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Re: about that BGA



Olga Wrote:

> Water flow shouldn't be a problem as the BGA is 
> happily coating plants whose leaves are being blown 
> by a 300 powerhead.

Am I the only one on the planet who only has BGA
appear in poorly circulated water? :-)

> I confess that I don't replace mine until they GO 
> OUT. I could replace the two old ones and see if 
> that helps.

I would have had to confess to that 'crime' as well,
if I hadn't noticed a growth of a unicellular algae
directly beneath an aging tube, and then slowly formed
the connection (all by myself!).

> I can do several water changes in a row in case 
> phosphates are too high.

Water changes are always good.

> I guess I'll have to break out the test kits too and

> see how much iron, nitrate etc. is there.

My turn to confess:  I don't even own a test 'kit.'  I
only monitor pH and carbonates, and I do that with a
$8.00 bottle of pool & spa test strips.

> Oh yes ... anyone think the BGA could come from 
> extra warm water? It's been hotter than usual here 
> and with the lights and all the temp has risen in 
> the tank.

Hotter than usual where?  Here in Coastal Alabama,
we've had temperatures stay near or above 90° F since
mid-May.  This will likely continue through September,
and we won't see consistently 'cool' temperatures
until November.  The tanks have (almost) completely
enclosed hoods.  


> Does anyone think it's possible it could be caused 
> by wood in the tank? I have a couple of pieces of 
> wood in there that weren't always. 

I hope not, since I've just added two pieces of
driftwood to a newly set up tank.  

> The way this is annoying me right now I feel like 
> taking EVERY damn thing out, scrubbing it down and 
> starting over. <sigh>

Been there.  Done that.  It works--temporarily.

When trouble-shooting a tank, a tried and true tactic
is to change one thing at a time, leaving all others
just as they were.  If you try to make two or more
adjustments at one time, and the problem is solved,
you don't know what change made the difference.  I
know that sounds like a simple concept, but in the
depths of frustration, it's hard to be patient and
observe the results of an adjustment for a sufficient
period of time.

I'd start with the water changes.


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