gBOYsc2 Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 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 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gBOYsc2 Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvision Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 Just double the dose on day 1, then leave it covered for 4 days. If you just can't wait, go 3.5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubr0ke Posted March 16, 2011 Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 +1... You limited nitrates...bga thrives in lower levels while plants suffer..... Gboy....how do you dose ferts?...schedule? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gBOYsc2 Posted March 16, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2011 I do the standard EI dosing for a 20g 1/4 tsp KNO3 3x a week . DO you think it's possible this isn't enough for my tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubr0ke Posted March 17, 2011 Report Share Posted March 17, 2011 I can't see it being not enough... when you had your high nitrate problem did you stop dosing or cut back?.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebelThunder Posted March 26, 2011 Report Share Posted March 26, 2011 nice tank.thanks for the ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts