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20G Planted


gBOYsc2
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Time for an update. This tank has gone to hell in a month. It is very disheartening. It has been completely invaded by the dreaded cyanobacteria. It is just depressing to look at the tank. I have even considered shutting it down and getting rid of it but I would be really disappointed with myself as that would be a quitter type move. If I do that then what is the point in starting my 3.5g project? I tried nearly everything I could find on the net with exception of 3 things. Blackout, H2O2 and Antibiotics. I tried increasing and decreasing my nitrates, I tried increasing and decreasing my CO2, I tried increasing flow and aeration. I tried manually removing the stuff. Nothing has worked. I even tried neglecting the tank for the past week and that surely didn't help at all.

After a bunch of researching on the internet I have decided at last to resort to using antibiotics which I will start either today or tomorrow. I picked up some Erythromycin from Petsmart the other day.

Here are some pics.

Mar. 14, 2011

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Hopefully the next ones I post will be nice lol.

And here's a little bonus pic I decided to throw in something nice to look at after all the eyesores!

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Antibiotics can create superbugs in the tank, and may wreck your biofilter. This is how you can get rid of it:

1) 50%+ WC, removing as much BGA you can

2) double dose your KNO3

3) blackout for 4 days (your fish will be fine... if your plants are still healthy they should do fine as well. If they're already starting to fade, you may lose some)

4) 50% WC and double dose KNO3

5) carry on with your regular regime.

This has been the only way I've gotten rid of 100% of the BGA in a tank. H2O2 does work, but I found if I left the (almost) dead BGA in the tank, it'd eventually come back.

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I just don't know what is best. I definitely don't want to create any superbugs or wreck my biofilter. I get different advice from everywhere I post. Maybe I should try your advice first. You seem quite the experienced hobbiest. I wish it was as easy as last time I battled it a couple of years ago. It was simple as adding more nitrogen and poof a few days later it was all gone.

The plants are pretty healthy but some are starting to fade a bit. I guess losing a bit is better then losing them all.

When doing the blackout method do I continue dosing? Or just do the double dose on the day I start the blackout?

Thanks for the info Jvision! :)

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Just double the dose on day 1, then leave it covered for 4 days. If you just can't wait, go 3.5 :)

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