Sorry, yet another BBA thread :(

[TerriM]

I have read many, many threads on BBA and almost all of them say it seems to be a CO2 issue. However the problem I'm having is that this is not a planted tank, unless one java fern constitutes planted. No ferts, no CO2. 29 gallon with shelldweller cichlids and some comps. Texas holey rock, shells and the above-mentioned java fern.

Is this lonely little java fern causing the BBA?

Oh, also Ammonia and Nitrite are both 0 and Nitrates are right around 10.

[wizza]

How much light have you got?

[TerriM]

Oh, yes I knew I'd forget something! Just the standard, cheap aquarium light. One fluorescent bulb, 24 inch 20 watt with a Kelvin rating of 5200.

[wizza]

Tbh I was expecting you to say "2 t5ho tubes" or something. So I'm surprised that you have bba. Perhaps someone will be along with an idea.
All I can tell you it isn't the plant "causing" the bba.
Ideally you want some sort of plant though to get a bit of balance....

[Painell123]

One thing that has worked for me is Flourish Excel! Over dose on the first application, then dose as prescribed thereafter until the BBA has gone. You will see it go light brown/orange after about 2 days, then it should disappear after a week.

[TerriM]

Thank you for your input, it is very much appreciated. I am very, very hesitant to dose Excel, especially a double dose. I have some rather delicate fish in this particular tank. According to Seachem Excel is a reducing agent and shouldn't be overdosed, so I am rather concerned about it be honest. http://www.seachem.com/support/forum...ead.php?t=3854

I did try the hydrogen peroxide method as well. And although it seems to work well enough it comes back.

I vacuumed out all the BBA I could on the last water change, but it keeps coming back. Tank is a fully cycled tank with otherwise great parameters. Nobody has any suggestions as to why I might be getting this algae?

[touch of sky]

Are you sure it is black brush algae? Usually that doesn't vacuum out because it is so well attached to things.

[TerriM]

Yes, I had applied the peroxide to it for two days before I did my weekly water change. Then I took a smaller diameter tubing and used it to vacuum, it is much more powerful that way than just using the end of the python due to its smaller diameter. So I think the peroxide loosened it a bit. And I didn't by any means get all of it. There are many Tonna shells and escargot shells in the tank too.

Maybe I have to get it all out to keep it from coming back? But yes, it's BBA. Fish don't seem to care but it sure is ugly.

[sewingalot]

When you don't feed plants or give them enough light, they can become weak and leach out their nutrients. This is enough for bba to take over in many cases. Other times it is as simple as you were given a plant with bba already on it, and it just continues to grow. I suspect more of the later for you. I've had bba grow in just ambient light, it's that adaptive. Since you have sensitive fish, I highly recommend taking the plant out for treatment. No need to treat the whole tank for one little plant. You could then spot treat it, put it in the dark, use excel, bleach whatever your method. Just rinse well before adding back to the tank if you go with chemicals.

[TWA]

Yeah bleach whatever you can (rocks etc) and spot treat with a normal dose of excel. Get it in an eye dropper and squirt a little onto the algae. Get it before it gets worse, it can get really out of hand really quick

[sewingalot]

To make this clear, always bleach OUTSIDE of the tank. I've seen a few newbies make the deadly mistake of using bleach inside. And rinse, rinse, rinse, rinse before returning it to the tank. Doesn't hurt to soak it in heavily de-chlorinated water afterward, either. Also, if you are bleaching, don't mix chemicals like excel. It's never wise to mix any chemicals as they can produce harmful/deadly chemicals/gasses without realizing it. Remember that bleach is really a last resort as it's the toughest on plants and often kills weaker/delicate plants. I would use H202 (in small amounts) or excel first.

[TerriM]

Thank you very much for the advice. So this one, lonely little plant caused the BBA? I will removed it. Actually it was the rock itself I want in the aquarium just decided heck the plant can go with it since it was already on it. lol So out it goes.

And yes, I know not to just dump the bleach in my tank but thank you for clarifying that just in case. My fish thank you!!

The absolute hard part is going to be all the shells. These fish dive in these shells when something disturbs them so getting the shells cleaned will be a long, tedious process. Big problem will be figuring out WHICH shells they dove into therefore which ones I can remove.

I appreciate all the input and advice. Thank you!

[TWA]

The plant didn't cause the algae unless it had some on it when you bought it.

[sewingalot]

The only thing that causes BBA is BBA. It could have been introduced from the java fern, rocks or fish. Fish can eat something that had BBA on it, and when they produced excrement, it can get into your tank that way. But given the plant is the only thing covered in BBA makes me think the plant was possibly contaminated to begin with. You don't need to pitch it, just clean it. And watch out for BBA popping up elsewhere now as flow is needed for sexual reproduction of it's spores.

[TerriM]

Fish? Now that I didn't know. And how I wish it was just the plant. As TWA said, it takes over fast. It's the whole tank. The plant I got as part of a huge group from a someone on here, the rest of them are perfectly clean and in another tank. The newest thing in the tank are the juvie comps. That would be about the right time frame. Everything in this particular aquarium was previously in another of my aquariums except those new fish. I have none of this algae in any of my other ones.