[butchblack]

I just redid my 10g tank that was overrun with BG algae. My java moss was heavily inundated with it. By soaking and rinsing it, I think I got most of it out. Is java moss susceptible to BG algae? The tank just had a small HOB filter on it. No airstone or UV. I'm thinking of moving the moss to my 10 quarantine tank. How much light will I need to keep it alive? What can I do to minimize BG algae? Airstone? Increase circulation as the other tank had very little. How important is PAR spectrum light for it? I've got a few plants in the other 10g. I'm planning to restock with fish but want to make sure I don't run into the same BG algae problem.

 

[MissCris]

Java moss isn't extremely susceptible to BG algae, in fact I seem to have fewer problems when setting up new tanks if I add a bagged clump of it to help slurp up excess nutrients until the plants get going.

As far as light to keep it alive goes, that stuff needs only a small amount of light to survive. Like, put it in a jar in a well lit room and it'll be ok for months, though it probably won't grow much.

I think your issue may have been too much fertilizer relative to plant mass and/or light for the plants and/or available carbon for the plants. If nutrient uptake and lightning aren't balanced, you get problems. Lack of circulation can contribute to that, but it depends in the overall setup (plant mass, available nutrients, light, etc.). It probably wouldn't hurt though to upgrade your filter or add an air stone to improve gas exchange.

More frequent water changes help by removing excess nutrients from the water column. Phosphate in particular contributes to BG algae (cyanobacteria), so if your plants aren't able to use all the phosphate, then the cyanobacteria will flourish. You can either really push light and the other nutrients (and carbon) and add more plants to fight this by having them use it up, or you can do water changes more frequently to keep it from accumulating.