it's paintball size


Potassium nitrate is not banned in Canada and is available for purchase.

However, as mentioned, you must provide a valid piece of ID and sign various paperwork before purchasing it.

Regarding mailing it, there are various legal issues.


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## Ziggy (Sep 2, 2011)

Darkblade48 said:


> However, as mentioned, you must provide a valid piece of ID and sign various paperwork before purchasing it.


Are we talking about Saltpeter here? I get it from the drugstore, behind the counter mind you, with a simple "what are you using it for?" curiosity question. $6 for a large aspirin sizes bottle of it and thats it.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Ziggy said:


> Are we talking about Saltpeter here? I get it from the drugstore, behind the counter mind you, with a simple "what are you using it for?" curiosity question. $6 for a large aspirin sizes bottle of it and thats it.


Yes, saltpeter is a trivial name for potassium nitrate.

The stuff at the pharmacy is probably USP grade; there is really no need to go that pure for our purposes (you are also paying a premium for this purity).


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

i'm going to pick up some "saltpeter" or pot nitrate sometime over the week and also try to block the light back there.

I kind of let it take over and it's now all on the backside of the tank under the substrate.. whichi s weird because none of it is above the substrate...

KNO3 deficiency?


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## Down_Shift (Sep 20, 2008)

Here's a pic of what I'm dealing with.
You can see it along the back of the tank from the reflection.


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## ced281 (Jul 6, 2012)

100% positive you have either direct or ambient light reaching the back of tank there. I would go with Tom's recommendation and dose the KNO3. I'd avoid using antibiotics until it gets really bad (i.e. starts blooming all over your tank).

I'd also try to avoid stirring it up so it doesn't get all over the place.

IME, if you take care of your tank's parameters and keep your plants happy and healthy, BGA and other algae should not become an issue.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

My take is also, if it's not bugging anything about the gravel, no need to worry. 

Generally with good root growth, this is not much of an issue. 
KN03 dosing, never an issue. 

It's been so long ago I've had an issue with BGA I forgot. 

I did not like the idea of EM dosing and in many countries, it's avail though Vet's only. So another method usign KNo3 and 3 day blackout worked well, but everything is dependent on KNO3.

BTW, I breed hundreds of shrimp every month in my tanks, I dose roughly 30 ppm as KNO3 and feed generously. Red fires, Orange eye blue tigers, Amano's etc.


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