# BGA and Maracyn (Eurythromyacin)



## Ibn

200 mg/10 gallons is the recommended dosage for the eradication of the algae. As stated, if anyone does want to use it, make sure that you monitor nitrite and ammonia levels.

Nice of you to share your experiences with the algae and the use of erythromycin (maracyn, and not maracyn II, which is minocycline and not erythromycin).


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## malkore

How many mg is one tablet? I ask because I wiped out my BGA in a 20 gallon by dosing 2 tablets on day 1, and 1 tablet a day for another 6 days (to use up an 8 tablet box).

Also you might be able to find straight eurythromycin cheaper than maracyn since it's a very common antibiotic. Heck, I used to take it (and minocycline) for my acne when I was a teen.


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## Aqua Dave

1 tablet is 200 mg. So 2 tablets would be correct for a 20gal tank by the directions.

I actually went to a few local pharmacies to see if I could just get generic eurythromycin and nobody would sell it to me without a prescription. Kinda stupid considering I can go down to Pet Smart and pick up maracyn off-the-shelf. I looked at a couple on-line "pharmacies", but it turns out that maracyn is only a couple bucks more on-line than the generic eurythromycin.

David


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## fedge

yah but the stuff you take is pure.. and the stuff from the store may have lead or other nasty stuff in it. good enough for pets .. may cause a third eye in humans.. (according to fda) I got BGA>.. ARRGGG. in two of my tanks now.. i am seriously considering this...


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## fedge

I just put a dosage in my 20H..with some BGA... after a clean up prior to the dose this next morning (less than 24 hrs later)... I see NO BGA AT ALL!!! WOW!!! I think this is an auesome treatment...lots of people say that the NH4 spikes are from decaying protiens released by the dying cynobacteria, I tend to believe that. Too bad we can't just maracide our tanks for all algea! I wonder the effect this will have on my problem with green water in that tank also....(green water for long time now.)


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## Ibn

It's not an end all solution to your algae problems. Also, the fact that you have various types of algae in various tanks, means that something is out of whack. Much easier in the long run to figure out what it is that's causing the problem in the beginning.


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## lbsfarms

Seems like there is a lot going on with BGA lately, I've been reading a lot of post on it. I had it in my 55g tank but didn't want to treat it with Erythromycin because I felt it was a sign of nutrient imbalance somewhere.
I wondered even if I got rid of it would it come back because the imbalance was still there?
I had been reading a lot on the APD lately about Tom Barr's thoughts on unlimited nutrients, so I decided to follow his advice and see what happened. Basically what he suggested for a 100g tank (I cut the nutrients in half for my 55g) is to get your CO2 up to the 20-30ppm range all the time, error on the higher than lower and do 50%-70% water changes every week. Start on day one and add KNO3 for both K and NO - 3/4th teaspoon and 1/8th teaspoon KH2PO4 (I'm using fleet enema 1/2 ml). On day 2 add 20mls of trace, day 3 - P and NO, day 4 trace, skip day 5, day 6 - P and NO, day 7 trace and then you start all over again, water change, etc.
The thing I liked about the first week was the BGA just disappeared, poof, like magic it was gone. I'm going into week 3 now and it hasn't shown up again and the hair I was having trouble with is defiantly slowing down in its growth.
I don't know exactly why the BGA disappeared, I had been working on balancing my P and NO with no results, maybe it was the trace, I wasn't dosing near that much. Maybe someone else has some idea.


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## Aphyosemion

*Blue-Green nightmare*

You know what? I read all the literature I could find online about blue-green algae and thought I had found the solution to the problem several times, with the final conclusion being that NOTHING worked, no matter how many times I cycled my tanks every week. I was up to 2-3 50% to 75% cycles of my 75 gallon tank per week and it seemed to have no effect. I was ready to shut down my planted tanks for good when I found an article about Maracyn and figured what the hell. I tried to avoid using it, but finally did as a last resort. Like magic, no more blue-green algae.
In the case of most algae, you can (and should) correct the problem by watching your water parameters, but if blue-green algae shows up in your tank with a plant or something and begins spreading, I heartily recommend nuking it immediately with Maracyn.
-Aphyosemion


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## FobbyBobby

that is true many people are having BGA recently, or it seems like it

including me  

got a box of maracyn lying around, but im afraid...what if i fail to eradicate all the BGA with the maracyn dosing at the prescribed levels?? wouldnt that mean the BGA left alive is like some super BGA that maracyn wont kill?


