Advise on eliminating Blue Green Algae/Bacteria from DP Tank

[yunachin]

I don't think that they will mind at all. To them, it's like a 3 day cloudy day in the wild.

[J double R]

It is best to not let ANY light in for the entire period of blackout.. don't worry.. if the fish have been properly fed beforehand, they will be just fine in the dark for 3 days.

[Rouge]

Thank you Everyone!

Tomorrow morning, Friday, August 22nd, after their morning feed will be the beginning of the "BIG BLACKOUT"!!

I have noted several comments on putting in a new light. Fine with me - - any suggestions as to the type of light, my tank is a 15 gallon long. I used several different kinds of lights in my Puffy's 92 gallon tank so I know there is a variety out there.

Thank you again . . . I will keep in touch!
Jackie

[yunachin]

Whatever you choose, basically. As long as it is new.
Then write down when you put it in and remember to change it when it gets close to it's expiration date and that should help control any unnecessary cyanobacteria.

[J double R]

make sure you go through and physically remove as much as you can before you start the blackout... the less there is to kill, the more likely it is to work..

good luck, fingers crossed for you!

[Jay.B.]

yes, definitely all the best with the blackout, fingers crossed it sorts it

[Troender]

It's the phosphate and the nitrate conditions together that gives BGA. I recommend reading this thing, and having a look at the table in the middle of the page. It's really informative. I've always wondered why I struggle against BGA in the tanks where I have the most frequent water changes. It just didn't make any sense. Until I read that article.

[Jay.B.]

great article, thank you for sharing, an extremely useful tool/weapon in our arsenal, have bookmarked it so I can return when I have more time to digest it's contents

[Rouge]

HI PUFFER Pals . . .

Thank you for all the support!! Unexpectidly, I had to delay the "big blackout"! That was a good thing because now I have to decipher that amazing information from Chas Buddendorf and the Redfield ratio. I think I need to know how to measure phosphates and locate the "Sera" products; my nitrates are low (10-20) with once a week 3 gallon water changes in my tiny 15 gallon long tank.

Great suggstion on marking the bulbs, my first and only bulb for the DP's has been in this tank for about 9 months. I will note and label the next bulb.

Enjoy a nice weekend and please stay in touch!
Jackie

[js97]

Sometimes old lights can encourage cyanobacteria growth. How long have you had the lights? Have you tried blacking the tank out for 2-3 days?

100% True. I had had a whole bunch of slime, brown, and hair algae and had no idea why.... i changed my light tube and instantly it's starting to disapear.

Whether it was because my plants wheren't growing fast enough because of lack of light, or the lower spectrums promoted the algae growth, either way, it's disapeared.

definitely give it a shot if you have an old light tube.

[edmlfc1]

I don't know if this would help you or not, but in my planted tank I started using flourish excel and all the hair algae started to go away after 3 days. It worked for me but I don't know if we have the same algae.

[Rouge]

Hi Puffer Pals . . .

Thank you so much for all your interest!

After reading all your comments this is how I am going to proceed:
1. I will do a complete "black-out" for three days...poor DP's !
2. I purchase a new tank light and label it with the date purchased.
3. I will try to purchase a Sera Fish Water Measuring set in the USA, or another of high quality to accurately measure
the phosphate and nitrate levels as mentioned in the excellent article on "Troender's" post -- thank you so much
Troender - - when I obtain the accurate readings if I send them to you can you help me enter and decipher them
on the graphs, because this is definitely not my area of expertise ??!!

This is Sunday morning, may you and all your Puffers and household have a wonderful day!

Jackie

[Rouge]

Hi Puffer Pals . . .

An update ... The black out for the DP's began yesterday (Wednesday, August 27th, 4:30 p.m.). The tank is thoroughly covered in black plastic. I removed as much of the algae as possible before draping. (I worry about the oxygen but I keep checking to make certain the pump is running. The plastic is snug around the four walls of the tank with a separate large piece draped over the top and down the sides to allow a little air flow.)

I checked the phosphates and nitrates at the fish store -- both values "0".

My tank is a 15 gallon long, with an Aqua Clear Power Filter for a 15-20 gallon tank.

My question is: what is the most effective method of clean-up after I remove the plastic on Saturday ???? Should I purchase a second filter to assist? Do a 1/3 water change? I do not know what I am going to see when I remove the plastic ----- I hope I see two LIVE DP's !! and their little buddies the two cat fish.

Many thanks for all your help and input !

Jackie

[Rouge]

Hello Puffer Pals

Good News! Three days after the "black out" I removed the plastic and thank heavens the two DP's, and the two little catfish seemed just fine! No trace of blue-green algae in the tank - - amazing! I let them adjust to the light, fed them a light meal, and turned the light back off to keep things restful and quiet. I saw not one drop of blue-green algae!

Sunday I cleaned the tank (2.5 hours) of careful sifting through all substrate, rinsing plants of in the tank water, cleaning the filter but taking great care to clean everything in their tank water. There was only one thing that was really dirty and that was the thin feltish/cotton filter which was packed with the blue-green algae. That I replaced with a new filter saturated in their tank water.

I have one small algae eater (less than one inch) that has been in the tank for 6 months..I do not think he can really consume much algae, however right now I am not sure there is any algae to consume! How many, and what kind, of algae eaters should I put in their tank?

Thank you for all your interest, advise and concern...will enjoy hearing from you!

Jackie

[yunachin]

I am glad the blackout worked for you.