black out?

NWA-Planted · 11-20-2011, 11:09 PM

So I am having to wait on a part to get the CO2 going correctly. IN the mean time I was thinking about wrapping a blanket around the tank to blackout everything to try and get a head up on the BBA I have in the tank. My question is, how many days can you go without a large detrimental effect on the plants?

becks17 · 11-21-2011, 01:08 AM

I think a better way to go about it is to have a 2-3 hour blackout in between during your "daylight" cycle. Plants are higher order organisms and can "turn on/off" photosynthesis much faster than algae. This will prevent the algae from ever getting going and the plants will outcompete the algae for the nutrients in the water.
Also, Flourish Excel is excellent in killing BBA.

NWA-Planted · 11-21-2011, 01:45 AM

I will have to try the dark period in between, so I have heard, need to order some!

**herns** · 11-21-2011, 03:26 AM

I haven't tried black out to get rid of algae.
I just play with light period and EI Fert dose and more CO2.

NWA-Planted · 11-21-2011, 03:38 AM

as I said waiting on the CO2 pieces, will have to get a big bottle of excel. I turned off one set of lights, and put the other set on a couple hour rotation on and off. So at the bare minimum, the algae wont spike to much before I get in the CO2

**kevmo911** · 11-21-2011, 03:59 AM

I've never seen a big bottle of Excel in an LFS - only the 125mL size, I think. But if you're going to order a big bottle, get Metricide or Cidex instead. They're the same active ingredient at a higher concentration, and lower price as well. A gallon of Metricide 14 from dealmed.com cost me less than $30, and will probably last me the rest of my life. It's around 70% higher concentration, so you can mix small batches with 10 parts Met, 7 parts water to get Excel-strength. Or check Wet's glutaraldehyde (that's the active ingredient) calculator to be more exact with the mixture.

Bannik · 11-21-2011, 05:10 AM

With BBA it is better to fix the conditions that is causing it, then trim any affected leaves and let your plants focus their efforts on new growth.

samjpikey · 11-21-2011, 06:32 AM

I'm currently trying a 'blackout' on my tank to tackle a small amount of BBA and BHA , but I've just left the lights off , I trimmed a lot of the infected leafs , done a 45% water change then overdosed slightly with excell , going to leave the lights off for 2 or maybe 3 days then when the've come back on I will up the input of co2 then hopefully it'll clear up pretty quick or prevent it from returning if the blackout had got rid

will let you know how I get on !

samjpikey · 11-22-2011, 07:29 PM

just to let you know that the above worked for me and all my algea i had has totally vanished

result

11-20-2011, 11:09 PM	#1
NWA-Planted Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 3,068	black out? So I am having to wait on a part to get the CO2 going correctly. IN the mean time I was thinking about wrapping a blanket around the tank to blackout everything to try and get a head up on the BBA I have in the tank. My question is, how many days can you go without a large detrimental effect on the plants?

11-21-2011, 01:08 AM	#2
becks17 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (13/100%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 129	I think a better way to go about it is to have a 2-3 hour blackout in between during your "daylight" cycle. Plants are higher order organisms and can "turn on/off" photosynthesis much faster than algae. This will prevent the algae from ever getting going and the plants will outcompete the algae for the nutrients in the water. Also, Flourish Excel is excellent in killing BBA. __________________ 2.5g Cube Garden

11-21-2011, 03:26 AM	#4
herns Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (161/100%) Join Date: May 2008 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 2,468	I haven't tried black out to get rid of algae. I just play with light period and EI Fert dose and more CO2. __________________ "No CO2/poor CO2 & high light/ ferts = great way to grow algae" - Tom Barr

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11-21-2011, 01:45 AM	#3
NWA-Planted Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 3,068	I will have to try the dark period in between, so I have heard, need to order some!

11-21-2011, 03:38 AM	#5
NWA-Planted Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Bentonville, AR Posts: 3,068	as I said waiting on the CO2 pieces, will have to get a big bottle of excel. I turned off one set of lights, and put the other set on a couple hour rotation on and off. So at the bare minimum, the algae wont spike to much before I get in the CO2

11-21-2011, 03:59 AM	#6
kevmo911 Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32/100%) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Greensboro, NC Posts: 3,750	I've never seen a big bottle of Excel in an LFS - only the 125mL size, I think. But if you're going to order a big bottle, get Metricide or Cidex instead. They're the same active ingredient at a higher concentration, and lower price as well. A gallon of Metricide 14 from dealmed.com cost me less than $30, and will probably last me the rest of my life. It's around 70% higher concentration, so you can mix small batches with 10 parts Met, 7 parts water to get Excel-strength. Or check Wet's glutaraldehyde (that's the active ingredient) calculator to be more exact with the mixture.

11-21-2011, 05:10 AM	#7
Bannik Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (2/100%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 151	With BBA it is better to fix the conditions that is causing it, then trim any affected leaves and let your plants focus their efforts on new growth.

11-21-2011, 06:32 AM	#8
samjpikey Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: england Posts: 169	I'm currently trying a 'blackout' on my tank to tackle a small amount of BBA and BHA , but I've just left the lights off , I trimmed a lot of the infected leafs , done a 45% water change then overdosed slightly with excell , going to leave the lights off for 2 or maybe 3 days then when the've come back on I will up the input of co2 then hopefully it'll clear up pretty quick or prevent it from returning if the blackout had got rid will let you know how I get on !

11-22-2011, 07:29 PM	#9
samjpikey Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: england Posts: 169	just to let you know that the above worked for me and all my algea i had has totally vanished result