# Blue-green algae? I think probably, yes.



## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

I noticed this evening I have what appears to be the very beginnings of blue-green algae in a few spots of my tank. I noticed it a while ago on my java moss but removed the affected areas. Since then it has happened a couple more times to the moss and I have removed it each time. This time is the first instance that I have noticed it elsewhere in the tank.









In this picture, the algae can be seen almost exactly where the cherry barb is pointing. Just a wee bit on the java moss in that place and one or two other locations not pictured.









It's difficult to see in this one but the algae is beginning to grow on the second rock from the back on the left side. In person the green coloration is much easier to spot on the rock.

I'm going to do a PWC a day early and clean the filter (using tank water of course) and mechanically remove the algae. I'll cut out the affected areas of the java moss as I have previously done, as well as scrub the rock with tap water and a brush, and remove the two leaves I noticed that are affected.

I will shorten the light time by an hour each day and hopefully add co2 soon. Maybe these slight adjustments will keep the algae away. I'm getting tired of trimming it out of my java moss and am concerned that if this keeps up I will be trimming it faster than it can grow!


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## Higher Thinking (Mar 16, 2011)

Yup, thats blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Increasing nitrates and adding water circulation has been successful in keeping it off. You should do what you're now doing and manually remove it while making the adjustments. Also, you can hit it with hydrogen peroxide as well as go the medication route with erythromycin.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Higher Thinking said:


> Yup, thats blue-green algae (cyanobacteria). Increasing nitrates and adding water circulation has been successful in keeping it off. You should do what you're now doing and manually remove it while making the adjustments. Also, you can hit it with hydrogen peroxide as well as go the medication route with erythromycin.


+1. BGA does not like oxygen. So increasing the oxygen in the tank will help keep it away while using H2O2 will kill what's there.

If java moss can handle H2O2, you can probably save it by just killing the BGA. Remember once you've killed the BGA, you'll need to clean out the dead stuff from the tank.

BTW, good catch on getting this early. Most people don't catch it until after it's coated most everything in their tank.


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

Ill have to look into how to use hydrogen peroxide safely and work on that. I'll begin running the airstone 24 hours instead of only at night and see if that helps.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Different algae, but same process with H2O2: http://www.gpodio.com/h2o2.asp

Also, check out this thread for different ideas of how to dose H2O2: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=179452

Since your tank is only mildly affected, I'd suggest using only 0.5ml to 1ml of H2O2 per gallon. That should be very safe, yet effective.


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

Excellent information, though I believe I read in that second link to dose 1ml per 10 gallons, and then it changed to 1ml per 1 gallon. The article also gave a 1ml:g ratio. I'll give it a shot at 0.5ml:1g some time this week. It'll have to wait a little while as I don't have time to do more than physically remove the algae today.


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

Everything went smooth with removal of the BGA and the filter is well cleaned. I also added a new filter sponge and attached a pre-filter (mainly to help combat the snail problem I've been battling). There are no traces of BGA in the filter or its components, and the rocks and plants are free and clear.

Unfortunately, the java moss already had some more BGA growth on it today, not even 24 hours after the removal. I'm fairly certain that the BGA was introduced to my tank via the java moss from the LFS. I put a bit of the moss in my 6 gallon and there is a tiny bit of BGA beginning to grow on that moss as well.

I'm going to treat both tanks with H2O2 this week and apply it via syringe around the area the java moss is attached. If the moss doesn't make it, then I will simply purchase some more. At least I'll be rid of this BGA!


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

HamToast said:


> Excellent information, though I believe I read in that second link to dose 1ml per 10 gallons, and then it changed to 1ml per 1 gallon. The article also gave a 1ml:g ratio. I'll give it a shot at 0.5ml:1g some time this week. It'll have to wait a little while as I don't have time to do more than physically remove the algae today.


