# Killing BGA



## imatrout (May 12, 2005)

I recently discovered a way to treat BGA early in its development. It tends to grow initially between the glass and the substrate, gets a foothold and takes off. You can see what I'm talking about here:

http://tropicalresources.net/phpBB2....php?pic_id=266

In the photo, you can clearly see it growing.

The way I fixed it was tp chop up Maricyn tablets (only 2 of them) and shove the pieces between the glass and the gravel. This is a VERY low doasge, particularly for a 150 gal. tank. The pieces of Marycin act like small root tabs and dissolve slowly, right next to the BGA. Within 2 days, it has gone and not returnes. I didn't need to do a blackout and I didnt need to treat 150 gallons of water for days. Just 2 little 200mg tabs is all it took.
imatrout is online now Edit/Delete Message


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

So why not address why it's there in the first place?

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## imatrout (May 12, 2005)

Tom,

It's gone now. I snuffed out the remnants with the Maricyn treatment. I've already upped CO2 to 30 ppm and it's not coming back. I just thought this was a good solution for usiing very trace amounts of antibiotics tactically versus dosing the whole tank.

By the way, the reason I got it in the first place was because I was scared of raising my CO2 as doing so lowers my Ph to 7.1. I have Tangankikan cichlids that generally don't like a low PH. But! I discovererd through you and others that they live just fine at 7.1 and in fact spawn. Not to mislead anybody, my natural PH is 8.1 and the carbonic drives it down temporarily while CO2 is injected. The othe natural PH drivers, TDS etc. are all stable so that's probably why the Tangs don't mind it.


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

I've never really been against antibiotics for BGA, I've been against not addressing root causes and looking at why it's there and what does it's presence mean in terms of nutrients/plant growth etc.

H2O2/permangnate will do the same thing and is more available/cheaper etc.

I just scape away the gravel so that it's below the glass rim lip.
It needs the light, it'll only grow on certain sides of the tank where the light from the room/windows etc are.

It will not do well if you scape it and then add good KNO3 dosing.
I've seen this pattern for over 8 years and have talked to folks and been over to their homes and seen this time and time again.

The Algae can tell me what's wrong is a matter of seconds with a tank.
Even folks that seemed stumped and are very competent end up being screwed by CO2, myself included.

But I know to look there first and repeatedly.

The nutrients/light are easy to address.
So they can be quickly ruled out.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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