# Blue Green Algae & Brown Algae HELP!!! WORMS 5/20



## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

For the blue/green algae (actually cyanobacteria), I would recommend a treatment with Erythromycin. There are (used to be?) various products on the market, some very expensive, others a bit more affordable. You can use about half the concentration that is used for bacterial disease treatment. Search for erythromycin on this site for quite a lot of discussions.

With brown algae, the best solution IMO is to ignore them... they won't like that and disappear after a few weeks.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

THank you! I just hope my HC can survive with all these algae covering them!


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

Enough light, CO2, and ferts (yes, incl NO3) are the way to get HC to thrive. Once you get rid of the BGA focus on the plants and the other algae should just go away over time. The plants will gladly take up the ammonia, you just need to make sure they don't run out of food once the ammonia goes zero.

Enough nitrates, regular water changes to keep things fresh, and proper circulation will keep BGA away.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Wasserpest said:


> Enough light, CO2, and ferts (yes, incl NO3) are the way to get HC to thrive. Once you get rid of the BGA focus on the plants and the other algae should just go away over time. The plants will gladly take up the ammonia, you just need to make sure they don't run out of food once the ammonia goes zero.
> 
> Enough nitrates, regular water changes to keep things fresh, and proper circulation will keep BGA away.


Okay, question... how can I up my nitrates when its only 4 days flooded? (50 days dry start) I'm pretty sure this tank is barely starting its cycle thus high ammonia + low nitrate = cynobacteria.
Is dosing Nitrogen = nitrates?

I dose Pfertz N, P, K, M, Roots (planted while dry start). 1 pump each fertilizer every morning. sSubstrate is Fluval Shrimp Stratum.

Photoperiod: 3 hrs (7-10am) & 3 hrs (7-10pm) total 6 hours.
Light: 78W 36" Odyssea T5HO. ~13.5" from substrate.
CO2: 1 bps with super diffuser 24/7

How often should I change water? I use 100% RO first time filling up this tank 4 days ago. Should I use tap water? I'm just scared it will strip away the buffering capabilities of the substrate?


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Alright I got api EM Erythromycin. So I used about 1/2 packet into my 12 gallon tank.

Questions: 
1. Do I keep dosing fertilizer normally?
2. Do I keep CO2 on?


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## 150EH (Dec 6, 2004)

I don't think that blue green algae, are you sure?? If you pull a piece it should smell god awful, but it looks like GDA from too much light or not enough PO4 and a little diatom topper which both can be common in a new setup where BGA takes time to spread. I would try just raising the light and/or reducing the photo period but if you are sure it's BGA look at the sticky method I used it worked very well.


1/2 a packet is way too much!! Here a link if you really think it's BGA , good luck.

A second thought, with no fauna I guess you could add any amount.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

150EH said:


> I don't think that blue green algae, are you sure?? If you pull a piece it should smell god awful, but it looks like GDA from too much light or not enough PO4 and a little diatom topper which both can be common in a new setup where BGA takes time to spread. I would try just raising the light and/or reducing the photo period but if you are sure it's BGA look at the sticky method I used it worked very well.
> 
> 
> 1/2 a packet is way too much!! Here a link if you really think it's BGA , good luck.
> ...


I think so. BGA in the middle where the color is more darker color/ blue-ish. And algae on glass is brown algae.
Plus I did 70% water change today... and the water smells bad. Like people mentioned smells like dirty filter/ fish poop.

The recomended dosage is 1 packet (200 mg) per 10 gallon. I have been reading use half dose for BGA.
** Your guide recommend 2.5mg/ L. 10G = 38L.
2.5mg x 38 = 95mg, 1/2 packet = 100mg :hihi:


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

cyano is mostly contributed to somethign bad heppenign to the bio filtration system, it no being completely cycled yet

or low oxygen/flow/ both poor oxygen levels lead to poor bio filtration 

solve these and the cyano will soon be handled on its on with a little manual removal help

also the substrate most liekly doesn't buffer the water up. more of a down solution. unless ur kh and gh wnet up after adding hte ro water. it would help stabilize thigns to add some Cac03 or seachem alkalinity booster and a glittle GH booster as well


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

sayurasem said:


> I think so. BGA in the middle where the color is more darker color/ blue-ish. And algae on glass is brown algae.
> Plus I did 70% water change today... and the water smells bad. Like people mentioned smells like dirty filter/ fish poop.
> 
> The recomended dosage is 1 packet (200 mg) per 10 gallon. I have been reading use half dose for BGA.
> ...


I too think it is BGA. The smell gives it away. 