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## Aphyosemion

If you follow the directed dosage for 5 days and clean out all of the dead and dying stuff, it will be gone. If it can wipe it out in my tank, it can wipe it out in any tank. I agree with the people that say don't risk using half doses, though. If you developed a case of resistant blue-green algae by half dosing, you might as well just bleach the whole tank, because your BGA is not going away any time soon.
-Aphyosemion


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## RENDOG

I will try this tomorrow. I didn't have algae for a year in my planted 20 gallon tank. I moved and shortly after developed algae. Apparently I was buying the wrong water (spring instead of drinking water). The spring water has a very high PH and the drinking has a low one. My tank was used to the RO water from the LFS (which was Big Al's Aquarium Supercenter...the nicest aquarium shop I have ever seen...google it). Needless to say, I developed algae that starts on the substrate. I checked my water with a master kit and everything checked out perfect except the PH was high. I've done many water changes and spent many hours pulling away the algae from the substrate...and it still comes back. I have been using the same CO2 setup since the beginning and i'm done fighting the battle. I will let u guys know in the next few days if I have the same outcome you've had. I'm somewhat excited and a bit nervous at the same time. I don't want to lose any fish.


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## RENDOG

ok i just administered the first dosage and i will keep you guys posted.


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## Homer_Simpson

If addressing the possible root causes, including but not limited to, very dirty substrate, filters in need of cleaning, more flow required in the tank, limited or no nitrates requiring additional dosing of nitrates, etc., etc., etc., then I would suggest using Erythromycin to nuke it and take the additional preventative steps to keep it from coming back.

I finally had to nuke it with erythromycin because addressing the possible root causes had no effect on it. My fish, plants, and biological filtered were never effected. I tested ammonia levels during and after treatment, nothing zilch, zero, so the fears about it effecting biological filtration are unfounded and nothing but *FUD*(fear, uncertainty, and doubt). Even Diana Walstead, the pioneer of the natural planted tank endorses the use of erythromycin to deal with BGA outbreaks. Anytime someone who endorses a natural planted tank concept and approves the use of erythromycin to treat BGA outbreaks, it tells me that erythromycin cannot be all that bad.


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## RENDOG

administered the first dose at 4pm yesterday dec 31. Just administered my second dose today Jan 1 at 2pm. So far no visible change. i will post again tonight.


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## BiscuitSlayer

It will take 3 to 5 days to see it dissappear. The only detrimental effect that I saw was my MTS snail population died out. I didn't really care though because they wree getting on my nerves anyway. It had no other effect on anything. I agree whole heartedly with Homer on this one.


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## Homer_Simpson

BiscuitSlayer said:


> ... *The only detrimental effect that I saw was my MTS snail population died out.* I didn't really care though because they wree getting on my nerves anyway...










I wish I would have known before I tore one my tanks due to an out of control snail population(lol, there were tons of them in the filter and on the glass). Dosing with EM would have been worth it and less effort if it worked in killing them than tearing the tank down. Tank was too small for a loach and a puffer was out of the question as s/he would have attacked my other fish.


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## RENDOG

i've read several forum posts about this and I did notice something that is related to the first sign of treatment. Bubbles have appeared under the blankets of algae and on the plants that contain algae (BGA). It has been 24 hours and I will continue to keep you guys posted. 

I had a large amount of snails in my tank and eventually it just worked itself out and became a normal amount. I think eventually our mini ecosystems figure themselves out and when there were too many snails and not enough food for them they leveled out. Not the case for this stupid BGA though!!

I will re-iterate that I did multiple tests during this outbreak and everything checked out except for the high PH. That includes Nitrate, Nitrite, amonia, and phosphate.


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## Homer_Simpson

RENDOG said:


> ...except for the *high PH*. That includes Nitrate, Nitrite, amonia, and phosphate.


Interesting, my PH tested 6.5 before during and after Erythromycin treatment. No change.

Here is what I did when I treated.
Day 1[Oct 13 2007]: Dose EM[In my case, manual removal of as much Blue Green Algae as possible, 50% water change, and dosing with EM]
Day 2[Oct 14 2007]: Nothing
Day 3[Oct 15 2007]: WC, Dose EM[ In my case, I performed a 25% water change and EM dose]
Day 4[Oct 16 2007]: Nothing
Day 5[Oct 17 2007]: WC, Dose EM[In my case, I performed a 25% water change and Em dose]
Day 6[Oct 18 2007]: Nothing
Day 7[Oct 19 2007]: WC, Dose EM[In my case I performed a 25% water change followed by 4th and final Em dose to complete treatment]


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## BiscuitSlayer

I followed the same schedule as homer without the water changes except for day 7 where I did my weekly 50% water change.


