• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

BGA and Nutrient Deficiency?

Bradders

Bradders

Member
Joined
11 Dec 2023
Messages
1,493
Location
United Kingdom
Hi All,

It's been around 8 weeks, and I'm starting to have some issues I would appreciate advice on.
  1. I have started to get some spots of blue/green algae on the sand. Siphon out, it comes back. Any thoughts?
  2. The stem plants are starting to look yellow on older leaves, as seen in the picture. Could this be because they have grown and I need to increase ferts?
Thanks everyone
Brad

==== Details =====

1. Size of tank: 250L
2. Age of the system is approximately: 8 weeks
3. Tap water parameters: All within normal
4. Filtration and Media: Oase 850
5. Lighting and duration: WRGB Pro 2, 30%, 6.5 Hours
6. Substrate: Tropica Aquasoil
7. Co2 dosing or Non-dosing: CO2 Dosing
8. Drop Checker: Lime Green
9. Fertilizers used + Ratios: TNC Complete, 15ml per day
10. Water change regime and composition: Weekly, 50%
11. Plant list + Invitro/Emersed: Amazon Swords, Buce, Anubis etc
12. Inhabitants: 3 Green Neon Rasboars

IMG_1456.jpeg
IMG_1455.jpeg
 
I'm no expert, but I would measure PO4. Do you have a source of PO4? If not, try adding a very little bit. For me it it did dissapear BGA as snow for the sun. I belief it can also explain transparent edges of leaves.
My two cents.
 
I’ve only had Cyano once, I “think” it was due to a dead spot in flow but may be wrong, I’d manually suction it out as a first measure. 2HRAquarist have a guide that may help, also attached a basic plant deficiency chart, although I’m sure someone more knowledgeable will be able to give more specific advice.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0251.jpeg
    IMG_0251.jpeg
    142.2 KB · Views: 45
@Bradders 8 weeks in this is still an immature tank... all this, including some BGA, is very common regardless of tech level. Lower the light intensity a notch (not hours, but intensity) - light is really the main driver when it comes to the plants metabolism and they may need a breather... Good chance the plants are still adapting. If you're using (UK) tap water make sure you get enough Magnesium - maintain 4-6 ppm. if your water is relatively hard, but I think your fine with the 15 ml of TNC Complete daily (5.6 ppm Mg/weekly accumulated) but you could front load a little bit of Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salt) - I am splitting hair here 🙂 Other than that I don't see any issues with your approach - in time it will work. Steady as you go as they say in the navy... Your tank looks great!

Cheers,
Michael
 
Last edited:
Thank you everyone for responses. Defo will reduce the light as it has upped a little during the process.

I was reflecting on the last 8 weeks, And my sense was that the cycle took a long time to establish. No algae, no diatoms and then quite late into that period it all kicked off!! It went from pristine to algae growth, diatoms on leaves/glass and pipe work getting visibly dirty.

My natural first thoughts was ‘well, this is affirmation of life starting in the aquarium’. I hope that was not a fool-hardy view to take!
 
I did some maintenance today and drained the tank for a water change and cleaning. Looking actually quite green without the water and light!!

IMG_1458.jpeg
 
MichaelJ said:
but you could front load a little bit of Magnesium Sulphate (Epsom Salt)
Click to expand...
How do you work out the right amount of espom salt to add?
 
MichaelJ said:
Hi @Bradders, For your 250 liter tank if you front-load about 4-5 grams of MgSO4 with your 50% water change (125 l) you get about 3-4 ppm which should be sufficient with the amount you probably will have left in the tank when you do the WC.
Click to expand...
Thank you!
 
MichaelJ said:
For your 250 liter tank if you front-load about 4-5 grams of MgSO4 with your 50% water change (125 l) you get about 3-4 ppm which should be sufficient with the amount you probably will have left in the tank when you do the WC.
Click to expand...
Sorry Michael, how do I work out this calculation for myself rather than bother you? I am thinking of doing the same for my 100L aquarium, but not clear on the process and formula.

Sorry to be a pain.
 
Hi all,
Bradders said:
how do I work out this calculation for myself rather than bother you? ......... but not clear on the process and formula
Click to expand...
The easiest way is via <"Nutrient Dosing Calculator">, but the principle is the same for all compounds.

