# Green slime algae



## 229oz (Oct 3, 2005)

Hey folks.
I am battling green slime algae. It coats all my gravel and some plants every few days before a 25% water change gets it back in check. I have non existent Nitrate and a 2 phosphate (or is it .2?-third lowest reading). 
I have heard about the relationship between phosphate and Nitrate (10 nitrate for every 1 phosphate?) 
Is this proportion correct? Will getting this proportion in line cure the algae problem?
I am dosing two capfuls of flourish Nitrogen twice weekly, but the water parameters seem to stay the same. Any advice?


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## 229oz (Oct 3, 2005)

*Addition to posting*

I forgot to mention in my last post that I am running 190 watts of light, mechanically pumping .5 bps (I had Discus breathing trouble with more CO2) and have a lightly planted tank, as I just broke it down and restarted with 50% old and 50% new plants.


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

Hello.. 

You say Green Slime Algae; do you think this is BGA? (Blue-Green Algae)

I'm a newb..


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

You have BGA because you have no nitrates. 

Start a good fertilizing regime. I suggest EI in a discus tank because you should be doing lots of water changes anyway. 

www.gregwatson.com

DGSS (hydroponic store)

Garden supply center

These places will have your ferts.


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

mrbelvedere said:


> You have BGA because you have no nitrates.
> 
> Start a good fertilizing regime. I suggest EI in a discus tank because you should be doing lots of water changes anyway.
> 
> ...


Interesting. If you have BGA due to lack of nitrates; then start dosing NPK correctly, will the BGA go away on its own or will you have to do a blackout?

-Jeremy


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

IME it doesn't disappear from adding NO3. You'd have to do something else to kill it, then NO3 and good circulation will keep it at bay.


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

Wasserpest said:


> IME it doesn't disappear from adding NO3. You'd have to do something else to kill it, then NO3 and good circulation will keep it at bay.


That makes sense... My ferts and new canister filter are in the mail, so to speak.. A blackout will follow as soon as I'm confident in the canister filters function..

-Jeremy


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## mrbelvedere (Nov 15, 2005)

Good. You seem to be correcting the problem. Erythromycin phosphate will also kill BGA. 

What canister are you using?


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

mrbelvedere said:


> Good. You seem to be correcting the problem. Erythromycin phosphate will also kill BGA.
> 
> What canister are you using?


My 10 gallon is getting a Zoo Med 501... Right now it just has a sponge filter powered by an air pump; not much circulation in the tank at the moment


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I use just a sponge filter, but powered by a powerhead, not an air pump. And, I am completely satisfied with it for both filtration and water circulation. What size tank do you have? A big tank probably needs the cannister filter, but not 30 gallon and under.


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## 229oz (Oct 3, 2005)

*Bga*

So for Blue green algae, dose nitrates (which is the right chemical from Greg Watson?) and do a blackout for how many days? What level should I shoot for with the NO3 when I test?
Thanks.


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

229oz said:


> So for Blue green algae, dose nitrates (which is the right chemical from Greg Watson?) and do a blackout for how many days? What level should I shoot for with the NO3 when I test?
> Thanks.


Hello..

I just got the ferts from Greg Watson.. I got the KNO3, KH2PO4, and K2SO4.. The Nitrates will come from KNO3, and from what I've read the KNO3 is the most important. However, the other two total about $4 together! My shopping kart from them was $7, with $10 shipping! 

From what I understand you want to black the tank out for three days, which means 72 hours to me. That means no light, sides covered, etc.. 

According to Reg Grigg's site you want "Nitrates 10-20ppm", according to the Barr Report it is "NO3 range 5-30ppm"

References: 

http://www.rexgrigg.com/ferts.htm
http://www.barrreport.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

Hoppy said:


> I use just a sponge filter, but powered by a powerhead, not an air pump. And, I am completely satisfied with it for both filtration and water circulation. What size tank do you have? A big tank probably needs the cannister filter, but not 30 gallon and under.


I considered the filtration options and went with the little 501 cannister filter because it lets me do biological, mechanical, and chemical. This cannister filter is not as large as the standard ones, it only puts out 80gph, and comes with a spray bar to keep flow "down".

A link to the product:
http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=404


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## fshfanatic (Apr 20, 2006)

JeremyChase said:


> I considered the filtration options and went with the little 501 cannister filter because it lets me do biological, mechanical, and chemical. This cannister filter is not as large as the standard ones, it only puts out 80gph, and comes with a spray bar to keep flow "down".
> 
> A link to the product:
> http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=404


even with the slower flow rate, at that price you could get two and not feel the "bite".


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

fshfanatic said:


> even with the slower flow rate, at that price you could get two and not feel the "bite".


$28 for a cannister filter is amazing, and from other people's posts the unit is well made and works well. Perfect for the smaller tanks that don't need high GPH..

Jer


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## attack11 (May 5, 2006)

"bga" is really cyanobacteria, which thrives when complex cells can't (low nitrates, etc). it lives thru photosynthesis like algae so the blackout will kill it but not stop it from coming back.

you'll wanna kill it 'cause as it multiplies your water will become toxic.

fyi, marine cyanobacteria is usually red while freshwater is a bright blue/green color.


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

is it slimey and gloppy? I found a small glob in the corner of my 90 gal, and i reched down there with my long tweezers and picked it right up. Is that what it is? My NO3 is at 10ppm....hmmm never had algae prob beofre. uh ohhhh


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I suggest you try doubling your nitrate concentration. If you are using a test kit to determine that you have 10 ppm, don't forget that our test kits are not at all accurate unless you calibrate them. Raising NO3 concentration won't kill the BGA, but it will make it a lot harder for it to come back.


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## Wasserpest (Jun 12, 2003)

fresh_newby said:


> is it slimey and gloppy?


Nah, it is blue-green and stinky, and you can pick it up in "sheets".


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

Wasserpest said:


> Nah, it is blue-green and stinky, and you can pick it up in "sheets".


I gravel-vac'd my tank last night before the blackout, and it came up in sheets; but it pulled up a bunch of my gravel too! What a mess.. I can't wait for this blackout to be over!

13 hours down, 59 to go 

-Jer


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## fresh_lynny (Mar 9, 2006)

Wasserpest said:


> Nah, it is blue-green and stinky, and you can pick it up in "sheets".


*PHEW* this just looked like 3 small globs of turquois snot that came up in one viscous drip with my foreceps


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## dweebikus (Jul 11, 2006)

Is blackout the only way to kill it? Even if I bring the Nitrates and CO2 levels up?


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## JeremyChase (May 23, 2006)

dweebikus said:


> Is blackout the only way to kill it? Even if I bring the Nitrates and CO2 levels up?


If you bring your CO2 and Nitrates up the BGA will still be there; so no, that won't kill it..

-Jer


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