# How to get rid of BGA in an empty tank?



## mids1999 (Feb 22, 2007)

One of my tanks is currently suffering from an outbreak of BGA (75 gallon tank).
I moved all plants and fish to another tank because the outbreak was unmanageable and I did not want to loose the plants and fish.

How can I kill off the BGA in the empty tank and not reintroduce it when re adding plants and fish?

If possible, I would like to save the substrate (Flourite).

Tank equipment
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Pressurized co2
96w x3 power compact lighting


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi mids1999,

What have you tried so far?


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Fish and plants or not, huge outbreak or not first thing you have to do is to remove and vacuum all the BGA.

Then find Erythromycin and put 200 mg/L on day 1.

Day 2 do a 30% water change sucking all possible BGA. Add EM again.

Day 3 repeat if you need. But by that time you should have zero BGA.

--Nikolay


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## wearsbunnyslippers (Feb 18, 2008)

+1 on erythromyci and increase your nitrates and flow around the area...


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## James He (Aug 24, 2009)

Black out for few days may work without plants and fish.

Erythromycin should work too, I treat my tank with plants and fish. nothing went bad. you should take out active carbon when you use it.

CO2 level may be the key to prevent it coming back.


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## mids1999 (Feb 22, 2007)

So far, I performed an overdose of flourish excel (killed off all the hair algae)
I have been manually removing as much BGA as possible, for the last two weeks.
I significantly boosted the co2 level.
I also increased the daily dose of ferts form 7.5ml to 10ml.

I could not find erythromycin so I bought some blue green algae eliminator.
I dosed the tank this morning. I looked at the tank tonight and the BGA is turning brown.


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## TAB (Feb 7, 2009)

bleaching the tank will kill every thing in it, I mean every thing.


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## mids1999 (Feb 22, 2007)

If I was to bleach the tank, would the substrate be salvagable?
How would I remove the bleach, to make the tank usable again?
How much bleach do I need to use, and for how long?


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi mids1999,

I have had to deal with BGA on a couple of occasions. It usually starts to show up if I get lazy on my water changes or allow my nitrates (NO3) to drop. To get rid of it I do what you have done: remove as much manually as possible; do three 30% water changes per week; dose my KNO3 at 1/8 teaspoon per 10 gallons. It usually disappears in a couple of weeks if I do the above.


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## flashbang009 (Aug 6, 2009)

I had a horrendous bga outbreak on my 75, but i didn't have the luxury of taking all the fish and plants out. The fact that you are able to and have, makes the job a whole lot easier. To get rid of my bga, i used hydrogen peroxide, around 2 ml/gallon. You'll be safe up to 3 ml/gallon, but i wouldn't go any higher. To many people's disbelief, after spot treating which i've heard is ineffective, for 2 days, ALL my bga was gone. It was covering all my driftwood, the entire bottom of my tank, and it was all gone. It gives you a sense of victory too because when you spray it, the algae sizzles and bubbles :twisted:

Also, i would NOT bleach, because it will be a lot of work to remove the bleach, especially from your substrate. With hydrogen peroxide however, you can do it with the fish in the tank. And just in case you didn't know, bga isn't actually an algae, its a bacteria that has the ability to photosynthesize. Due to the fact that it's a bacteria makes it even harder to get it to permanently stay away.

Oh, and as for reintroducing it with your other plants, if you dip them in hydrogen peroxide for a few seconds, then water for a few seconds, it should have the same effect as the tank. It can harm some plants though so thats only as an extra precaution.

Hope this helps!!!


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## mids1999 (Feb 22, 2007)

I think I am going to go the hydrogen peroxide route.

It is probably a much better option then making the whole place smell like bleach.


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