Whatever the compound is you just need to know:
  • the <"Relative Molecular Mass (RMM)"> of the compound,
  • the Relative Atomic Mass (RAM) of the nutrient if it is an element, <"like magnesium (Mg++)">. (This would be the RMM again where we are interested in "ions as compounds" like nitrate (NO3-), sulphate (SO4--) or phosphate PO4---).
  • The level of nutrients you are targeting in mg / l or ppm, (they are the same unit in this case).
  • The size of the tank in litres.
Bradders said:
I am thinking of doing the same for my 100L aquarium
Click to expand...
You are in luck at this point, because you start with "Epsom Salts" (MgSO4.7H2O), <"which are ~10% magnesium">, <"5 mg / l Mg is a reasonable dose"> and you tanks is 100 litres. So we are just in the "powers of 10", with a single division by 2 to go from 10 mg / l to 5 mg / l. <"Rotala Butterfly"> nutrient calculator result below.
To reach your target of 5ppm Mg you will need to add 5.07 grams (equivalent to 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp + 1/16 tsp + 1/32 tsp + 1/64 tsp ) MgSO4.7H2O to your 100L aquarium to yield:

Mg5
S6.6
dGH1.15

[th]
Element

[/th][th]
ppm/degree

[/th]​
Click to expand...
All nutrient calculators do is just compute the simple maths below. (An exception is the <"IFC calculator">, which does this, and a whole lot more).
  • So 1g of MgSO4.7H2O contains 0.1g (100 milligrams) of magnesium (the ~10% Mg).
  • A milligram is 1/1000 of a gram and there are a thousand grams in litre of water, therefore "milligram / l" is equivalent to "ppm" in dilute solutions.
  • We have added 100 mg (10 x 100 = 1000) of magnesium to 1000 g* (litre) of water.
  • So we have added 100 (mg / l) ppm of magnesium to one litre of water, when we add a gram of magnesium.
  • You have a 100 litres, so 1 g of MgSO4.7H2O (in a 100 litres) adds 1 ppm magnesium and
  • 10g of MgSO4.7H20 would add 10 ppm and five grams would add 5 ppm.
* This should really be "1g of MgSO4.7H2O made up to 1000g with water", but it makes no practical difference.

cheers Darrel
 
Last edited:
Got it, thank you @dw1305.

Upon reinspection, my water report does say that the average Mg is 5.69 mg/l. Sounds like a stupid question, but is this not enough? Or does it act differently to Epsom Salts in that a weekly water change is not enough to replenish Mg, etc?
 
With the Mg from the tap water and the TNC complete you are likely getting enough. Upthread it was stated that you are getting somewhere around 5ppm accumulated from the TNC plus the 5ppm from your tap water, which is obviously 10 or so ppm. It is safe to add more in the sense you are nowhere near magnesium toxicity, but you will be adding more gH to your already hard water.
 
Thanks everyone.
 
I used to get BGA when one of the aquariums was in the kitchen, similar thing remove but kept coming back. When l moved it into living room never had the problem of BGA. I put it down to too much light as the kitchen let loads of daylight in, whether any other factors l can't be sure but because it's free of it now l assume it was the light
 
It's been 10 days since I last posted (aquarium is 72 days old), so I thought I would post an update on how things are going. Which, I believe, is not well, and I 'feel' I am sleepwalking into a disaster. What I am observing is (with pictures):
  1. Yellowing leaves, especially the 53Bs that also seem 'thin'.
  2. Leaves with hair algae.
  3. Diatoms (or brown algae on leaves) are almost everywhere.
  4. Crypts on rocks are seaming quite sick.
  5. Blue/Green Cyanobacteria, which comes back as fast as I can get rid of it.
I am pretty sure I am failing at this point, so I would appreciate any advice. I can also answer questions if I am missing any information. As a reminder:

==== Details =====

1. Size of tank: 250L
2. Age of the system is72 days
3. Tap water parameters: All within normal (pH of 7.5, down to 6.5 with CO2, TDS ~370, Hard Water)
4. Filtration and Media: Oase 850
5. Lighting and duration: WRGB Pro 2, 30%, 6.5 Hours
6. Substrate: Tropica Aquasoil
7. Co2 dosing or Non-dosing: CO2 Dosing
8. Drop Checker: Lime Green
9. Fertilizers used + Ratios: TNC Complete, 15ml per day
10. Water change regime and composition: Weekly, 50%
11. Plant list + Invitro/Emersed: Amazon Swords, Buce, Anubis etc
12. Inhabitants: 3 Green Neon Rasboars

IMG_1497.jpeg

IMG_1499.jpeg
IMG_1498.jpeg

IMG_1502.jpeg
IMG_1501.jpeg
 
72 days isn't that long and the tank will be more stable after the 6 month mark. The algae phase is part and parcel of having a planted tank. There's always a little bit present.

How are you cleaning the detritus from your mass of plants near the rear? What's the frequency in cleaning the filter? You would need to manually remove the hair algae. I would personally increase the water changes to 2 days a week for the next month and see how things go.
 
The best way to get rid of BGA is disturbing, disturbing and more disturbing. Simply vacuum every now and then. And do you really need TNC Complete 15ml per day? I think 1/3 of that would also be enough. The most plants like more than 6,5 hours of light.
 
Tankless said:
How are you cleaning the detritus from your mass of plants near the rear? What's the frequency in cleaning the filter? go.
Click to expand...
I am currently waving my hands through it, but it’s not very effective. Filter clean is once a week.

I will up the water changes to twice weekly.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top