Black brush algae..excess phosphates?

I have been battling BBA for a while now in my 55 gallon freshwater
tank. I know that excess phosphates are one contibuting factor.
Untill recently I was unable to find a test to tell me what my
phosphate levels were.

Well, I finally found a phosphate test and it says that the phosphate
levels in my tank are 2 ppm. I also tested my tap water and the levels
are the same (2 ppm).

My question is, what level of phosphate is considered "excessive" pr
high...does BBA need a certain level in order to thrive?

I have recently purchased some "phosban" and put some into my canister
filter. The next day my phosphate level was at 0.5 ppm.

Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I have been battling BBA for a while now in my 55 gallon freshwater
tank. I know that excess phosphates are one contibuting factor.
Untill recently I was unable to find a test to tell me what my
phosphate levels were.

Well, I finally found a phosphate test and it says that the phosphate
levels in my tank are 2 ppm. I also tested my tap water and the levels
are the same (2 ppm).

Where did you find the phosphate tester? -ED

I bought mine at a "petland" store. It is manufactured by Aquarium
Pharmaceuticals. Here is a link to the AP site:
http://aquariumpharm.com/en_us/produ...yname=TestKits

Even if the PO4 test is correct, your enmtire assumption about the
cause(not the correlation) of PO4 being the root or even the
contributing gfactor to BBA is flatly wrong. This was shown over a
decade ago both in the USA and in Germany.
We limited the PO4 to less than 0.1ppm, which is about as low as any
decent test kit can go, which was a Hach and a Lamotte test kit and we
used KH2PO4 for standards to check if the test kits where accurately
reading.

We found no corelation between BBa and PO4 levels, if anything, there
was a strong relationship between higher PO4 levels and lower presence
of BBA.

In any event, folks routinely on most popular aquatic plant forums and
boards add KH2PO4 to maintain 2-3ppm of PO4 through the week. They have
no BBA. I've been adding PO4 for at least 15 years. I have no BBA.

Sio if you accept that high PO4 causes algae/BBA, where is my algae?
This hypothesis is wrong, this is a myth and has been said as such.

The information you got that is was caused by high/excess PO4 is very
outdated, 20-30 years or more old and based on __myth__, not any
testing.

If someone says algae is caused by X, I add X to an otherwise healthy
tank, and I do not get algae, it's difficult to sugegst that X causes
algae.

If you want to stop BBA, learn how to use CO2 if you add that.
Low and variable CO2 levels are the only cause for BBA I'm aware off in
CO2 enriched tanks.
In non CO2 tanks, stop doing water changes and add enough to top off
for evaporation.

For the CO2 tanks, add enough to get about 25-30ppm and keep it there
throughout the day peroid.

That's it and you do not need PO4 removers, they will not help.

Regards,

Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com

Actually BBA appeared in my tank once my pH sensor went faulty and lowered
my pH to 6.2 - that was some 80+ppm of CO2! It quickly took over.

The only way I know of destroying it is to use Flourish Excel, you need to
perform the initial dose and then everyday thereafter, do a 2x or 3x dose
for 2 weeks. When you put the stuff in the tank, squirt it directly onto the
algae - it will die within a couple of days going red and then white.

Also up your CO2 to at least 30ppm - apparently this stops it growing but
I'm not convinced about this tbh.

Of course make sure you tank are in balance, all the proper plant nutrients,
low phosphate (0.1ppm), low nitrate (5ppm) and get your plants growing. BBA
will gradually die off if your plants are growing well and everything is in
balance.

--
Best regards
Mark

wrote in message
oups.com...
Even if the PO4 test is correct, your enmtire assumption about the
cause(not the correlation) of PO4 being the root or even the
contributing gfactor to BBA is flatly wrong. This was shown over a
decade ago both in the USA and in Germany.
We limited the PO4 to less than 0.1ppm, which is about as low as any
decent test kit can go, which was a Hach and a Lamotte test kit and we
used KH2PO4 for standards to check if the test kits where accurately
reading.

We found no corelation between BBa and PO4 levels, if anything, there
was a strong relationship between higher PO4 levels and lower presence
of BBA.

In any event, folks routinely on most popular aquatic plant forums and
boards add KH2PO4 to maintain 2-3ppm of PO4 through the week. They have
no BBA. I've been adding PO4 for at least 15 years. I have no BBA.

Sio if you accept that high PO4 causes algae/BBA, where is my algae?
This hypothesis is wrong, this is a myth and has been said as such.

The information you got that is was caused by high/excess PO4 is very
outdated, 20-30 years or more old and based on __myth__, not any
testing.

If someone says algae is caused by X, I add X to an otherwise healthy
tank, and I do not get algae, it's difficult to sugegst that X causes
algae.

If you want to stop BBA, learn how to use CO2 if you add that.
Low and variable CO2 levels are the only cause for BBA I'm aware off in
CO2 enriched tanks.
In non CO2 tanks, stop doing water changes and add enough to top off
for evaporation.

For the CO2 tanks, add enough to get about 25-30ppm and keep it there
throughout the day peroid.

That's it and you do not need PO4 removers, they will not help.

Regards,

Tom Barr

www.BarrReport.com

*Note: There are two "Koi-Lo's" on the pond and aquaria groups.

"Mark Baldwin" wrote in message
...

