# Starting the three day black out



## redmary51 (Mar 17, 2011)

Have you read through some or all of the post on using Excel for bba? It seems blackouts don't really help.


----------



## BBradbury (Nov 8, 2010)

Hello red. Whoa dude! This blackout and adding chemicals to your tank is pretty extreme. I really don't think it's too late to consider an easier approach to algae control. If your plants and fish are still visible in the tank, why not plant some fast growing stems that will use up the plentiful nutrients you have in your tank? Water Sprite, Water Wisteria, Rotala and Ludwigia are some very good stems that would do well. There are others, but these are some I used when I dealt with algae.

Flourish Excel worked well for me in combination with the plants. Your concern about your Vals is justified. They don't tolerate the "gluteraldehyde" in the Seachem product. Corkscrew Vals are especially sensitive. So don't use it.

I used the plants and did 50 percent water changes every two weeks until I noticed the algae starting to die back. Never messed with the lighting, but seems like I did feed a little less often. As the plants grew and took in more nutrients, the algae disappeared, guess it starved to death. It shows up from time to time, but I just dose a little Flourish Excel and that takes care of the problem.

Just a suggestion. Seems like the "Blackout" might have a negative affect on the good stuff you have in the tank.

BBradbury


----------



## reddragon1977 (May 30, 2007)

Thanks brad, I never knew what specific chemical it was that hurt my spiral vals so much. I appreciate all of your advice to those who responded. I figure im going to go checmial free and just a straight three day blackout. im on day 2 now and the hardest thing is not looking at the tank. I will add a few stem plants during the reveal since all i have is root feeders and see what happens.


----------



## tuffgong (Apr 13, 2010)

IME, blackouts work wonders. Good luck with yours! Adding some dechlor won't hurt IMO. Just under dose to be on the safe side if you decide to put some in. I never did.


----------

