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BBA/Algae Control

<<  i'm having a huge problem with BBA (black brush algae) in my 55 gallon 
tank, 
 which is not affecting any of the other 5 tanks i have.  the only big 
 difference in this tank is that it has a huge piece of driftwood taht the 
 others don't have.  is it possible that driftwood is leaching out 
 phosphates/phosphorus?  
 
 also, what's a good filter media to use to trap and remove excess 
 phosphates/phosphorus?  >>


Just wanted to throw in a recent experience on trying to eliminate this algae 
from my tank. It seems common advice to bleach plants 1:19 to eliminate 
algae. I followed this advice after searching through the archives the other 
day, and was led to the FAQ at The Krib web site. The other day I tried 
cleaning some anubias, java fern, and what looks to be ceratopteris silaquosa 
(fine leaf water sprite). I was able to clean the anubias and fern, though I 
noticed some remained on the fern after I put it back in the tank. The water 
sprite was another story. The advice on the krib recommends this bleaching 
treatment and that plants in poor condition may not survive the treatment, 
but probably wouldn't have anyway. This plant had taken over half a 20 gallon 
tank, and was definitely in good health. It needed trimming anyway, but by 
the time the bleaching treatment was over, there's barely anything left to 
plant. After this experience, I decided to leave the swords  alone (which 
have a good growth of the stuff on them). I expect the algae will get worse, 
now that the sprite is, for the most part, out of the picture. I noticed a 
few days later, that the surviving part of the plant which I stuck in the 
gravel (what's left of it), has a black growth on it. How's that for irony?

Bleaching should be left for tough-leafed plants only. If phosphate control 
will limit this algae, there are phosphate removers to stick in your filter 
(Phos-Zorb among others). Any experience, besides bleaching, in elminating 
this algae? Maybe it's best left as is . . . or does it take over?

Sylvia