# BGA treatment



## Freakyshrimp (4 Oct 2008)

Do you think a reefsafe treatment for red slime algae (cyanobacteria) would work for BGA. I ask this because I've got some somewhere (never used it though). I'm battling with BGA at the moment in my still cycling 72L High Tec. I'm on top of it at the moment but the ADA amazonia is still leeching quite a bit of ammonia, I'm down to 2x wk 50% W/C from daily 50% changes. The BGA seems to be confined to the lower tank (substrate and glosso). Filtration is a Tetratec EX700 and I've also got a Koralia 1 (1500L/H) powerhead in there for extra flow. I ripped up all the glosso yesterday and just saved what I could, then soaked what I'd saved in a bucket with the red slime treatment for a few hours. Rinsed it off then replanted it. I'll let you know in a few days if it survives or not.


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## Fred Dulley (15 Oct 2008)

Are you dosing KNO3?


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## Freakyshrimp (16 Oct 2008)

I've been dosing 4ml of TPN+ and 2.8ml easycarbo daily. W/C are down to once per week now 50% because ammonia doesn't register on test kit any more. The red slime treatment didn't work on the BGA but it didn't kill any plants either. Gave up on it last night, cleaned most of it off, did 50% W/C, turned off C02, added airstone and blacked out tank. Will uncover it on Sunday night. Do you think I should increase TPN+ dosage after blackout? The last time I tested N03 it was 25ppm on Sera test kit.


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## Fred Dulley (16 Oct 2008)

If everything else it up to scratch (water changes, maintenance, cleaning out mulm in filters) then yes, add more Nitrogen.


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## Ray (16 Oct 2008)

Speaking from experience, you might want to limit the blackout to just 3 days first time.  My unplanned blackout extension to 5 days has utterly zonked the algae (still none after 2 weeks) but my plants were badly hit too.
In a new tank BGA has to be either flow (surely not a problem with your Koralia 1) or Nitrates, so yes, dose double before and during the blackout and if its not all gone or it comes back increase the TPN+ thereafter (dry salts start looking cost effective...).


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## Mark Evans (16 Oct 2008)

its not everyones cup of tea, but when i had bga in my early days i bought maracyn, it killed stone dead. i would do it again if needed, but hopefully i shouldnt have too.

mark


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## Freakyshrimp (16 Oct 2008)

Thanks everyone, I'll up the TPN+ dosage and just leave blackout untill Saturday night, if it fails to budge I'll be back here again. Never thought it would be harder to keep a plant than a coral


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## johnnypy (19 Oct 2008)

Early on I had a severe BGA outbreak. I'm sure this was a result of a neighbour overfeeding my fish when I was away. I tried all of the recommended methods but failed to shift it. I think it actually becomes a stable, quite adaptable ecosystem and grows so rapidly that few plants can outcompete it. I found a local vet willing to prescribe a water soluble erythromycin - this zapped the BGA in less than a week. I then re-planted, upped my cleaning and water changes and fertilised carefully. I also reseeded the filter to restore proper bacteria. Since then no sign of BGA whatsoever.

I don't think many vets are willing to prescribe antibiotics for this sort of purpose but I printed off some internet pages to show them and they were OK. I think this is a method of last resort but it worked for me when everything else had failed.


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## Mark Evans (19 Oct 2008)

johnnypy said:
			
		

> I don't think many vets are willing to prescribe antibiotics



theres not 1 that will prescribe. its illegal. i had to buy mine from the states. it cost about Â£30 to get my hands on some. ive got loads for emergencies. touching wood should never need them


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## johnnypy (19 Oct 2008)

Don't know about the legal position, but my local vet was happy to supply me with 70g of water soluble erythromycin for this purpose. Cost Â£17 - I have used less than half of it.


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## Mark Evans (19 Oct 2008)

johnnypy said:
			
		

> but my local vet was happy to supply me with 70g of water soluble erythromycin for this purpose



well from what ive been told (by vets) they cant do it by law. its a presrcribed drug.


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## Freakyshrimp (19 Oct 2008)

Partly uncovered tank last night, hoping that all BGA had gone, but there was still some on the substrate. Think I'll risk leaving it untill tomorrow morning then do a W/C and get C02 back on.


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