# Oh No, I'm Getting BGA Again!



## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

I can't seem to understand why I am getting this again, my 10 gallon tank is doing so well, my plants have never looked better in this tank. This past week I have been noticing very tiny patches, here and there of the Cyano bacteria. It is very easy to notice on the ADA Aquasoil, so I've been manually removing it with my fingers and it is Cyano, I know that smell.

Like I said, all my plants look great so I don't understand why I am getting this. I had it a while back in this tank and had to black out my tank to get rid of it. I don't have it that bad this time but want to be sure that it doesn't come back to where it's going to ruin my plants. 

I am running 40 watts of light over this tank with a Current Dual Satellite 2 x 40 watts but I am only running one 40 watt bulb, with photo period being 10 hours a day. I am injecting pressurized CO2, my ph is 6.5 with a kh of 30 ppms. I dose ferts every other day adding 1/8 tsp KNO3, 2 mls of Fleet and 1/16th tsp of K2SO4 for macros and for micros I'm adding 2.5 mls of Seachem Flourish. I also add 1 ml of Flourish Iron twice a week.

The only thing I can think of that may be causing the BGA is my water circulation. I am running an Aquaclear 50 on this tank and there is hardly any water movement. I recently put an airstone on the other side but it doesn't seem to be helping because there was another couple of spots on the subtrate today.

Any thoughts of how I can nip this in the bud? I hate this algea! I recently defeated my green dust algea by not cleaning of my tank glass for 2 1/2 weeks and it hasn't been back since. I have no other algea in this tank except for the spots I am currently speaking of.

Any help is most welcomed, thank you!


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## DougC (Aug 4, 2006)

Just a stray thought. Now it's Autumn (or Fall for you guys over there) Is there any additional sunlight getting at your tank?


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## chiahead (Dec 18, 2004)

Cyano is actually a bacteria. You can check the algae finder to read up on it. 
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/algaefinder.php?do=view&id=12

Dose your No3 up to 20ppm or more, and do a blackout. Or you can dose Erythromycin which is what I always do.


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

Won't Erythromycin destroy my bio-filter? Is it bad for the plants? I hate to go that route for just a couple of spots unless it's absolutely necessary. I believe that my KNO3 is already at 20 ppms, can I bring it higher without any ill effects to the fish?

I will do a blackout if it gets worse but I would like to try all other avenues first.

Thank you!


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## chiahead (Dec 18, 2004)

I noticed you had another post about your co2 all leaking out. Make sure that is fixed also. As far as I know there is nothing that will eat the cyano well. So basically there is 2 choices, starve it or kill it with a chemical. I have heard about some things that will eat it but not concrete ones. Plus most fish/snails would prefer something better to eat. I dose the Erythromycin at a light ppm level and I put the slow dissolving pills right next to the cyano. It is true it will affect your biofilter, but shouldnt that much. It is way better to take care of the cyano right away before it spreads.


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## werner (Jul 6, 2006)

If there are just some little spots of this starting, you can zap them with a few mL of hydrogen peroxide in a syringe. Increase your circulation. You could also try reducing your photoperiod slightly.

Good info here: The Skeptical Aquarist


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## star rider (Feb 27, 2006)

by all means take care of the cyano bacteia before it gets bad.

I had a bad outbreak that started out as a light outbreak.

I had to run a full dose of maracyn..it did affect my bio filter but did not destroy it.

I never had any weird spikes in ammonia or nitrites but i am going thru white water(bacterial blooms) which leads me to think I had some sort of impact on some bacteria.


I am doing water changes to try and clean it up but may let it run it;'s course.

low doses of erytho may work but i wonder if it may also have a side effect..some bacteria can build a resistance to anti biotics if lightly exposed.


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## LindaC (Nov 7, 2005)

Thank you all, I have to take care of it, just a matter of how I'm going to plan my attack.

As for the my CO2 leaking out, thankfully that has been taken care of, it was on my 29 gallon tank, not the 10 gallon. I can't seem to get through a week without a problem on at least one of my tanks. Glad I have a good sense of humor.


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## Blacksunshine (Aug 11, 2006)

Lacking Nitrates and or excess of organic waste both can lead to BGA. 
yes Erythromycin will kill your bact in the filter. best to run a mech filter (powerhead with filter) in the meantime while dousing the antibiodics. Your plants should suffice to eat the ammonia and nitrates in the meantime.
That along with a black out and cleaning of as much of it as possible should do the trick. 
I had an outbreak in my 20 a bout a month ago. and that was what the soloution wound up being.


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## DaFishMan (Dec 4, 2005)

More water movement may fix your problem.


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