Excel as a treatment for BBA? Experiences?

[Stu]

Originally Posted by plantbrain

Now try this with Cladophora(green hair algae- has branches)
I'm on 12 weeks with it and excel, no effect, I did melt some Lagarosiphon madagascarensis though.......

I have a beaker of Cladophora aegagropila clippings at the moment, and I have some Excel.... I feel like playing.

[plantbrain]

That species is not a problem, try something that is.

Regards,
Tom Barr

[Curare]

After having a little bit of a read on your thoughts expresseded in the all wet thumbs forums, I am starting to wonder about my dosing, and it's possible causes for my BBA outbreak...

From what I've learned so far, is that CO2 gives one a greater margin for error, and a wider scope to control plant growth, and in turn, nutrient uptake to the point where it out competes algae.

However in the case of cyanobacteria, it's nitrogen fixing so that no matter how much co2 you add, if you have no N for the plants to utilise, the cyanabacteria will bloom on the remaining unused nutrients.

Would it be fair to assume that a low level of KNO3 coupled with an overdose of KPO4 and traces be to blame? In that there is enough NO3 being used to not warrant an outbreak of cyanobacteria, as it's being outcompeted by the plants and possibly higher echelon algaes. However, The plants don't have enough to continute photosynthesising and the higher echelon algaes bloom.

Basically I'm assuming that by dosing in the reigeme that I am, I'm depleting the NO3 too much for the plants and suddenly the bba has a chance to get a stranglehold?

Also seeing as plants love a supply of NH4 would it be the next logical step to start adding NH4 to give the plants the winning edge in utilising the micros and macros?

Yes, I'm adding fuel to the fire, I'd like to hear your opinions or your findings on this.

Curare

[motifone]

I started my 15ml of Excel a day after last Sunday's water change. Sunday is water change day again, about 50%. Am I suppose to skip the water change or perform water change as usual and then dose a bit more of Excel to bring the concentrations back up?

[Jason Baliban]

Hey,
I just did my WC as normal. Are you noticing any changes?
jB

[motifone]

hi jason

A little too soon to day re: seeing changes. My BBA problem has always been pretty minor, most of which I kept under control by pruning. I certainly think growth has stalled. Time to see what the Excel does to what is left.

steve

[m.lemay]

Ok; The first time I did the excell treatment I had my UV on the whole time and it the excell did very little to improve bba or any thing else for that matter.

So I decided to try it again without the UV, and I'm pleased to say that after 7 days it appears to be working. I'm gonna keep it up for 4-5 more days to see if it will be erradicated completely.
Observations after 7 days:There appears to be no new infected leaves. The previously black fuzz is turning almost white.

All along I've been pruning the the grossly infected leaves, The hairgrass got a major pruning as I suspect that it was trapping a lot of detritus which was contributing to the problem.I've also been keeping my ferts up and CO2 levels up, as always.

There is a couple of things that I did this last water change that seems to have had a very positive effect, and thats cleaning out both canister filters. I previously would only clean one out a time and I'd go months between cleanings. I also vacuumed the crap out of the substrate and hairgrass. I suspect that rotting plant matter in the hairgrass and canisters were contributing heavily to this algae outbreak.(in hindsight......DUhhhh)

Heres one thing for sure, I'll be cleaning my canisters much more often and vacuuming the grass and substate at every water change from now on. I'll let you guys know what happens at the end of treatment and if the effects are lasting.

Marcel

[cprroy73]

mlemay, Do you still dose micro's along with the excell, as well as the other macros?

[Jim]

I'm on day 2 of an Excel treatment for my BBA, hair and green spot algae. I'm using 25 mls daily in a 85G planted discus tank. I regularly remove as much algae as I can from tank surfaces and leaves, but there are still plants in my tank that are heavily affected. Here's my question -- should I wait a week or so until it starts dying off or should I agressively be removing the bad leaves now? I'm trying to avoid having to trim back certain plants (basically to nothing). Will waiting just prolong my algae problem?

On the positive side, I have been doing a number of things in the last few weeks, in addition to the Excel treatment, that I think are working (more plants, regular ferts dosing, etc.). Here are the water details, FYI:

pH: 6.8
Temp: 84
KH: 5 degrees
GH: 8 degrees
Nitrate: 10 ppm
PO4: 2 ppm
Light: 3.0 WPG
CO2: 24 ppm

[shalu]

Jim, increase CO2 a bit, it will help a lot. It is rather expensive doing Excel in a 85 gallon. Did not realize you also have a discus tank I want to hear about your discus at next SFBAAPS plant swap. With high CO2 and regular dosing, I don't have any algae except a bit of hair algae on gravel.

[Jim]

Sha,

Thanks, I'll bump the CO2 up a bit and see if that helps. Yes, I have ten discus in my 85G, all between 4"-5". Leopards, Snakeskin, Snowflake, Blue Diamond, Yellow Sunrise, Phoenix and Red Melons. It's currently a discus-only tank, but I'm thinking about adding a few SAEs and Corys to help with algae control. I'm just hesitant because I don't want to visually detract from the discus. For me, it's all about the discus and plants

Jim

[m.lemay]

Originally Posted by cprroy73

mlemay, Do you still dose micro's along with the excell, as well as the other macros?

Oh yes, do everything as you normally would. Keep the ferts in good ranges and also CO2.

Marcel

[Momotaro]

I really think cutting of any UV sterilizers is very important to the Excel treatment.

The active ingredient in Excel seems to be a bit photo sensitive, so backing off on the UV is a good idea. I dosed Excel late in the day, toward the end of my photo period as well. Figured it would minimize light exposure.

Mike

[cobra]

Is Flourish excel dosed at two to three times the regular amount harmful to shrimps?

G

[aquaverde]

Originally Posted by Jim

I'm on day 2 of an Excel treatment for my BBA, hair and green spot algae. I'm using 25 mls daily in a 85G planted discus tank. I regularly remove as much algae as I can from tank surfaces and leaves, but there are still plants in my tank that are heavily affected. Here's my question -- should I wait a week or so until it starts dying off or should I agressively be removing the bad leaves now? I'm trying to avoid having to trim back certain plants (basically to nothing). Will waiting just prolong my algae problem?

On the positive side, I have been doing a number of things in the last few weeks, in addition to the Excel treatment, that I think are working (more plants, regular ferts dosing, etc.). Here are the water details, FYI:

pH: 6.8
Temp: 84
KH: 5 degrees
GH: 8 degrees
Nitrate: 10 ppm
PO4: 2 ppm
Light: 3.0 WPG
CO2: 24 ppm

Your parameters look pretty good. If you have the tank stuffed full of plants and they're growing, things should be improving. Removal of the infested plant parts, especially hair and BBA-infested, is important.