Homing In On Cyanobacteria (aka 'BGA')

[tam]

Any additional thoughts on this @jaypeecee

For what it's worth I smelt cyano a couple of times in a tank I completely rescaped back in July, but it eventually dissipated so I ignored it - however I now note pretty obvious green slim in front sand substrate - only visible from front, not on surface of substrate and no obvious smell.

Tape a piece of card over the substrate area to create a blackout ... but maybe just do half so there is a control and then post a comparison photo in a week 🙂 I've quite often seen it in that area but never spreading anywhere else. My parents tank has this at the moment, but just ignoring it as the are in the process of having cabinets added that will cover it anyway - for reference the tank is 50/50 hard tap and RO.

I have it in one of my tanks, not in the substrate-glass gap at all, just little patches here and there on the substrate suface/plants/glass - enough to annoy me but never progresses to the swamping point. Tried the course of Algexit to no significant effect.

 

[Mat H]

Tape a piece of card over the substrate area to create a blackout ... but maybe just do half so there is a control and then post a comparison photo in a week 🙂 I've quite often seen it in that area but never spreading anywhere else. My parents tank has this at the moment, but just ignoring it as the are in the process of having cabinets added that will cover it anyway - for reference the tank is 50/50 hard tap and RO.

I have it in one of my tanks, not in the substrate-glass gap at all, just little patches here and there on the substrate suface/plants/glass - enough to annoy me but never progresses to the swamping point. Tried the course of Algexit to no significant effect.

Thank you. Yes this is on my list of actions but only to block out from the front glass which I'm hesitant to do in case this encourages it out on to the upper substrate in search of light. I suppose I could DIY together some black plastic to cover sections of the upper substrate too though I'd be concerned about damage to my Pogostemon Helferi (they're growing in well after I destroyed the first lot by dipping in Excel out of the tank to treat BBA - they all melted after replanting).

My initial thoughts were also to assume it would just resolve itself and not emerge from the lower substrate, however I decided to be proactive and also be prepared if it all goes south, hence following up on this thread.

Somewhat so against my better judgement as I find fiddling with things often causes a cascade of issues and that sometimes the best form of action is inaction and to just sit back and be patient

 

[tam]

Thank you. Yes this is on my list of actions but only to block out from the front glass which I'm hesitant to do in case this encourages it out on to the upper substrate in search of light. I suppose I could DIY together some black plastic to cover sections of the upper substrate too though I'd be concerned about damage to my Pogostemon Helferi (they're growing in well after I destroyed the first lot by dipping in Excel out of the tank to treat BBA - they all melted after replanting).

My initial thoughts were also to assume it would just resolve itself and not emerge from the lower substrate, however I decided to be proactive and also be prepared if it all goes south, hence following up on this thread.

Somewhat so against by better judgement as I find fiddling with things often causes a cascade of issues and that sometimes the best form of action is inaction and to just sit back and be patient

I've never found that it does creep in that way, maybe try a small (few inches) section as a little test. I feel like there are certain combinations of conditions it thrives in and if you change one variable it often resolves it. It seems like there is more than one combination otherwise it would be easier for us to pin it down though. It's obviously in your tank and could spread easily if the conditions suited, but at the moment they only seem to suit in the narrow gap between substrate and glass. It's not throughout your substrate though, and the big difference between the bit it is in and the same substrate 2 inches further into the tank is light.

 

[Grjones]

Cyano took over my last scape. It started to creep in and I think I’ve got rid of it by dealing with it as soon as I noticed it. I tend to see oxygen under the substrate which I think is the root cause so I put a credit card down between the soil and glass. Saves me spending it in store 🤣