# how do I clean BBA off buces so I can move them into another tank?



## Akaliman (Jul 28, 2014)

I put my sick buce in small aquarium with lots of anubias.
i mean like 80% of the aquarium is covered by anubias. this is indoor tank with no lights.
the buce recovers pretty good there. 

starve the buce from nutrient, and keep it in low ligh (indoor, not direct sunlight).
the algae will starve of nutrient and lights. they'll die off


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

Ok, thanks. Yeah, I've got them in a bucket now w/just ambient room light. How long do you think it will take to starve the algae off?


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## Maryland Guppy (Dec 6, 2014)

I have cleaned several anubias by using a paint brush to apply Excel.
Brush the infected leaves a bit, wait about 1 minute and dip in tank water and repeat
Don't know if Buce will hold up to this though.


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## Akaliman (Jul 28, 2014)

buce is pretty tough.

it takes about 2 weeks to starve the algae, or more. but do the excel thing if you are in a hurry


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

No hurry, and I don't have Excel on hand, so I think I will just wait to starve it off.... 

I am wondering if I could keep the buces for those few weeks in a jar of old tank water? I do this to grow out subwassertang trimmings- put them in a jar, each week dump out the water and refresh with what comes out of the tank during water changes, and give it a stir now and then. It's near a window but indirect light.

Would the buces survive this? My room gets down to 63 or 64 degrees at night- I think I've read that they can withstand that temp but are they ok w/out the oxygenation/water circulation too or should I keep the airstone running.


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## Akaliman (Jul 28, 2014)

i think the only potential problem is the temperature.
you think you can keep it up? like putting it behind your refrigerator at night?


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

Hm, well I have read in an article that they can withstand temps down to 64 degrees but do better with oxygenated, flowing water. Also read a few people mention in other posts they have buce tank in unheated room, gets down to 65... 

I currently have the plants in a jar w/small sponge filter to circulate, and some hornwort on top to help consume any nutrients (I don't care if these hornwort cuttings die- it is in just ambient room lighting so may be too low for them). I could put the jar on top of my fridge for more warmth- have kept betta bowls there in the past during winter- but I can't see a way to attach the airline if it's up there and from what I read it seems the circulation is more helpful to the plant than heat?


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## PortalMasteryRy (Oct 16, 2012)

Buces do not like hydrogen peroxide but they can tolerate an excel bath. You can use a syringe to apply small amounts of excel on the entire plant. Leave it out for 2-3 mins then dunk the plant 3-5 times in a cup with clean water to rid of the excel then put it back in the tank. I did this to a batch of rhizomes and it worked really well.


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

Ok. So far the BBA has quit spreading- the newest leaves are clean, but I do want to eradicate it from the older leaves so I don't have to wait for the plant to regrow all its mass. Surprised I couldn't find excel in any of the shops here- they have lots of other seachem products, but I had to order excel online.

It just arrived today. I'm going to apply it tomorrow.

Didn't apply the excel yet, but I was at the petco and they have amano shrimp. On impulse I bought two, brought them home, acclimated and put in the jar of buces. Next day I thought several of the leaves looked quite a bit cleaner, with that healthy buce gleam. I could see the shrimps picking stuff off. Today I went and got a few more shrimps to help out. This morning I saw some of the buces are putting out new leaves and discard the oldest ones turning yellow to drop off. I think they're going to recover.

Will get some pictures.


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

nice! congrats on the recovery!


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

*I got some pictures-*

This is the setup. I wrap the jar in wool scarf at night to hold in some heat (and it has a plastic lid w/holes now too) not because I think the shrimp will die from cold but because I don't want to slow their metabolism down to nothing.








First day I didn't get any decent pictures it was a little cloudy but this backlit one you can see all the tufts of algae on leaf margins- ugh.








My new helpers.








This was the difference they made in one day- I know the lighting is slightly different but if you look close can see the leaves _are_ cleaner.
















So instead of using excel, I got a few more shrimps- you can see two of the in this pic. Never thought I would keep shrimps haha. They are cute. I also see the charm of having things alive and growing in a bowl or jar of water- but it's hard to get pictures against the distortion of curve.








Silhouette shot a few days later- there are still some black points on the leaf margins where bba was anchored- but the big tufts are gone.








I did a water change and lifted the buces out to remove some lower leaves that were turning yellow to drop off. Was able to rub a lot more black algae off with my fingernails. I'm really hopeful to put these into my tenner later this week... and then the shrimps can move into my 38.


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

I took the oldest leaves off the 'dark godzilla' buce (least affected by algae) and put it in my tenner. Some of the buces looks like they are really starting to drop a lot of older leaves- shrimp are tearing apart the leaf. I'm thinking to move all the buces into the tank tomorrow. Still see a bit of algae on them, but the shrimp seem more interested in decaying leaves than algae tufts and I don't want them to rip the plants apart...


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## JJ09 (Sep 11, 2014)

I took all the buces out of the jar. Most of them the new leaves were getting major holes and shredding apart- I think from the lack of nutrients having trouble to grow. Very little sign of algae. Cut off the damaged leaves and a few older ones yellowing, all the plants have four or more remaining. Put them all in my ten gallon betta tank today- upcoming pics on the tank journal. So I count this a success!

I acclimated the shrimps and moved them into my 38. Not expecting much, but give them a chance I guess. Still have all six (two more molted yesterday). They disappeared pretty quick into the plants once released in the tank. I haven't seen them since, but the tank lights are out so it's really hard to spot an inch-long semi-transparent invert. No fish in there big enough to eat them- although I guess a curious cherry barb might nip.

Pulled the sponge filter out of the jar, but it still has hornwort cuttings in it.


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