# BGA, aquasoil covering sand



## parotet (29 Mar 2014)

Hi all,

I have just noticed some BGA in the left foreground of my tank. The foreground is just sand but some aquasoil has been covering the sand, just a thin layer of some mm... you know shrimps and fish messing around. I think BGA is a consequence of this situation and probably of bad flow in this area, but it is a corner of the tank and moreover the BGA is growing on the substrate but also between the sand and the glass under the substrate. So, I m not sure if flow can be improved here.

My plan is to remove the aquasoil tonight and then replace the sand... It is a pity because shrimplets really love this stuff but I fear it can cover in a few days my tank. I dose EI,  CO2 injected 3 bps, spraybar, good pH profile... Everything fine for 3 months.

Any suggestion?


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## tim (29 Mar 2014)

I get some bga along my substrate every spring due to sunlight lasts for a month or two, I normally use a credit card to scrape it away and syphon it out of the tank as I'm doing this, other solution is to cover the substrate line with tape or card if yours stems from ambient light hitting the tank, if not I have read people dose nitrate straight onto the bga, in which case an improvement in flow/distribution may be the solution.


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## parotet (29 Mar 2014)

The sun hits the tank for half an hour very soon in the morning, but the BGA is just on the other side. The sand is also a bit 'dirt' due to brown diatoms. In the pic you can see some greenish sand. I removed some minutes ago a thin layer of BGA and a bit of aquasoil (can still be seen on the left)... It makes the white sand (Sansibar JBL, not really white but cream) look ugly


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## pepedopolous (29 Mar 2014)

Hi there.

I've got a similar problem with BGA so I've just taped cardboard all around the bottom of my aquarium to block out the sun. Fingers crossed this will work...

I think it's Green Dust Algae and BGA that can be treated with extra nitrate. I guess they mean potassium nitrate but I'm not sure about how much to add as I dose EI anyway...


P


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## parotet (2 Apr 2014)

Hi all, I cleaned the glass, I removed the sand and I replaced it with new sand. I have also covered this part of the tank with a piece of cardboard during the last days, but there is some more BGA growing at the same place.
I think I will have to treat with nitrates locally, for for example with KNO3... using a syringe? How much? Anyone out there with some experience with BGA?

Jordi


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## tim (2 Apr 2014)

Hi jordi, I'm sure people add the kno3 dry, a pinch sprinkled on the bga may work may need more than one dose, anyway a little extra can't hurt.


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