# Battling BBA using metricide: day by day journal



## tuvix72 (Dec 16, 2003)

Looking good so far! I've read about using Metricide as an alternative to Excel, hadn't seen it in action yet though... Is your goal to see how it compares to Excel?

Regards,
Giancarlo Podio


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## alym (Mar 31, 2008)

tuvix72 said:


> Looking good so far! I've read about using Metricide as an alternative to Excel, hadn't seen it in action yet though... Is your goal to see how it compares to Excel?
> 
> Regards,
> Giancarlo Podio


No, the goal of this treatment is to show that the "spray" approach works very effectively, when used in conjunction with the "turkey baster" approach lauded by many people.

On another forum (BC Aquaria) there was a long thread on how to fight bba using excel or metricide, but it was all lost when the forum died. As a result, I've decided to do a case study for future reference by others.


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

I have successfully treated BBA with excel with the spray method, but i find using H202 is cheaper, and just as effective. Good Luck!


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## alym (Mar 31, 2008)

What's the H2O2 method? I can add a post about it on tankspiration!


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

Hydrogen Peroxide, in the brown bottle. I use about 2ML per gallon. Can spray, spot treat, and just dose it to the tank.


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## born2lovefish (Dec 29, 2006)

I am about 3-4 weeks in with using Metricide 14 to treat BBA. I use 20-25ml every night after the lights go out on my 75 gallon. Most of the BBA is gone with the remaining dying off. I just wish I would have found out about Metricide sooner. Will be interesting to follow this.


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## thrak76 (Aug 3, 2009)

I'm enjoying your blog, Alym. Keep up the good work!


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## alym (Mar 31, 2008)

born2lovefish said:


> I am about 3-4 weeks in with using Metricide 14 to treat BBA. I use 20-25ml every night after the lights go out on my 75 gallon. Most of the BBA is gone with the remaining dying off. I just wish I would have found out about Metricide sooner. Will be interesting to follow this.


Yeah, that's about right for a 75...mine's a 50 and I dose about half that, so your dosage is a bit lower than mine. I'm going to hit the tank with a syringe of metricide today. Then tomorrow will do another spray treatment.

I'm tempted to add some SAE's just to clean up the mess!


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## Hyzer (Mar 9, 2010)

From what I understand glutaraldehyde turns in to a source of carbon for plants after several hours in the tank. I am curious about the effect this will have on growth. You are currently not injecting co2, correct?

This is what I was looking for, thanks!


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## alym (Mar 31, 2008)

While I *used* to have co2 injected in the 46, I had to make the call to move it to the 90. I can't afford to have co2 on both.

So yes, the 46 is now low tech and the metricide should have a beneficial effect on the other plants in the tank.


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## tuvix72 (Dec 16, 2003)

alym said:


> No, the goal of this treatment is to show that the "spray" approach works very effectively, when used in conjunction with the "turkey baster" approach lauded by many people.
> 
> On another forum (BC Aquaria) there was a long thread on how to fight bba using excel or metricide, but it was all lost when the forum died. As a result, I've decided to do a case study for future reference by others.


Interesting... so you're spraying the product by pulling the ornaments out of the tank? I'd imagine the same could be done with H2O2. Never tried spraying either one personally. Spot treatment and whole tank treatment works great with either Excel or H2O2 so I'd expect the spray approach to be quite effective too.

You can see the H2O2 method here:
http://www.gpodio.com/h2o2.asp

Regards,
Giancarlo Podio


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## Nue (Dec 27, 2009)

The spray method works great for driftwood, and moss's with BBA. Ive done it both with excel and h202. Works great.


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## alym (Mar 31, 2008)

Nue said:


> The spray method works great for driftwood, and moss's with BBA. Ive done it both with excel and h202. Works great.


Just don't spray stuff like mini pelia - it's a type of 'algae' so to speak and will get killed by Excel quite quickly!


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## alym (Mar 31, 2008)

For those keeping track, new photos have been added on our blog showing the status of my battle with BBA, as of May 30, 2010!


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## Hyzer (Mar 9, 2010)

Thanks for posting. Looking good.

I have heard a few types of plants can be sensitive to Excel/Metricide/Cidex. Have you noticed the health of your plants deteriorate in any way since starting glutaraldehyde treatment?


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Left you a comment on your blog, get back to me.


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## alym (Mar 31, 2008)

Hi "over_stocked", Lisa has sent you a message! Looking forward to working with you 

For those reading about BBA: the final installment of the saga has now been posted. The battle has been won. Metricide ROCKS.

http://www.tankspiration.com/2010/06/battling-bba-the-final-installment/

PS: yes, the health of plants has also improved substantially.


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## xJaypex (Jul 4, 2009)

Do you think this treatment will kill my erio? It is covered in hair algae that i want to KILL!!


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

According to wikipedia metricide contains glutaraldehyde, and


> A polymerized isomer of glutaraldehyde known as polycycloglutaracetal is a fertilizer for aquatic plants. It is claimed that it provides a bioavailable source of carbon for higher plants that is not available to algae. Though not marketed as such due to federal regulations, the biocidal effect of glutaraldehyde kills most algae at concentrations of 0.5–5.0 ppm.[vague] These levels are not harmful to most aquatic fauna and flora. Adverse reactions have been observed by some aquarists at these concentrations in some aquatic mosses, liverworts, and vascular plants.


