# Staghorn, BBA, will amanos help?



## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Not sure what route to take. Can't go chemical since I have shrimps in there. Would be too annoying to take out all the plants, and replant after doing a bleach.

I need a cure. Had lights on for 2 days 24 hours a day, no timer on my 33 long tank.
A small problem turned into a huge one, damn you Christmas!

Cherry shrimps in my tank seem to be chowing down a bit on the algae.

For the next 24 hours I won't be running my lights.
I will then cut back the lights to 5 hours a day for the next week and a half.

Any ideas?


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## Nymsley (Mar 24, 2009)

I wouldn't count on it. My amanos didn't touch the staghorn when I had it and they groom the BBA for edible particles but they don't seem to eat it.


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Gordon,

You have 2 options. Both involve about 10-20% water changes every other day:

1. Water changes and good fertilization.
2. Water changes and stop all fertilization.

Noone can tell you which one will work best. Personally I'd try (2.) first. But watch the Staghorn - it may double in bulk literally overnight.

You need to understand the reason why all these algae showed up. BBA often (no always) shows up as a result of an explosion of organics. So for sure clean your filter. I don't know what kind of filter you have. But I'm pretty sure that it's *not* meant to remove organics from the water. Still - you need to make sure that it's running properly. Your goal with all these water changes is to reduce the organics.

If you run CO2 on that tank make sure it's running consistently.

Remove all the BBA with your hands - as much as you can. Staghorn is fragile and it will break - use a small hose to suck the water close to a piece of algae you are about to grab.

Light does nothing to both of these algae. Still - best to reduce it (intensity, duration)

--Nikolay


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## Gordonrichards (Apr 28, 2009)

Left my lights on for over 48 hours this Christmas, was not home.
Just bought three SAE from my lfs. :^( maybe they will help by munching a few bits of Algae.

My plan:
Reduce hours of lighting to 5 hours or so per day.

Chopping 3 inches off all my plants (Algae didn't take hold any lower then that.

Giving a major haircut to my java moss (shame)

Will pray I don't have to do more.

If all else fails...


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