# How to use Boyd Chemiclean in a planted tank for GBA treatment



## Zak Rafik (3 Jan 2015)

Hi
I having a small patch of BlueGreenAlge under the substrate and on the surface ( about 7cm long). Apart from the total blackout method, I intend to buy Boyd Chemiclean to treat. Can the member here who have used this product in their planted tank kindly provide some info and tips. 

Thanks


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## Martin in Holland (3 Jan 2015)

If you have some KNO3 in your cabinet, just make a mild solution in a little water and squirt it on the GBA...cheap, simple and effective.
Try a very very very mild solution first......


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## Zak Rafik (8 Jan 2015)

Martin in China said:


> If you have some KNO3 in your cabinet, just make a mild solution in a little water and squirt it on the GBA...cheap, simple and effective.
> Try a very very very mild solution first......



Hi Martin,

Thanks a zillion for your tip.
I did as what you had informed last evening before I did by 50% water changes. First I switched off all pupms and filter to stop any stronge water movement in the tank. After about 30 minutes, I simply used a needle syring and injected some KNO3 onto the BGA on my monte carlo carpet plant and also into the substrate ( about 4cm from the surface). After about 4 hours, the BGA on the plants simply dissloved away and the area in the substrate cleared very nicely.

I'll do a before and after photos the next time I try out this treatment on the other spots.

Just one more doubt, can I do this treatment on the day when I'm dosing my Macro? Do I need to do a PWC after this treatment due to the excess KNO3 in the tank ( although the quantity is only about 10ml)?


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## Martin in Holland (8 Jan 2015)

I always just did that treatment when ever I saw BGA...no WC and didn't care if I just dosed Macro or Micro... only add a tiny bit of extra KNO3.
I would even say that if it worked that well in your case, I would made the solution even thinner.


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## naughtymoose (8 Jan 2015)

For reference Martin, what sort of ratio/mix is 'mild'. I don't want toget this wrong!


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## Zak Rafik (8 Jan 2015)

Martin in China said:


> I would even say that if it worked that well in your case, I would made the solution even thinner.


Roger that.


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## Martin in Holland (8 Jan 2015)

naughtymoose said:


> For reference Martin, what sort of ratio/mix is 'mild'. I don't want toget this wrong!



Mild would be about 0.05 gram on 10 ml water...but as before, better to begin even milder than that, see how it works and go from there.


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## naughtymoose (8 Jan 2015)

Thanks Martin. I'll add that to my ever-growing stash of useful information!


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## Zak Rafik (17 Jan 2015)

Martin in China said:


> Mild would be about 0.05 gram on 10 ml water...but as before, better to begin even milder than that, see how it works and go from there.


Not good news, I think.
Every Time I dose with  KNO3 solution, the Blue Green Algae just comes back to the same spot after 2 days. Yesterday I noticed it has started to spread even more along the substrate.

I clean my 2 Eheim canister filters ( 2080 & 2078) every 30 days. I replace or thoroughly rinse the prefilters for both the filter. Last week I took out the 2 bags of Purigen ( about 3 months old )  and replaced with new 200gr of Purigen inside the 2080.
Do I still continue the treatment?

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/Blue-Green-Algae-02_zps187a70dc.jpg
http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b631/Zak_Rafik/Blue-Green-Algae-01_zps5cd5679f.jpg


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## Martin in Holland (18 Jan 2015)

I can also see some GSA on your glass, I suspect CO2 and/or flow in your tank is insufficient.


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## Zak Rafik (18 Jan 2015)

Martin in China said:


> CO2 and/or flow in your tank is insufficient.


Yes sadly I'm constantly in battle with this ( Co2 / flow).
In fact I've thought of switching to a low tech tank many a times.
I love the sight of a high tech tank so much that a low tech would be my last resort.

To the truth, I've seen many tanks where the BGA attack is more severe. Maybe I should be counting my blessings since it's isolated to a small area only.

So what do you suggest, do I continue with KNO3 solution method?


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## Martin in Holland (19 Jan 2015)

Maybe look at your light first.
I've had the same problems in the past, even though all schedules were saying that my light was medium I just use half of that amount of light now switched to PPS pro fert. and I barely see any algae...no more BGA...only a tiny bit of GSA in the corner at the back of the tank....a little hair algae among the moss that's closest to the light .....plants look much better, I even have HC growing for the first time ever (in the past it always melted)..all this with just 1.5 T5 (covered some parts of the tubes with tin foil) over my 300 liter tank for 7 hours per day.


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## Zak Rafik (20 Jan 2015)

Martin in China said:


> Maybe look at your light first.
> I've had the same problems in the past, even though all schedules were saying that my light was medium I just use half of that amount of light now switched to PPS pro fert. and I barely see any algae...no more BGA...only a tiny bit of GSA in the corner at the back of the tank....a little hair algae among the moss that's closest to the light .....plants look much better, I even have HC growing for the first time ever (in the past it always melted)..all this with just 1.5 T5 (covered some parts of the tubes with tin foil) over my 300 liter tank for 7 hours per day.



Hi Martin
I have lowered my lights to 6 hours with 50-60% intensity. Today I noticed the BGA has spread even more and very fast. It seems to coming from under the substrate. 

Now I'm think of doing the black out method for 4 days. What is the exact procedure like?

Also I read in this forum a post reply about BGA by Tom Barr. See below:


_The 3 day blackout in combination for any BGA killer + dosing KNO3 should be very very effective also.
The 3 Day BO + KNO3 will kill most folk's issues, those with more persistent issues can opt for the killers.
There are about a dozen chemicals that do no harm to aquatic live stock but roast BGA and few other species.

H2O2 spot treatment is very effective for many species. Sodium percarbonate also good, large water changes, a misting of H2O2 or a diluted amount works, same for Easy Carb/Excel._


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## Martin in Holland (21 Jan 2015)

Black out for 4 days + dosing KNO3 would be my suggestion.
First do a large WC, cover the whole tank top to bottom with some black paper (or anything that will not let any light in), turn off CO2, turn off lights, dose KNO3 and wait...no peeping alowed...no feeding...just wait. After uncovering your tank, turn off the filter/pump, now you could spray some H2O2 on the BGA and/or other algae, wait for 10 minutes and do a large WC and turn your filter/pump back on...turn on your lights and CO2.
I would also check the filters, but don't clean to much as you don't want to kill your bacteria in it, maybe just rinse in some tank water.


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