Blue-green algae solutions
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Blue-green algae solutions
I have been struggling with BGA in my paludarium for a month or two now. I believe I probably have the tendency to overfeed (though my water parameters don't show it as extra nutrients get sucked up by the plants pretty quickly). The palu is lit by one 2' T5HO bulb, plus a bit of indirect sunlight from a nearby window. The BGA has been driving me nuts - even with manual removal, extra water changes, and feeding only every three days, it spreads to new surfaces on a daily basis. I didn't want to black out the tank was I was worried about how that would effect my plants (above and below water).
A friend gave me a bunch of frogbit recently, and the effect has been remarkable! I'd say the frogbit covers about half the surface area of the tank. Just that little bit of light diffusion has virtually wiped out all the below-waterline BGA. My hornwort sort of floats but it was still getting covered in the crap.
I'm still struggling with BGA covering the surfaces of my waterfall and some of the emergent plants. I have been using spot treatments of hydrogen peroxide with moderate success. Mostly I just wanted to share how well having floating plants worked to prevent more growth. Hooray for frogbit!
A friend gave me a bunch of frogbit recently, and the effect has been remarkable! I'd say the frogbit covers about half the surface area of the tank. Just that little bit of light diffusion has virtually wiped out all the below-waterline BGA. My hornwort sort of floats but it was still getting covered in the crap.
I'm still struggling with BGA covering the surfaces of my waterfall and some of the emergent plants. I have been using spot treatments of hydrogen peroxide with moderate success. Mostly I just wanted to share how well having floating plants worked to prevent more growth. Hooray for frogbit!
cephalotus- Angel Fish
- Posts : 401
Join date : 2013-09-08
Location : Saskatoon, SK
Re: Blue-green algae solutions
It is a great nutrient sink! Sadly, my snails and bristlesnoses destroy frogbit - it just does a fast disappearing act.
Just curious... are you sure it's bga? I get a similar looking but mostly odor-free growth on the outflow lip ofsome of my filters that my shrimp and corydoras eat like candy, whereas the only thing I know of that eats BGA are scuds.
Just curious... are you sure it's bga? I get a similar looking but mostly odor-free growth on the outflow lip ofsome of my filters that my shrimp and corydoras eat like candy, whereas the only thing I know of that eats BGA are scuds.
Re: Blue-green algae solutions
hmmm... it does grow particularly well on the outflow of the filters like you described, as well as on my slate waterfall. it doesn't particularly stink though; it sort of has an "earthy" smell...? The shrimp and cories are not particularly interested in it.
What do you do to combat the sum that grows on your outflow? Do you find it growing anywhere else, like on emergent plants?
What do you do to combat the sum that grows on your outflow? Do you find it growing anywhere else, like on emergent plants?
cephalotus- Angel Fish
- Posts : 401
Join date : 2013-09-08
Location : Saskatoon, SK

» Major green algae problem!!
» Green-ish water?
» Brown Algae On Glass
» Help with Algae I.D.
» Mysterious Algae
» Green-ish water?
» Brown Algae On Glass
» Help with Algae I.D.
» Mysterious Algae
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