You'll find many different ratios suggested. In general, 1ml per gallon is considered a safe amount. I've gone as high as 4ml per gallon on my 75g and 90g tanks, but that's the highest level I've ever heard anyone use and you have to be very careful when dosing it that high. Your situation does not at all merit a drastic dose so you should be able to use the 1ml per gallon level with excellent success. Even half that would probably work as long as you keep doing it each day until all traces are absolutely gone.



HamToast said:


> Everything went smooth with removal of the BGA and the filter is well cleaned. I also added a new filter sponge and attached a pre-filter (mainly to help combat the snail problem I've been battling). There are no traces of BGA in the filter or its components, and the rocks and plants are free and clear.


Does the new filter circulate the water better, especially at the surface where oxygen exchange takes place? If so, that should fix the problem in the long run. The clean out should have removed the extra organics in the tank. Just be careful to not overdo it and disturb your beneficial bacteria.



> I'm going to treat both tanks with H2O2 this week and apply it via syringe around the area the java moss is attached. If the moss doesn't make it, then I will simply purchase some more. At least I'll be rid of this BGA!


Yeah, java moss isn't worth it. Besides, there's many much nicer mosses you could replace it with. Java moss is a great beginner's moss, but it's probably the least attractive of them all.


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

When I "clean" the filter, I'm only actually rinsing it and only with tank water that I have drained. I never run tap water over it so I do not kill off the bacteria. I also don't replace the filter element, just rinse them. When time comes to replace an element, I will do so without cleaning the entire filter and only replace one element at a time. I've only "cleaned" the filter once before but had no issues. Water agitation seems to be adequate, but the front corners seem like dead spots in the circulation. Fortunately I haven't seen any BGA in those areas yet.

As for the moss, you're probably right. Unfortunately the only moss my LFS carries is java moss. I could request he special order something more attractive though, the java moss looks rather dull.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

Get some moss from others here in the For Sale section (I miss the Swap-n-Shop name). There's always lots of different kinds to choose from. Take a look! http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/search.php?searchid=6325796 Every one of those threads are ads from people selling different kinds of moss!

Are you using the pre-made carbon cartridges with an HOB filter? I prefer to not use those. What I do is put about a fist-size amount of biomedia inside old pantyhose material and tie it off to make a little pouch. I then sandwich this in between two layers of filter floss. The first floss traps the larger debris and the second floss polishes the water. Then, when it's time to clean the filter, I completely clean or replace the filter floss, but don't mess with the biomedia. At the very most, I may dunk the biomedia bag into a cup of tank water to knock off any large crud that's gotten on it, but that's it. I try to not disturb it with a bunch of jostling. Using this kind of filter media instead of the cartridges is not only less expensive, but it's also more effective.


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

I have the cartridges with carbon, but I have removed the activated carbon and am using only the bag. There is also some sort of sponge that I presume the bacteria likes to live in, and another, finer sponge. It's fairly basic but seems to be keeping the water pretty clear and my ammonia and nitrites are consistently at 0. More effective couldn't hurt though, I'll look into setting my filter up similarly to yours.

Also, thanks for the links. My available resources for tools and plants and knowledge seem to be growing each day! It is beginning to reflect very nicely on my tank.


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## cromwelin (Mar 20, 2012)

Yeah even I could see the little tints of blue algae in the aquarium and I guess I have to remove it before it harms other plants. For that you have to soak them in a solution of bleach and water. You need to soak the plants at least for 20 min until this algae vanishes.Then you need to rinse the plants in chlorine free water before you put them on aquarium. I guess if I do that I am able to remove.


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## Complexity (Jan 30, 2008)

cromwelin said:


> Yeah even I could see the little tints of blue algae in the aquarium and I guess I have to remove it before it harms other plants. For that you have to soak them in a solution of bleach and water. You need to soak the plants at least for 20 min until this algae vanishes.Then you need to rinse the plants in chlorine free water before you put them on aquarium. I guess if I do that I am able to remove.


I do not recommend this technique. I think it would not only kill the plants (depending on the bleach/water ratio), but it's unnecessary given that there are other, less risky methods proven to work.


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## HamToast (May 6, 2012)

^+1 based on everything I have recently learned about getting rid of algae


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