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I've had BBA growing in my 80 gallon mbuna tank for quite a while. I don't mind it being on the rocks and driftwood as it looks quite pretty, but I do mind it being on my anubias, which it clings to and turns the leaves brown. I would like to get it under control before I turn this tank into a discus tank with many more plants. I've read the planted gurus mention overdosing on Excel as a way to get rid of it, can someone please explain this method to me more completely? Or offer some other way of getting rid of it.

Currently the tank only has a 30watt bulb and a small compact fluorescent, I'm not sure of the wattage. It has a second light fixture but the bulb died a while ago and I have yet to replace it. Parameters are all normal, but nitrates are on the very low side, always under 5ppm.

The anubias and rocks - you can see in this pic that the anubias is not quite as healthy as it should be, colour wise, though it throws out new leaves very often. I attribute this to the BBA but perhaps could be due to other deficiencies and perhaps even too much light - despite the low wattage, the anubias is perched on top of the rocks very close to the lights.

just beginning attached this image:


Last edited by just beginning at 11-Jan-2006 20:24[/font]

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

Hi,
The news is not terrific, but you can get rid of it:
[link=http://www.otocinclus.com/articles/algae.html]http://www.otocinclus.com/articles/algae.html" style="COLOR: #FF00FF[/link]

You will just need to have room for a couple of more fish.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Hmmm, unfortunately I think the cichlids would soon kill any SAE I tried to put in there...

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde

The OD-ing with excel....hmmm well that could cause more trouble...I have a feeling that has to do with the old providing enough nutrients to the plants that they'd grow faster than the algae theory.

From what I've read on it ( I have it in my 30 although I've never done much about it as it's not serious yet)...it has to do with varying CO2 levels. What type of filtration/surface agitation do you have going on?

^_^
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I have read/heard that it is to do with Phosphates in the water. I have always had troubles with BBA and even recently I tried the Hagen CO2 system and also dosing Excel (not over-dosing though) and the BBA still appeared, plus I bought some plants which had some on it and I think this helped contribute to the problem more.

I recently visited my LFS and they are having alot of people come in with this problem and they say it is to do with Phosphates in the tap water.

Also try some fsat growing plants in the tank to help starve the BBA of nutrients it needs... I am hoping it will die off in my tank, as I removed most of it from my Anubias and Lava Rocks and even removed the majority of it from my gravel.

A black-out for a week can also help - but have never tried.

Good luck.

I gave up the battle with BBA a long time ago. I let it reach harmony with the plants in my tank (AKA cover them). Le sigh.

-- Gomer

I've heard about the phosphates thing as well. I'll see if I can get a test for it.

I can't really plant any fast-growing plants as this is an mbuna tank and they will not allow other plants in there, plus it is not really set up to be a planted tank at the moment lighting-wise, though it will be later on. Little Fish has outlined the Excel thing to me and it sounds reasonable enough. I think I will try it, perhaps closer to the time when I will do the changeover to the set-up, and also once the cichlids are gone I will be able to get a few SAE to help take care of it all.

The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. - Oscar Wilde