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mskids · 02-27-2009, 05:02 PM

Hey Tom, what's up with the P-car?

You can try a few things, but the generally accepted method is as follows, first address root cause:

Ensure the plants outgrow/ starve the BGA by ensuring your CO2 is at 15-30ppm, and that the lighting is NMT 8-10 hrs/ day, A 1 hour midday break of no lighting can help.

Make sure the NPK levels are appropriate to fuel the plants. If one is low, then the plants are stunted but the BGA is nourished.

Next make sure the plant biomass is exceeds the nourishment and lighting. Again, this starves the algae.

To answer your question, maracyn can help, and is thought to hit the biofilter as well, but the BGA will come back if you don't address above. Not sure where to get it , but folks at this forum , report that E-mayacin works better on BGA. Maracyn will work at half dose to kick back BGA. Another tip is to slope gravel to front of trim since that is ofthen where it starts. Use a blcak tape line and blackout the gravel. The ambient light in the room is enough to keep that BGA on the gravel/glass interface going. Use paint scraper weekly there as well.

Then if you are clear that the conditions are on target, you will benefit from the following black out procedure decribed by Tom Barr:

Prune snip, clean, fluff, preen, and then clean filters, tubes etc.
Then do a water change, 50% or so..........
Add KNO3/PO4/GH(no traces)
Then turn off CO2, light.
Add a bit more current to the surface.

Cover tank with 2 layers of trash bags etc.

Wait 3 days

Remove bags, turn light/CO2 back on.
Do another 50% water change.

You can add some Excel as well after the water changes.

You can also and likely should do 2-3x a week 50% Water changes followed by Excel, revamp and look at the CO2 much more and watch plants for new growth.

Keep up on things from then on. after a 1-3 weeks of hard work, you likely can back off and relax.

Regards,
Tom Barr

Aquarium Plants and the Barr Report - Aquatic Plants

maracyn is effective post treatment by cutting up tablets and planting them at the glass/gravel interface to prevent the start of the outbreak and to point kill without dosing whole tank.

02-27-2009, 05:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
mskids Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 8 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 0 Times Was Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Blue Green Slime Algae & Maracyn Hey Tom, what's up with the P-car? You can try a few things, but the generally accepted method is as follows, first address root cause: Ensure the plants outgrow/ starve the BGA by ensuring your CO2 is at 15-30ppm, and that the lighting is NMT 8-10 hrs/ day, A 1 hour midday break of no lighting can help. Make sure the NPK levels are appropriate to fuel the plants. If one is low, then the plants are stunted but the BGA is nourished. Next make sure the plant biomass is exceeds the nourishment and lighting. Again, this starves the algae. To answer your question, maracyn can help, and is thought to hit the biofilter as well, but the BGA will come back if you don't address above. Not sure where to get it , but folks at this forum , report that E-mayacin works better on BGA. Maracyn will work at half dose to kick back BGA. Another tip is to slope gravel to front of trim since that is ofthen where it starts. Use a blcak tape line and blackout the gravel. The ambient light in the room is enough to keep that BGA on the gravel/glass interface going. Use paint scraper weekly there as well. Then if you are clear that the conditions are on target, you will benefit from the following black out procedure decribed by Tom Barr: Prune snip, clean, fluff, preen, and then clean filters, tubes etc. Then do a water change, 50% or so.......... Add KNO3/PO4/GH(no traces) Then turn off CO2, light. Add a bit more current to the surface. Cover tank with 2 layers of trash bags etc. Wait 3 days Remove bags, turn light/CO2 back on. Do another 50% water change. You can add some Excel as well after the water changes. You can also and likely should do 2-3x a week 50% Water changes followed by Excel, revamp and look at the CO2 much more and watch plants for new growth. Keep up on things from then on. after a 1-3 weeks of hard work, you likely can back off and relax. Regards, Tom Barr Aquarium Plants and the Barr Report - Aquatic Plants maracyn is effective post treatment by cutting up tablets and planting them at the glass/gravel interface to prevent the start of the outbreak and to point kill without dosing whole tank. Last edited by mskids : 02-27-2009 at 05:13 PM.