Amazing stuff  Would you all say that metricide works on the same level as excel?


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## alym (Mar 31, 2008)

CL said:


> According to wikipedia metricide contains glutaraldehyde, and
> 
> Amazing stuff  Would you all say that metricide works on the same level as excel?


To be honest I think it works better for algae...


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## CL (Mar 13, 2008)

alym said:


> To be honest I think it works better for algae...


Cool. Does metricide help plants at all?


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## erie (Apr 12, 2004)

alym,

From reading your blog, did you only do two treatments? (one direct and one into the water) Or daily? And if was a daily treatment, did you always add 14ml?

Due to the fact that I do have C02 will I need to lower the dose of metricide?

I'm hopeing that metricide and an increase in C02 will help me with my battle. 

Thank you for your work on this,


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## dj2005 (Apr 23, 2009)

Thanks for the thread, alym.



CL said:


> Cool. Does metricide help plants at all?


It should produce similar results to Excel from what I've read. I think over_stocked has been using it instead of Excel for some time now and has seen comparable results.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

tuvix72 said:


> You can see the H2O2 method here:
> http://www.gpodio.com/h2o2.asp
> 
> Regards,
> Giancarlo Podio


Thanks a lot for the link Giancarlo.


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## herns (May 6, 2008)

Ive been using Metricide for about 5-6 mos now and I havent seen BBA eversince I use it.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

Hi,

I am on my second day treatment with h2o2 (2ml/g), the bba it's turning pink and most of it is almost gone but, I got a little ammonia spike (0.15). I also used Metricide 14 for the last 6 months. I should also mention that yesterday I did a 70% wc and change all the mechanical media in my filters. Goldies and plants are OK. Should I do a small wc or leave it like this until my next weekly wc ? These are 1.5 years old well established tanks. All the other water parameters are OK.

edit
Sorry, I also changed the bio media (Eheim Substrat Pro). I am just wondering if h2o2 can affect the healthy bacteria.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

barbarossa4122 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I am on my second day treatment with h2o2 (2ml/g), the bba it's turning pink and most of it is almost gone but, I got a little ammonia spike (0.15). I also used Metricide 14 for the last 6 months. I should also mention that yesterday I did a *70% wc and change all the mechanical media in my filters.* Goldies and plants are OK. Should I do a small wc or leave it like this until my next weekly wc ? These are 1.5 years old well established tanks. All the other water parameters are OK.
> 
> ...


You should be able to see the answer yourself. 

It has nothing to do with the peroxide. It has everything to do with a huge water change and basically starting with a new filter.... You need to watch and start doing water changes daily as you will have a mini cycle if not a full cycle. 

Never do filter maintenance on the same day as water changes. Never change the mech and bio filter at the same time. Why did you change the bio filtration?


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

over_stocked said:


> You should be able to see the answer yourself.
> 
> It has nothing to do with the peroxide. It has everything to do with a huge water change and basically starting with a new filter.... You need to watch and start doing water changes daily as you will have a mini cycle if not a full cycle.
> 
> Never do filter maintenance on the same day as water changes. Never change the mech and bio filter at the same time. Why did you change the bio filtration?


Oh, I did it before and ended up doing wcs 3 days in a row. Forgot about it b/c I was doing some work project at home at the same time. About the bio media........................well, I had the old one for 9 months and I thought it will be OK to replace it since I had a 5L box laying around. Thanks for the advice. It will never happen again


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## tuvix72 (Dec 16, 2003)

Can I have your "old" bio media?  Seriously, my Substrat Pro is over 10 years old and looks as good as the day I bought it... I rinse it in tank water once or twice a year...

I would certainly keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite and perform water changes as needed based on these two levels, or daily if you don't feel like testing... In the future, only replace the fine pads that loose consistency, everything else can be rinsed and re-used, but never all at once as already mentioned.

Hope that helps
Giancarlo Podio


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

tuvix72 said:


> Can I have your "old" bio media?  Seriously, my Substrat Pro is over 10 years old and looks as good as the day I bought it... I rinse it in tank water once or twice a year...
> 
> I would certainly keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite and perform water changes as needed based on these two levels, or daily if you don't feel like testing... In the future, only replace the fine pads that loose consistency, everything else can be rinsed and re-used, but never all at once as already mentioned.
> 
> ...


Hi,

Sorry but, I trew the old media out like an idiot. I did 100% wc today. I'll test again tomorrow.


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## born2lovefish (Dec 29, 2006)

born2lovefish said:


> I am about 3-4 weeks in with using Metricide 14 to treat BBA. I use 20-25ml every night after the lights go out on my 75 gallon. Most of the BBA is gone with the remaining dying off. I just wish I would have found out about Metricide sooner. Will be interesting to follow this.


BBA has been gone in my tank for a couple months now. Metricide did the trick in conjunction with 30-40% water changes every two weeks. I also upgraded my co2 regulator and have a better needle valve now. I will say that some plants do not like Metricide and will melt if they come in direct contact with it. I also had some plants melt when I overdosed Metricide a couple times. Metricide seemed to work for some hair algae in another tank too.


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## etgregoire (Oct 28, 2009)

I found this old thread via Google. Does anyone have the information from the blog site - it's not longer live. 

Perhaps all I need is 20-25ml per night?

How does this affect moss?


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