The only way I know of destroying it is to use Flourish Excel, you need to
perform the initial dose and then everyday thereafter, do a 2x or 3x dose
for 2 weeks. When you put the stuff in the tank, squirt it directly onto
the algae - it will die within a couple of days going red and then white.

Mark, that didn't work in my tanks. All the Excel did was stop it from
spreading. It never turned white. It took several algae eaters to clean up
the tanks plus the Excel and micronutrients. Now however, I have a black
stringy, wiry algae none of them will eat. I'm going through Excel like a
drunk goes through a 6-pack.

Also up your CO2 to at least 30ppm - apparently this stops it growing but
I'm not convinced about this tbh.

Of course make sure you tank are in balance, all the proper plant
nutrients, low phosphate (0.1ppm), low nitrate (5ppm) and get your plants
growing. BBA will gradually die off if your plants are growing well and
everything is in balance.

--
Koi-Lo....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
Aquarium FAQ are at: http://faq.thekrib.com/
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

"Koi-Lo" None At This Time wrote in :

Mark, that didn't work in my tanks. All the Excel did was stop it
from spreading. It never turned white. It took several algae eaters
to clean up the tanks plus the Excel and micronutrients. Now however,
I have a black stringy, wiry algae none of them will eat. I'm going
through Excel like a drunk goes through a 6-pack.

Fighting algae is about finding the balance.

Not enough light for healthy plants = algae.

Too much light and not enough CO2 for healthy plants = algae.

Too much CO2 and not enough light = dead fish and algae.

Wrong temperature = algae.

Improper any of the aforementioned for plants to utilize the available
macro nutrients = algae.

Excel, which is just an organic carbon compound just helps you find a
balance in a particular area where your tank may have been lacking. You
won't have the same degree of success with it in all tanks.

On Wed, 31 May 2006 12:14:21 -0500, "Koi-Lo" None At This Time
wrote:

*Note: There are two "Koi-Lo's" on the pond and aquaria groups.

"Mark Baldwin" wrote in message
...

The only way I know of destroying it is to use Flourish Excel, you need to
perform the initial dose and then everyday thereafter, do a 2x or 3x dose
for 2 weeks. When you put the stuff in the tank, squirt it directly onto
the algae - it will die within a couple of days going red and then white.

Mark, that didn't work in my tanks. All the Excel did was stop it from
spreading. It never turned white. It took several algae eaters to clean up
the tanks plus the Excel and micronutrients. Now however, I have a black
stringy, wiry algae none of them will eat. I'm going through Excel like a
drunk goes through a 6-pack.

Also up your CO2 to at least 30ppm - apparently this stops it growing but
I'm not convinced about this tbh.

Of course make sure you tank are in balance, all the proper plant
nutrients, low phosphate (0.1ppm), low nitrate (5ppm) and get your plants
growing. BBA will gradually die off if your plants are growing well and
everything is in balance.

I had black hair algae in my 75 gallon tank soon after I set it up. I
noticed platies would eat the new strings, but not touch the longer
ones. I pulled out all plants with the hair, gravel with hair,
cleaned rocks and ornaments, bought more live bearers and Siamese
Algae Eaters, and hoped. I did something right. Over 3 years later
and now I have 5 tanks of various sizes and no Black Hair Algae.

dick

"dc" wrote in message
...
"Koi-Lo" None At This Time wrote in :

Mark, that didn't work in my tanks. All the Excel did was stop it
from spreading. It never turned white. It took several algae eaters
to clean up the tanks plus the Excel and micronutrients. Now however,
I have a black stringy, wiry algae none of them will eat. I'm going
through Excel like a drunk goes through a 6-pack.
==============================
Fighting algae is about finding the balance.

Not enough light for healthy plants = algae.

Too much light and not enough CO2 for healthy plants = algae.

Too much CO2 and not enough light = dead fish and algae.

Wrong temperature = algae.

Improper any of the aforementioned for plants to utilize the available
macro nutrients = algae.

Excel, which is just an organic carbon compound just helps you find a
balance in a particular area where your tank may have been lacking. You
won't have the same degree of success with it in all tanks.
========================
After all these years this is the first time I got really serious about
growing plants in these tanks. I mean other than vals and hornwart and an
anubia or two. The job seems complicated and expensive - a hobby in an of
itself.
--
Koi-Lo....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*

"Dick" wrote in message
...

I had black hair algae in my 75 gallon tank soon after I set it up. I
noticed platies would eat the new strings, but not touch the longer
ones.

My Mickey Mouse platys aren't big algae eaters. Their tank isn't a problem
with the black hair stuff anyway since it's so full of Java moss, wisteria,
duckweed and other plants. In fact they're running out of swimming space.
The worst of the black hair is in the two 55g fancy GF tanks.

I pulled out all plants with the hair,

Geeze,... I'd have nothing left. It's spreading over all the plants,
especially along the edges. :-(

gravel with hair,
cleaned rocks and ornaments, bought more live bearers and Siamese
Algae Eaters, and hoped.

Did the SAE actually eat the stuff?

I did something right. Over 3 years later
and now I have 5 tanks of various sizes and no Black Hair Algae.

dick
--
Koi-Lo....
Aquariums since 1952.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
~~~~ }((((* ~~~ }{{{{(ö ~~~~ }((((({*