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I am having a problem with BGA in one of my (10 gal) tanks, and after some reading have decided to use a blackout for a few days to try and get rid of it. I realize I will need to address the cause of it or it will just come back.

I recently had a mystery illness that killed all 6 zebra danios I had in there. Consequently, the fish load went way down, causing nitrates to go down to almost nothing. The BGA seemed to get really bad soon after this, and I'm wondering if it was caused by the low nitrate levels. I do have some plants in there and the only fert I am using is a Potassium Sulphate and Iron combo.

So, to my main question: After having the tank dark for one day now, I peeked in and the water is quite cloudy. I assume this is the bacteria dying off? I hope this won't harm the inhabitants (2 corys, 3 ottos, 1 ADF). I hope also that this doesn't kill all the other algae that the ottos love!

Hi,
Frankly when I had an outbreak of this bacteria, I was
leaving on a 4 day "weekend." I did not want to treat
the tank with antibiotics as that would kill off not only
the bad stuff, but it would also kill off the bacteria
that changes ammonia to nitrite to nitrate and the tank
would have to cycle all over again.

I opted for the black out procedure. I had an old moving
pad that I draped over the entire tank. I taped the pad
firmly together so that absolutely no light would be able
to get into the tank. I draped the entire tank including
the gravel. I turned off my CO2 injection, and turned up
the oxygenation (added an air stone). The critters in the
tank were some black skirt tetras and some cherry barbs.

When I got back, 3 and a half days later, I unwrapped the
tank and immediately did a 75% water change. Included with
the water change I rigorously vacuumed all of the unplanted
sections of the tank.
The plants looked kinda wilted, and I wondered if
they would make it.
After refilling the tank I did a second water change of
50%, turned on the CO2 injection, and removed the air
stone.
I added some fertilizer for the plants, turned the lights
back on, and walked away. Nothing died except the
cyano bacteria, and all the plants rebounded with even
more growth.

This was my experiance with the stuff.

Some folks use a turkey baster and squirt Hydrogen Peroxide
on it. Others use a medication that is a variation of
eurthriamyicin, others use the black out method.

The key is to determine the cause, then eliminate it other
wise, it will come back.
It can grow in areas of very little current (behind
obstructions). It can grow in areas of very little light.
It can grow because of too little nitrate or phosphorous.
It can grow because of too much food and too little or non
gravel vacuuming.

Look at your house keeping practices and see if you need
to make some changes (feed less, change water & vacuum
the unplanted areas more). Read the labels on your fish
food. Are they high in phosphorous? Look at the tank. Do
you need more light? Do you need to circulate the water
more vigorously?

Lastly, read. There are all sorts of sites on the inter
net specifically about this form of "algae," its causes,
and cures.
This is but one of a dozen sites:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bluegralgae.htm

Frank



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Thanks a lot Frank, that was very helpful!