I wanted to redo my 40g breeder soon. Since I can't get rid of BBA, before anyone says to check co2 and paramenters all is in checked but it keeps coming back. I'm using Netlea Plant Soil(think ADA) but it buffers closer to 5.5ph or so. The Substrate is of course very old, maybe 6-7 years old and no longer buffers. I'm sure it's the substrate causing BBA, since it's so old there must be a lot of organics build up. Has anyone tried this substrate, it's by Bell & Mackenzie and it's called Black Shot II #20 grit size, I'm sure it will work for plants but I'm worried it might be bad for inverts (MTS and Amanos). Any canadian's use it?
This is what my tank looks like currently. I spent like an hour or so scrubbing off all the bba from the dragon stones and fluval 406 intake and output. I still have to scrub the ehiem 2217's pipes. I lost alot of plants when I did tore it down a month ago and did a bleach dip.
Do you have a pic of the tank today or recently? I know you talked about Co2 being good but some people report BBA with high Co2 although with most low Co2 and also fluctuating Co2 so I know you didn't want the question posed but have you made consistent changes to Co2 over this period? When was the last time your drop checker fluid was replaced?
I can suggest a couple things that may help determine if it is your substrate/excess dissolved organics. Add purigen or chemi pure to your filter they are effective at removing dissolved organics. Do a 50% water change each week and give it 1 month to see the results. I would suggest purigen personally. I don't by into the whole carbon removes nutrients from the water to an extent it will impact plants so you could add that if you want also although it is costly and not renewable. If your BBA slows down or is gone you likely have your answer. I'm not saying it's not your substrate but rather I think you can fix it without changing it. So in a sense its not your substrate if that makes sense.
Unless your like me and when I want to change something its easier to find a reason why I should but if you truly don't want to I would give that a try.
Do you have a pic of the tank today or recently? I know you talked about Co2 being good but some people report BBA with high Co2 although with most low Co2 and also fluctuating Co2 so I know you didn't want the question posed but have you made consistent changes to Co2 over this period? When was the last time your drop checker fluid was replaced?
the pic on post 6 was taken yesterday, as for consistent co2. It is my PH is 7.6, after lights come on it's 6.6 when lights turn off it's about 6.4. I don't dare play with co2 because I know flutuation co2 causes BBA, I have experienced it before with other tanks that I was tweaking. Drop checker solution was replaced when I did the tear down a month ago.
I can suggest a couple things that may help determine if it is your substrate/excess dissolved organics. Add purigen or chemi pure to your filter they are effective at removing dissolved organics. Do a 50% water change each week and give it 1 month to see the results. I would suggest purigen personally. I don't by into the whole carbon removes nutrients from the water to an extent it will impact plants so you could add that if you want also although it is costly and not renewable. If your BBA slows down or is gone you likely have your answer. I'm not saying it's not your substrate but rather I think you can fix it without changing it. So in a sense its not your substrate if that makes sense.
Before I did a complete tear down a month ago, I was doing 50% water changes either once or twice a week for 2.5 months. I'm not sure if purigen will help since with the big water changes I managed to get my TDS to around 170 which is about 20 higher then my tap. I know my TDS was over 300 before due to organics so I think purigen won't do much since I got most of it out with big water changes.
Unless your like me and when I want to change something its easier to find a reason why I should but if you truly don't want to I would give that a try.
Well I can't point directly to the substrate you may correct about the dissolved organics, to much food, over stocked, dirty substrate, dirty filter etc. changing substrate may fix it or simply help if it was caused by something else.
Did you reduce your micro's? I didn't quite understand in your previous post
A couple other options:
1.Have you tried dosing excel? Often times people will double dose and report improvement.
2.SAE's eat BBA not a root cause fix but if there is only minor amounts they should keep it well under control.
Well I can't point directly to the substrate you may correct about the dissolved organics, to much food, over stocked, dirty substrate, dirty filter etc. changing substrate may fix it or simply help if it was caused by something else.
Did you reduce your micro's? I didn't quite understand in your previous post
Yes I agree sounds a little confusing when I mentioned the old method, I have been using the new dosing 0.1ml per 10g for the pass 6 months
A couple other options:
1.Have you tried dosing excel? Often times people will double dose and report improvement.
Yep Excel, Metricide. I did the 1-2 punch at least 6-8 times in the pass year or so, dosing 2-4 tablespoons Hydrogen Peroxide per 10g and 5ml of excel/metricide per 10g after water change, lights off, filters off, powerhead on leave it alone for an hour or two then water change 30-50% after.
2.SAE's eat BBA not a root cause fix but if there is only minor amounts they should keep it well under control.
I had SAE before they died after maybe 4-5 years I think I had an army of algae control stock, maybe 40 amanos, 10 octos, and 4 SAE. I been trying to source SAE locally but it's crazy hard to find now.
Is that a new type of micro fert or a change to the dosing by reducing the amount?
The addition of algae eating stock won't fix the root cause but can sure make it easy to live with. Honestly for minor algae issues I consider it a viable solution but would not say its an actual fix.
They also have safe-t-sorb, which is what I'm using.
As for finding SAE, in your profile it shows you're from Scarborough. Have you checked Big Als on Kennedy Rd? I've seen them there quite a few times.
When I had BBA that I couldn't control that's what I did. The SAE made it disappear in just 3 days and it hasn't returned since. I know that getting fish or shrimp to control algae is frowned upon, but sometimes it's the only thing that will work.
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