BGA help

[cc_woman]

I service aquariums for a living right now, so my problem might be a little more difficult than if this was happening in my own home.

In a couple aquariums I do for work, they have the cyanobacteria, otherwise known as blue green algae. There are no live plants in these aquariums, so typically the algae's I usually see are easy to remove with minimal effort. I do know methods of removing BGA like doing a blackout period etc. But the problem is that we can't do the usual treatments to get rid of this like the black out, adding live plants, dosing with nitrates. The only solution I can think of is using an algaecide, but then again using this method can decrease oxygen levels in the tank as the algae is killed off. I am only there every 2 weeks to service these aquariums, and the only thing I can possibly do is manually remove it, but this doesn't seem to be working causing the bacteria to be there again by the next service date. Any advice on getting rid of this stuff?

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

BGA is also affected by the amount of available light (like most algae). Can you cut the duration or intensity? Raise the fixtures? Remove a bulb? Change the timing so that it is more limited to when the clients are home? Since there are no plants (correct?) the fish will do fine in room light. I have digital timers that do multiple day/time/zones where you can have different times/durations each day of the week. Less than $20 as I remember.

I feel for you trying to eliminate this in multiple tanks with all different conditions and NO PLANTS.

Here is a good overall thread on algae:

Aquarium Algae ID (updated 16th Spet '08)

Best of luck!

 

[cc_woman]

Thanks for your response. Some of these tanks are in public places like restaurants and such, so I can always try talking to my boss and see if we can get timers for some of them. I will have to take a second look at some of bulbs in some of the fixtures to see what type of lighting they are using.

I usually always use the link you sent me for reference on algae. It is a great link

 

[jeff5614]

If you can clean out as much as possible and then dose with erythromycin I'd think oxygen levels would not be affected too much and you could also add some surface agitation or an airstone.

 

[ibnozn]

Using Excel directly on BGA has worked best for me. You can make a great target applicator from a dosing syringe and a foot or two of 1/8" rigid tubing connected with a bit of airline hose. Turn off the pumps, blow the Excel right on the BGA and turn the pumps back on after a minute or so. It should start turning grey and dying off after a couple of days.