# Treating BBA with Excel



## InfiniteGlory (Oct 28, 2013)

I have been using Seachem Excel for a few weeks and all of my BBA has turned grey. Which I think is a sign of it dying off.

I vacuumed a lot of it off my substrate. But now need to figure how to get it off of anubias roots



















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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

InfiniteGlory said:


> I have been using Seachem Excel for a few weeks and all of my BBA has turned grey. Which I think is a sign of it dying off.
> 
> I vacuumed a lot of it off my substrate. But now need to figure how to get it off of anubias roots


Yes it is dying.

The anubias you can take out do a peroxide dip with water (1:12) for 5 minutes. Then rub it off and rinse off 
with declorinated water.

Your are probably going to need to dose excel daily to keep algae under control.


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## InfiniteGlory (Oct 28, 2013)

I want to get the anubias off the wood since it is starting to fall apart but not sure how much of the roots it can lose and if I can even trim the rhizome at all. 

I do a full dose after I do a water change on Sunday, then a small dose on Tuesday and another on Thursday. Been doing that for a few weeks. Will continue for a few more then go to a Sunday/ Wednesday dosing and see how things go from there

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## Mr. Bean (Jul 10, 2016)

I would take the Anubia off the driftwood, trim the roots (NOT rhizome) back to about 1/2 inch...rinse the plant under running water gently rubbing the leaves between your fingers to get rid of excess algae then do the H2O2 rinse as HILDE suggested above.

You discuss the algae but you didn't mention what you are doing that may have led to the outbreak. Looking at your tank, it looks pretty sparse as far as plants go. I mention it because if you are dosing ferts in any regular fashion, you may be putting too many nutrients into the water column that simply cannot be absorbed/used by the few plants you have. I'm not being critical of your aquarium, just trying to assess why you have the algae to begin with. Also...your lighting. You don't mention how long your lights or on or what you use...that could be a factor in the algae as well (maybe consider cutting back on time (if your lights are on over 8 hours with the plants I see in the picture I'd say its definitely an issue).

Good luck!


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## InfiniteGlory (Oct 28, 2013)

Just wanted to double check to see if anything besides rubbing the algae of the rhizome was possible. I will trim the roots, do the dip and rub off as much algae as I can. Then I am going to attach it to the tree root on the right of the tank.

When I started the tank I had some moss on a piece of cholla wood and the anubias. I dosed flourish comp twice within the first few months since I didn't have many plants and I do weekly water changes. Then the BBA came around and the moss just wasn't happy so I got rid of several pieces of cholla wood and the moss that had lots of BBA on them. The wood was falling apart anyway. I stopped dosing flourish comp after that since I only had the one plant. I just recently started dosing flourish comp and excel when i got the n. taiwan plants. There was about a two month period of no ferts and weekly water changes while fighting the BBA.

I understand where you are coming from and what you are trying to do. So I can tell you are not trying to criticize my tank and are trying to help. I appreciate all the help I can get. I have another thread that talks about my first encounter with the BBA. http://www.bettafish.com/showthread.php?t=709273. I only have my lights on about 8 - 10 hours on low a day. I turn them on in the morning then turn them off when it gets dark outside.

I plan on getting lots of plants from jdaquatics soon. Been talking with him and just need to tell him what plants I want in the package and he will set it up for me. Hope the BBA stays at bay.

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## InfiniteGlory (Oct 28, 2013)

I did the root trim and rubbed all over the rhizome and leaves to get rid of any algae. I did not do the dip since there wasn't really anything left on it. 

Here it is on a new spot. I glued just a few of the thick roots down and left the rest to attach on their own










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## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

InfiniteGlory said:


> When I started the tank I had some moss on a piece of cholla wood and the anubias. I got rid of several pieces of cholla wood. The wood was falling apart anyway. I only have my lights on about 8 - 10 hours on low a day. I turn them on in the morning then turn them off when it gets dark outside.


The wood falling apart may created a lot of decaying matter. Some have found keeping the tank clean of decaying matter keeps the algae under control. 

To keep BBA under control I have a 3hrs siesta. Lights on 3hrs/ off 3hrs/ on 4hrs. When I created a high noon light period the BBA came back.

Bump:


InfiniteGlory said:


> I did the root trim and rubbed all over the rhizome and leaves to get rid of any algae. I did not do the dip since there wasn't really anything left on it.


I don't think that is enough. Why don't you spritz the plant out of the tank with peroxide 1:12 mixture?


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## InfiniteGlory (Oct 28, 2013)

I am so controlling the light manually. So no high light at this time. 

I didn't see any BBA left on the plant or really feel any. Guess I will take it out and spritz the plant

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## Kevta (Apr 3, 2016)

InfiniteGlory said:


> I have been using Seachem Excel for a few weeks and all of my BBA has turned grey. Which I think is a sign of it dying off.
> 
> I vacuumed a lot of it off my substrate. But now need to figure how to get it off of anubias roots
> 
> ...


Amano shrimp will eat the dead BBA, my guppy did try to eat some of it as well!


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## InfiniteGlory (Oct 28, 2013)

I read that platys might try and eat it too. Not sure where it went besides away.

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## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

InfiniteGlory said:


> I have been using Seachem Excel for a few weeks and all of my BBA has turned grey. Which I think is a sign of it dying off.
> 
> I vacuumed a lot of it off my substrate. But now need to figure how to get it off of anubias roots
> 
> ...


nice wallpaper. how did you get that on?


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## InfiniteGlory (Oct 28, 2013)

Thank you. I picked it up from Amazon. It was a cling style so it went right on. Just had to peel off a protective cover and use soap and water along with a old credit card to smooth it out. I can send you the link if you'd like

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