Regarding the dosing, I usually make the first dose 200mg (1 tablet) per 10gal as a "start-up dose", followed by 4 days of 100mg (1/2 tablet) per 10 gal. Make sure you keep dosing 5 times so the BGA really dies and you are not breeding some resistant strain.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

HD Blazingwolf said:


> cyano is mostly contributed to somethign bad heppenign to the bio filtration system, it no being completely cycled yet
> 
> or low oxygen/flow/ both poor oxygen levels lead to poor bio filtration
> 
> ...


Yup you are correct! CO2 is on 24/7 with super diffuser. The tank was only 2 days flooded with an uncycled eheim 2213 and this bacteria came. You said its because of low oxygen, so should I keep my CO2 on while dosing erythromycin?

What about fertilizer? Keep on dosing?

I just don't want my HC to die because of starvation CO2/ ferts.



Wasserpest said:


> I too think it is BGA. The smell gives it away.
> 
> Regarding the dosing, I usually make the first dose 200mg (1 tablet) per 10gal as a "start-up dose", followed by 4 days of 100mg (1/2 tablet) per 10 gal. Make sure you keep dosing 5 times so the BGA really dies and you are not breeding some resistant strain.


An okay, mine came in a powder packets 200mg each packet. I tried to dissolve this stuff in a cup first but it won't dissolve lol.


Questions... CO2 on/ off? Keep dosing fertilizer??

I will be doing water change after 2nd dose of erythromycin.
Lighting is 6hrs/ day 4pm-10pm


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## HD Blazingwolf (May 12, 2011)

In a system that does not constantly recieve new water. We dose generally higher levels of c02 to keep plants happy. If it were like a stream with constant flowing water. The levels are lower but always there. Circulation is not an issue nor the buildup of algae.

There is no need to have constant c02. On 1 hour before lights on and 30 minutes before lights off in my system. Plants release c02 at night and absorb oxygen. During the day while injecting it is my opinion that due to the lower ph bacteria become less effective. At night when we can turn it off. Bacteria become more productive. I usually add a bubblestone or now in my case a powerhead in my sump for extra agitation to increase oxygen levels. Having good surface agitation during the day will also prevent oxygen deprivation. Higher oxygen levels means better leeway with c02 as well.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

sayurasem said:


> Questions... CO2 on/ off? Keep dosing fertilizer??
> 
> I will be doing water change after 2nd dose of erythromycin.
> Lighting is 6hrs/ day 4pm-10pm


I would keep CO2 running as is. Same really for fertilizers. You know, I wouldn't even worry about ferts for a couple of weeks after flooding. Ammonia is going to be high, so no need to dose N. You'll get things faster under control if you hold back on the ferts for a little while. 

BGA/cyanobacteria is a bit different from regular algae in that it really hinders plant growth. That's why you want to get rid of it, but then down the road try to ignore algae. As you kill BGA, the dying remainders turn into plant food, so you should see a nice boost in plant growth after several days.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Alright thank you guys! Just did my 2nd dose of another half packet. Tomorrow will change as much as water as I can, and repeat dose. I notice Cyanobacteria is not spreading anywhere... But I think the brown algae spread even more ontop of my HC. I can see brown algae pearling on the glass, rocks, drop checker, and on the HC. Kinda hard if it's HC pearling or the brown algae.

Just hoping HC will survive that's all. 50 days of dry start ._.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

During the treatment, only change 10-20% of the water to keep most of the active EM in the tank.

You can remove the brown algae from the glass easily. Just let them be on the leaves, once the HC takes off the algae will disappear quickly.

What has helped me to speed up these initial algae outbreaks is to stuff the tank full of fast growers. Once things are stabilized and fairly algae free you can remove them. Fast growing stem plants, Ceratopteris, maybe some floaters really help to balance things out.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

Wasserpest said:


> During the treatment, only change 10-20% of the water to keep most of the active EM in the tank.
> 
> You can remove the brown algae from the glass easily. Just let them be on the leaves, once the HC takes off the algae will disappear quickly.
> 
> What has helped me to speed up these initial algae outbreaks is to stuff the tank full of fast growers. Once things are stabilized and fairly algae free you can remove them. Fast growing stem plants, Ceratopteris, maybe some floaters really help to balance things out.


Phew! thank you for your quick reply.

Day 3 now, Cynobacteria still looks unharmed by the medicine. I will do a 20% water change and dose 1 full packet (200mg) of Erythromycin. I think its okay to over dose because my filter is not cycled yet (6 days flooded now?)

I guess I will put Frogbit and other fast growing stem into this tank. Hopefully they are not invasive and easy to get rid of when parameters getting balanced.


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## sayurasem (Jun 17, 2011)

*Blue Green Algae & Brown Algae HELP!!!*

WORMS?!?!?!? 
These worms just made their appearance after I dose Erythromycin. weird.


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