RE: [Killietalk] Re: java moss

[Chris <cgraseck at optonline_net>]

Mark,

I might add that the reason I can't remember which Maracyn to use is
that it's been years since I've seen Cyanobacteria in one of my
freshwater tanks.  I would say that there are two reasons for this; 

1.) I don't have a single tank without Rams horn snails. 
2.) My freshwater tanks are overgrown with either Hornwort or Hygro.
Polysperma. (never both, as the Hornwort seems to be able stop the Hygro
from growing properly.)

Cheers,
Chris



> Mark what you are describing as algae sounds a lot like cyanobacteria.
> It forms a green sheet that quickly covers everything.  The type that
> seems common in fresh water aquariums has a very distinctive odor.  It
> grows much more quickly than algae.  You can pull a sheet of it away
> from an object and it will immediately start to grow back.  Under
> optimal conditions, it only takes a day or two for it to cover what
you
> just cleaned off.  I have found that Maracyn works very well against
> this stuff.  The problem is that I can't remember weather it was
Maracyn
> I or II.  Maracyn is an antibiotic.  When used at half strength it
> doesn't seem to upset nitrification but will get rid of cyanobacteria.
> It takes about a week of dosing the tank at half the recommended dose
to
> wipe the cyanobacteria out.  Maybe someone else on the list knows
which
> one (Maracyn I or II) works the best.  Maracyn I is for Gram-positive
> bacteria and Maracyn II is for Gram-negative bacteria.  Unfortunately
> Cyanobacteria are gram- but closely related to the gram+ bacteria.  I
> don't Know how Maracyn works but I imagine it has something to do with
> the cell wall structure of the bacteria.
>
> If you don't want to mess with antibiotics against the cyanobacteria I
> have found that Mollies will suck it up like no tomorrow.  Ramshorn
> snails and pupfish also help to keep it at bay without doing too much
> damage to the plants in the process.  The Maracyn really works well
> though.
>
> Cheers,
> Chris
>
>



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