I have bad blue/green algae in one of my tanks.

I have to break down the tank next week and start again with new substrate.

There is so much of the bga that it has infiltrated the entire substrate layer and it looks like the surface of the moon, with humps and hollows, only bright blue/green.

I need to sterilize the filter equip. in the tank and want to treat all the plants with Hydrogen Peroxide.

I will brush and wash the majority of it off before I soak the plants.

I have a 35% solution of H2O2.

What strength solution do I need to make up to soak my plants in?

For how long do I need to do it for?

You will probably kill your plants. It is about balance. The blue green is in every tank, it only takes over when the balance is not right. Rinse your plants in water and remove all you can then set the tank up again.

Have A look at

http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquainfo/algae_peroxide.html

http://www.theaquariumwiki.com/H2O2

From the aqurium Wiki

Concentrations of around 60ml of 3% H2O2 (30ml of 6%, 15ml of 9%) in a 250L (55 US gals) tank directly applied (usually via a syringe) slowly over 5 minutes onto a clump of algae will kill it and then rapidly be diluted and converted into harmless oxygen and water. Observe the results and wait 48 hours before applying any more. Plants may be effected.

So i think if you made a 1-3% solution and soak the plants in there for 5-min. but i have never tryed it so no guaranties.

I think he is talking about blue/green algae--cyanobacter. rather than black beard algae.

yes i understand, but these supply safe levels which don't seem to harm plants. So trying these levels and seeing if they get rid of bga might be worth trying.

Thanks guys.

I will try a low dose on the swords. If they die I have a lot more to replace them with.

I will be careful with my other plants.

I have tried using peroxide to control bga and it has worked sometimes but more often doesn't

Or instead of using Hydrogen Peroxide you could just airate your tank for a month and see how it goes?

If it is Beard alge then small amount direct to alge rather than plants.

Or over there VM youcould use rain water instead of teh stuff that comes out of taps or if you are on atank check for no dead possums or sheep in the creek (been there done that...lol, mine was soot from potbelly stove lands on roof then rain washed into tank...lol)

HTH

Navarre

Or instead of using Hydrogen Peroxide you could just airate your tank for a month and see how it goes?

If it is Beard alge then small amount direct to alge rather than plants.

Or over there VM youcould use rain water instead of teh stuff that comes out of taps or if you are on atank check for no dead possums or sheep in the creek (been there done that...lol, mine was soot from potbelly stove lands on roof then rain washed into tank...lol)

HTH

Navarre

Hi Nav,

My tanks are aerated.

It isn't beard algae.

The pH of the water is <5.5 and ~ 30ppm CO2.

Our roof is too dirty to use rain water from that unfortunately.

I was talking to a scientist who informed me that erythromycin is the only effective treatment for BGA. Plus it doesn't affect the biofilter. So I will look into that.

erythromycin will and does kill some plants as well tho so be carefull with that.

Nav

It can also kill the filter. I lost a tank full of killies using it but on other times it had ben OK. Furan 2 also works.