# A Few Queries ....



## AlanTh (22 Dec 2012)

This is a fantastic forum, and considering that about eight weeks ago I knew absolutely nothing about planted tanks and CO2, I feel that I have learned a tremendous amount.

However ...

One or two things still confuse me.

Whenever I read about BGA (I don't have any BGA) one of the solutions seems to be to clean the filters weekly. Now this seems to run against the general rule of fish keeping.  I have always believed that you leave your filters alone until, (if ever), the flow rate drops.  The brown gunk inside the filter is the good bacteria.  Am I incorrect in my beliefs?  Doesn't cleaning the filters weekly destroy the bacteria?

I have a problem with BBA - not a huge problem, but it's there.  The glass and gravel never show any type of algae.

The tank is 2 feet long, one foot wide and 15 inches high.  About 80 Ltrs. Two 24w T5 tubes. Lighting 6 hours per day.

I have CO2 pressurised.  I have the diffuser in the bottom, back, right hand corner.  Over the diffuser is a very small internal canister with the spraybar pointing directly down over the ceramic plate - this creates a vertical whirlpool effect, and the CO2 seems to dissolve better this way.  The main spray bar (connected to a Fluval 104) creates the flow around the tank.  There are no spots where plants aren't waving gently in the flow.  EI dosing is being used.

I have two drop checkers - front right and front left of the tank - they never move off light green. I'm not sure why I still have BBA.

The vallis is going crazy - putting out runners and new plants regularly.  The BBA attaches to bog wood and the Java Fern.

Any ideas?


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## ceg4048 (22 Dec 2012)

AlanTh said:


> One or two things still confuse me.
> 
> 
> 
> Whenever I read about BGA (I don't have any BGA) one of the solutions seems to be to clean the filters weekly. Now this seems to run against the general rule of fish keeping. I have always believed that you leave your filters alone until, (if ever), the flow rate drops. The brown gunk inside the filter is the good bacteria. Am I incorrect in my beliefs? Doesn't cleaning the filters weekly destroy the bacteria?


Yes, you are incorrect. Leaving the filters alone might be OK in a fish only tank and even in a non-CO2 enriched tank because the rates of metabolism are low. CO2 enriched tanks generate very high plant growth rates comparatively. In order to grow quickly plants must consume a lot of nutrition. When the rates of nutrient and CO2 consumption are high the waste production is also high, so plants eject huge amounts of organic waste in the tank. The detritus produced can smother the bacteria. The bacteria are attached to the filter media so this dirt clogs the pores and prevents oxygen and nutrient flow to the bacterial colonies. The bacteria cannot work as effectively and so the waste rots and releases ammonia and anaerobic products into the water. It's entirely possible that BGA spores can be triggered by these ejections.

Washing the media and cleaning the gunk does not appreciably affect the bacterial populations and they recover easily, can breathe more and have greater access to nutrients. Most people don't realize that the nitrifying bacteria require Oxygen, CO2 and nutrients as much as they require NH3/NH4. Keeping your filter clean is therefore a top priority. It may not necessarily require weekly cleaning, but it should be cleaned frequently. It's not as easy as you might think to wipe out an entire population of germs.

Cheers,


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## Manrock (22 Dec 2012)

BBA is eaten by SAE (Siamese Algae Eater) - I always have one of these fellas in my tank as they cure most of my algae problems.


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## stu_ (23 Dec 2012)

Manrock said:


> BBA is eaten by SAE (Siamese Algae Eater) - I always have one of these fellas in my tank as they cure most of my algae problems.


 
Whilst they can be useful, not sure a shoal of these in a 2' tank is a great idea.
Just an opinion

To the OP.Try using tank water for cleaning the media.Sure you know this, just thought i'd mention


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## AlanTh (23 Dec 2012)

stu_ said:


> To the OP.Try using tank water for cleaning the media.Sure you know this, just thought i'd mention


 
I didn't know that.  I have always used the bath or sink to scrub the wood. It makes a difference then?


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## Manrock (23 Dec 2012)

I don't keep a shoal of them (SAE) in my 3 foot tank either! Like I said, I keep one (a young one) and he sorts out any BBA or hair algae that the shrimps might not be able to tackle. I do have one in the school nano too (14") where he lives very happily with a small shoal of WCM.


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## stu_ (23 Dec 2012)

ceg4048 said:


> Washing the media and cleaning the gunk does not appreciably affect the bacterial populations


Personally i do this, with water i removed from the tank whilst doing a water change.Rather than untreated tapwater.
You can wash the hardscape anywhere you want, as the bacteria you're wanting to keep, grow most readily in the filter & substrate.


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## AlanTh (23 Dec 2012)

stu_ said:


> You can wash the hardscape anywhere you want, as the bacteria you're wanting to keep, grow most readily in the filter & substrate.


 
That's what I thought ....


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## foxfish (23 Dec 2012)

Manrock said:


> I don't keep a shoal of them (SAE) in my 3 foot tank either! Like I said, I keep one (a young one) and he sorts out any BBA or hair algae that the shrimps might not be able to tackle. I do have one in the school nano too (14") where he lives very happily with a small shoal of WCM.


 What do you do with the fish when it is an old one?


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## Manrock (23 Dec 2012)

foxfish said:


> What do you do with the fish when it is an old one?


 
In my home tank he can get big and old. In the school nano if he gets too big I will rehouse him in my home tank or MA will take him for one of their display tanks and I'll get a new young 'un.


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## jojouk (23 Dec 2012)

ceg4048 said:


> Yes, you are incorrect. Leaving the filters alone might be OK in a fish only tank and even in a non-CO2 enriched tank because the rates of metabolism are low. CO2 enriched tanks generate very high plant growth rates comparatively. In order to grow quickly plants must consume a lot of nutrition. When the rates of nutrient and CO2 consumption are high the waste production is also high, so plants eject huge amounts of organic waste in the tank. The detritus produced can smother the bacteria. The bacteria are attached to the filter media so this dirt clogs the pores and prevents oxygen and nutrient flow to the bacterial colonies. The bacteria cannot work as effectively and so the waste rots and releases ammonia and anaerobic products into the water. It's entirely possible that BGA spores can be triggered by these ejections.
> 
> Washing the media and cleaning the gunk does not appreciably affect the bacterial populations and they recover easily, can breathe more and have greater access to nutrients. Most people don't realize that the nitrifying bacteria require Oxygen, CO2 and nutrients as much as they require NH3/NH4. Keeping your filter clean is therefore a top priority. It may not necessarily require weekly cleaning, but it should be cleaned frequently. It's not as easy as you might think to wipe out an entire population of germs.
> 
> Cheers,


 
I had no idea! learn something new every 30 mins on here! A job for next week then!


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