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## RENDOG

Homer_Simpson said:


> Interesting, my PH tested 6.5 before during and after Erythromycin treatment. No change.
> 
> Here is what I did when I treated.
> Day 1[Oct 13 2007]: Dose EM[In my case, manual removal of as much Blue Green Algae as possible, 50% water change, and dosing with EM]
> Day 2[Oct 14 2007]: Nothing
> Day 3[Oct 15 2007]: WC, Dose EM[ In my case, I performed a 25% water change and EM dose]
> Day 4[Oct 16 2007]: Nothing
> Day 5[Oct 17 2007]: WC, Dose EM[In my case, I performed a 25% water change and Em dose]
> Day 6[Oct 18 2007]: Nothing
> Day 7[Oct 19 2007]: WC, Dose EM[In my case I performed a 25% water change followed by 4th and final Em dose to complete treatment]


My PH is high because I've been purchasing the wrong water. That was the only thing that changed when i moved...i no longer had access to the RO water from the LFS. I was told by the plant specialist there to go to walmart and buy "drinking water" RO with ultraviolet treatment. I was purchasing the Spring Water which has a crazy high PH as compared to the low PH Drinking Water.


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## RENDOG

no real change observed today. I do notice bubbles that stay formed on the top of the tank and when i did a 20% water change, the pail I siphon the water into bubbled. I'm staying positive and will keep u guys posted.


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## RENDOG

This is the algae. Is it safe to say it is BGA?


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## unirdna

That's the stuff, Rendog.

Thoughtful post, Dave. Thanks for sharing your experience.


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## RENDOG

Today is the third day and I can't really say i notice a difference. The algae is still pretty green. I would like the light to turn on and reveal a tank with broken up algae or find some floating at the top but no luck so far. I will keep dosing and keep posting. Thank you for the comments...keep em coming :icon_smil


Ran a phosphate test just now: *1.5*
before treatment it was 0

What should be my next step?


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## Sierra255

Run the full course of the treatment Rendog. I didn't notice much of an improvement until at least day 4, and even then, it was slight. When I looked at it on day 6, it appeared that it was all gone. I was getting a little worried, too, because at first it doesn't seem like anything is happening. Have patience, though. I'm confident that by the end of the treatment you will notice a significant improvement in the amount of BGA you have.


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## RENDOG

thank you Sierra.


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## plantbrain

BTW, running a blackout + EM works well also, and is a multip[le pronge approach.
You clean off all you can, clean filters really good, add KNO3, KH2PO3 etc, turn off CO2, cover tank for 3 days, with trash bags, 2-3 layers thick, do 50% water change before and right after and add KNO3 before and after.
Adding EM works also here(right after the first WC and when you turn off CO2/lights).

Add some more KNO3 thereafter to stop BGA from coming back.

Blackout will kill it, as will EM: both should take 3 days if both are used correctly. You need to consider root causes though for all algae related issues, EM does not address that, good ferts and dosing will.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## RENDOG

The BGA is going away. It's looking much better now. Thanks for the advice guys. I will keep u posted.


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## BiscuitSlayer

Many people attribute BGA formation to nitrates bottoming out. Initially I didn't agree with this assertion, but now I am not so sure. I have taken Tom's advice or questioning on the accuracy of my Nitrate test kit. While it reports that my nitrates are close to 40 to 50 ppm, I dose nitrates into the tank anyway (1/2 of reccommended amount based on EI). BGA has not retruned for me after the EM treatment and the addtition of KNO3.


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## RENDOG

How do you add Nitrates.


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## BiscuitSlayer

You might want to read this thread:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/water-parameters/21944-_dosing-regimes_.html

Check out this site:

http://rexgrigg.com

Rex also sells fertilizers from this site:

http://www.bestaquariumregulator.com/ferts.html


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## RENDOG

The treatment worked very well. I dosed the tank for about 7 days with 20% water changes every 2 days. My BGA is 95% gone and the Trumpet snails didn't die they actually all came out from the substrate and were cleaning the plants. 

Thank you all for the recommendations and suggestions.


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## RENDOG

No BGA!! It worked guys.


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## DirtDevilDTOM

Am considering adding some EM to my tank to eradicate BGA, seems you had good luck with it! Question... what should I dose plants during this time period if I am doing EI method at full doses for a 60-80 gallon tank?

If I dose EI during this time, should I also be doing the 20% water changes as you did - does that impact anythign negatively?

Did you experience any crash of the bacteria in the filter? If so, would you reccomend adding beneficial bacteria WHILE I dose EM? If not (since EM might just kill it anyway) would you add it in afterwards?

This thread gives me some hope to just get rid of BGA in one shot versus trying multiple things over time just to come back to it later. I'd rather be one and done...


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