# BBA in a basic, low maintenance tank - please help



## Barlow (18 Jan 2012)

Hi.

I'm quite new to fish keeping and like many others on this forum have an algae problem - in this case the dreaded BBA.

I have a very basic, low maintenance 90l planted tank. The lighting is pretty low (2x18'' T8 lights on for 9-10 hours a day in 2 sessions) and I only add in small amounts of nutrients (some Tropica TPN+ that I was given) twice a week. I also have a simple Nutrafin sugar/yeast CO2 system.

Recently I've started to get some BBA on my plants (Java Ferns, Crypts, Hygrophila difformis and corymbosa, an Amazon Sword) and on my rocks/wood/heater. It's not horrendous but it is pretty ugly and I worry that it will spread.

I know that there's a lot of info on this site about BBA and I have read quite a bit of it. Unfortunately many of the suggested solutions seem too technical for me or involve more work than seems appropriate for such a simple, low maintenance tank. And while some people have suggested buying algae eaters (which I'd be happy to do), I don't want to get anything (ie SAEs) that will outgrow my tank.

Can anyone suggest anything simple that I can do to get rid of BBA?

Any advice would be really gratefully received.

Many thank,
Jon


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## dw1305 (18 Jan 2012)

Hi all,
Red Ramshorn snails will eat it, but they need to start with a tank where there is little visible BBA, and then as they graze the biolfilm they will remove the young growing BBA plants. I don't think they will make much impact on visible BBA tufts.

It is quite difficult to control low tech, although I find that it declines over time if you can get stable conditions in the tank. I usually increase filter maintenance a little bit if I get it, this increases flow and also means that I don't get too much dead organic matter in the tank.

If you use tap water for water changes it would be worth allowing it to de-gas (just leave it stand), as this will mean that it doesn't add extra CO2, as fluctuating CO2 levels may be implicated in its growth. 

The final option is just to take off the worst leaves, and brush it of hardscape etc, and then ignore it, it can be quite an attractive feature.

From the excellent James's Planted Tank: <http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/algae/>





& a blackwater tank for _Apistogramma_ "Breitbinden", where red algae (like BBA) are the main aquascaping.
<http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/showthread.php?9042>

cheers Darrel


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## Viv (18 Jan 2012)

I got horrendous BBA in my 450 when I dabbled with DIY CO2. I got rid of just about all of it by stopping the yeast and dosing double amounts of liquid carbon for a week or two.

Viv


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## thingymajig (18 Jan 2012)

If i'm right in saying.The addition of any form of carbon be it yeast,gas or liquid injection your tank becomes high tec
and not a basic low maintenance. :?:


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (18 Jan 2012)

Barlow said:
			
		

> Hi.
> 
> The lighting is pretty low (2x18'' T8 lights on for 9-10 hours a day in 2 sessions)



Jon 

The problem is stated above - low tec tank running with a very high lighting period 9 - 10 hrs - T8 light is ok for low tec.

Turn you lighting period down 5 - 6 hrs is fine.

its an old picture -my tank get 6 hrs lighting max 





Regards
Paul.


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## mdhardy01 (19 Jan 2012)

thingymajig said:
			
		

> If i'm right in saying.The addition of any form of carbon be it yeast,gas or liquid injection your tank becomes high tec
> and not a basic low maintenance. :?:


low maintenance is different to low tech
I run a 500ltr low maintenance tank low lighting 2 54 watt t5s 8 hour photo period 
I inject co2 
I have easy low light plants ( crypts, moss , ferns ,anubias ect) 
20% water change fortnightly 
Bba is primarily caused by fluctuating co2 levels
Stabilise you co2 levels 
Make sure you have good flow
Remove bba by hand or spot dose with easy carb
Job done
Matt


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Barlow (19 Jan 2012)

Thanks everyone for all your fantastic help and advice.

As suggested I've removed the worst affected leaves and am going to cut back the lighting period. I'll also attempt to stabilise the CO2 levels by ensuring that my system (which is definitely low tech - I just bung in water, sugar and yeast) doesn't run out. If that doesn't work I may just dispense with it altogether.

And I really like the snail suggestion and will get some this weekend. Even if they don't take out the BBA I think they''ll help keep the tank cleaner than it has been.

Thanks again,
Jon

PS - Apologies if two replies appear. The first one disappeared after I hit submit and I had to write it again!


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