Re: BGA and other algae

[Thomas Barr <tcbiii at earthlink_net>]

>> Blackout will cause the Gloss to become leggy
> 
> That's why I have been very reluctant to the blackout thing. =(
> 
> Thanks for all the advice! 8-)

It'll happen with Gloss in particular, but will knock out the BGA fast and
easy. Don't do over 3 days.
When you see the leggy growth, don't remove it, give it a good hair cut and
remember that Gloss grows fast.

Giving it good conditions will help it get back into shape a in couple to
three weeks with new growth. Any funny left growth can be removed after the
2-3 week grow back period.

The main thing with _all algae_ when doing any treatment or control is to do
a good trim to remove as much as you can first. Trim up the plants good,
vacuum up the leftovers, use a net to fluff off any algae floating or
loosely hanging on etc.
THEN do a water good sized water change, THEN whatever treatment you plan on
doing. Only a few algae can weather the Blackout well. Most species do not
do well with 3 days. GW and a few others need more time. Some species like
BBA stay attached even if dead.
-----

I am reluctant to use Blackout also, but BGA is more responsive tor this and
is too tough to kill without some very good cleaning/pruning that is
realistically too much work and fails often.

I keep up on my dosing generally and seldom ever get it anymore.

I do introduce a number of higher green algae to my tanks and have been
seeing/trying better control methods which are rather simple like most all
algae removal methods.

I've gotten rid of a couple of species of Green hair algae in Riccia
(Rhizoclonium) by swapping tanks and lowering the light and Color temp from
5-8000K to 4300K. 
Flipping the clumps also helped. Deprived the algae of the light but the
clump still had enough for the plant.

This species of algae is a nuisance but responds well to some blackout.
Cladophora species(Generally visible branching, darker green, shorter
filaments) are tougher to kill off using blackout but as not as bad when
infesting the plants and can be removed manually or with Shrimps.
I've removed both species in highly infested tanks with nothing but trims
and water changes with good conditions thereafter.
  
Regards, 
Tom Barr