LoveArowanas Posted November 30, 2014 Report Share Posted November 30, 2014 Hey all I could post a pic but title describes it perfectly really. What is this stuff? Should I be worried? Is a clean out going to be ok? cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted November 30, 2014 Report Share Posted November 30, 2014 99.9% certain you are talking BBA (black beard algae), the bane of a fish keepers life along with other persistent algaes. Google Black Beard Algae to confirm. A few ways of getting rid of it - 1. Manual removal - pick it all off making sure nothing gets into the water column as every loose tuft attaches and grows. It will continue to grow back and you will need to keep at it. 2. Bleach the plants - fine for some plants, others won't tolerate it. If you want to go down this route I can give you a link. The bleach does not go into the tank, the plants must be removed for this. 3. Purchase some small young Siamese Algae Eaters (SAE) aka Blackline flying foxes. They will eat the young new BBA but not once it becomes established. These are not to be confused with Flying Foxes which have been coming into the shops recently as Blackline Flying foxes. 4. Dose your tank with flourish excel - once again this depends on your plants and also fish as some do not tolerate it well or at double strength. This is a form of carbon. Double dosing the recommended dose on the first day followed by daily maintenance for a week - ten days will see it begin to die off. Then regular 2-3x a week dosing will keep it at bay. Flourish excel can also be syringed directly onto problem areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoveArowanas Posted December 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 ty Adrienne....did a big clean out and using the Flourish, seems to be working ok 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smidey Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 i got rid of mine with flourish excell but i dosed as recommended, not double. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr A Posted December 15, 2014 Report Share Posted December 15, 2014 Hydrogen peroxide as a spot treatment works well too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiwiGal77 Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 99.9% certain you are talking BBA (black beard algae), the bane of a fish keepers life along with other persistent algaes. Google Black Beard Algae to confirm. A few ways of getting rid of it - 4. Dose your tank with flourish excel - once again this depends on your plants and also fish as some do not tolerate it well or at double strength. This is a form of carbon. Double dosing the recommended dose on the first day followed by daily maintenance for a week - ten days will see it begin to die off. Then regular 2-3x a week dosing will keep it at bay. Flourish excel can also be syringed directly onto problem areas. I think I have some of this on my plants too, along with some brown algae, and it seems to be causing them issues so want to get rid of it ASAP. Getting some Otos to help with the brown/green algae, but know they won't touch the BBA. You mention flourish excel can be harmful to some fish - I have cory, harlequin rasbora and soon to be 3 new otos. Are any of them sensitive to the product? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikBok Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 I think I have some of this on my plants too, along with some brown algae, and it seems to be causing them issues so want to get rid of it ASAP. Getting some Otos to help with the brown/green algae, but know they won't touch the BBA. You mention flourish excel can be harmful to some fish - I have cory, harlequin rasbora and soon to be 3 new otos. Are any of them sensitive to the product? I am also interested in what fish are sensitive . I used this last summer with no obvious problems caused in the fish (Including otos) but now have two electric blue rams who I have been told are very sensitive fish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrienne Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 My discus do not like flourish excel Mind you they don't like pressurised CO2 either but they are stuck with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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