Adding nitrates to combat BGA...so far so good
 

Well, I seem to have the BGA under control in the Betta's tank for the
time being. I did a few things Saturday.

1. Blocked off the sunlight so the tank is now running completely on the
14 watt fluorescent light. I don't think this alone would make much
difference.

2. Added even more plants to use up any non-nitrate nutrients.

3. Completely removed the unhappy Mayaca that had the BGA growing on it
and replaced it with fresh, removing most of the BGA from the tank in
the process. Vacuumed the patch of BGA off of the substrate.

4. Added a few Amano shrimp for housekeeping. Interestingly, their
stomachs looked blue-green at first. Has anyone seen these fellows eat
cyanobacter?

5. Dosed nitrate to bring the tank up from below 2ppm to 8ppm.

There has been no new growth of BGA in the tank. I dosed again with
nitrate today (along with regular Fe, Excel and K fertilization regime)
and will test again Saturday to see how much nitrate is left in the
water after a week of dosing.

If plants continue to grow well this way, I'll probably mix all my
various Kent Tropica ferts in the right proprotions for daily dosing
like PMDD until I use them up.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

4. Added a few Amano shrimp for housekeeping. Interestingly, their
stomachs looked blue-green at first. Has anyone seen these fellows eat
cyanobacter?

I've never had ammanos and BGA in the same tank, but they're like
freaking goats - what won't they eat? Mine like live white worms
the best and will scarf as many or morethan they can carry
the greedy litle buggers.

If their gut is blue-green then they ate something blue-green.

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

ARG! I still don't know what your phosphate levels are Elaine....
Phooey.

Here, you can burrow my phosphate test kit........... []

my aquarium page, info and pics at:
www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html

spiral_72 wrote:
ARG! I still don't know what your phosphate levels are Elaine....
Phooey.

Here, you can burrow my phosphate test kit........... []

my aquarium page, info and pics at:
www.geocities.com/spiral_72/Spirals_page.html

*sigh* I have to mail order it and iron and nitrate were higher on my
list. I'm still collecting test kits. I haven't done fish other than a
betta and some crypts in a few years. I left all the fish stuff, Big
Blue (my 5 year old S. ahli), the discus, and Tanganyikans with my ex.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

*sigh* I have to mail order it and iron and nitrate were higher on my
list. I'm still collecting test kits. I haven't done fish other than a
betta and some crypts in a few years. I left all the fish stuff, Big
Blue (my 5 year old S. ahli), the discus, and Tanganyikans with my ex.

Now that's revenge. My ex has my Diatom-XL and TFH and Innes's aquarium
going back to the 40's. Not that she kept or even liked fish mind you..

--
Need Mercedes parts ? - http://parts.mbz.org
http://www.mbz.org | Mercedes Mailing lists: http://lists.mbz.org
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | Killies, killi.net, Crypts, aquaria.net
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Old wris****ches http://watches.list.mbz.org

Richard Sexton wrote:
*sigh* I have to mail order it and iron and nitrate were higher on my
list. I'm still collecting test kits. I haven't done fish other than a
betta and some crypts in a few years. I left all the fish stuff, Big
Blue (my 5 year old S. ahli), the discus, and Tanganyikans with my ex.


Now that's revenge. My ex has my Diatom-XL and TFH and Innes's aquarium
going back to the 40's. Not that she kept or even liked fish mind you..

It was good riddance with the discus for sure. Those fish were a PITA.
I'd never try them again in anything under 100 gallons, and only with
soft tapwater.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__