GDA update, solution virtually a guarantee

Tom Barr

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Well, I removed the Bushy nose plecos from a client's tank, about a month later, the GDA came right back with full fury.

I added them back, a few days later, no GDA.

This is a confirmation that the BNP's did the deed.

I've done the addition before on tanks in the past, with great results in every case, but never removed them and then waited.....then add them back like this.
As long as you make sure to add enough smaller BNP's, I add about 10 to a 75 Gall, but they are only 2" long max.
Cost, about 2-3$ retail. You can add 100 umols of light at the bottom of the tank etc, juicy ferts, high fish loads etc........and still get rid of the GDA.

There will be whiners who cannot add BNP's for any number of reasons, I understand, likewise there are many that will not use algae fix for green hair algae also, or spot treat algae, or prune or or or.......
But if you ask for a solution, I have one for you and the other method was the wait till it sloughs off after 3-4 weeks method also, but many will not do that either.

I've added the GDA to my tanks at home, cannot get any. I have some BNP's in my 70 Gallon, but only 6-7 now.
Nuggets, an Otto's, a few others in the other tanks. The reef, has a lot of snails, which are the same type of thing, wiped the algae out.

I think for now, this is the best sure fire method to get rid of GDA that is available other than manual removal 2-3x a week.
Better the BNP's than you.

I have shown:

1. Good environmentals and care
2. Leave it alone and wipe after 3-4 weeks
3. BNP's(there may be other species that are more/just or little less effective, I have not tested every species obviously) for 3 different methods for a cure.

Good environmental conditions obviously are always the best approach, but.............BNP's seem the best option for most cases where folks have issues or cannot resolve it(at least yet at this point in in their hobby).
 

dutchy

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There's an LFS here that has a big pleco in every tank, just to keep the GDA out. It works, his tanks are clean.

Still I wouldn't want 30 BNP's in my tank just for that purpose. The micron filter I'm using now works really well, I'm in the second week of using it and the GDA is still getting less. When I pulled out the old micron filter it was GREEN. I changed it after one week.

BTW I use JBL SymecMicro, it's a fabric that can be cut to fit.
 

Tom Barr

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I think a nice hang one micron filter or better yet, the good old diatom filter would also do the trick, thanks Dutchy, I forgot about it.

I think a few aggressive wipings on the glass, a few weeks later it should be pretty much removed.
 

Tom Barr

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I think a nice hang one micron filter or better yet, the good old diatom filter would also do the trick, thanks Dutchy, I forgot about it.

I think a few aggressive wipings on the glass, a few weeks later it should be pretty much removed.
 

Tom Barr

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2nd week of the return, they are keeping it even cleaner. Will check again on Monday. BNP you add and the algae is gone for years.

My 70 Gallon Buce tank had a bad case before I even considered planting it, I'd removed all the plants(had hair grass back then), even the wife laughed at the tank. Then I added them. 3 Days later and it's never had an issue since.
That's maybe 5-6 months ago.
 

Tom Barr

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2nd week of the return, they are keeping it even cleaner. Will check again on Monday. BNP you add and the algae is gone for years.

My 70 Gallon Buce tank had a bad case before I even considered planting it, I'd removed all the plants(had hair grass back then), even the wife laughed at the tank. Then I added them. 3 Days later and it's never had an issue since.
That's maybe 5-6 months ago.
 

AaronT

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Don't you find that they poo quite a bit? I've always felt the trade off in extra organic waste that can lead to other algaes isn't worth it. I guess that's not your experience?

Another option along the lines of the micron filter is UV sterilization. I've found UV also helps control hair algae.
 

Tom Barr

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fablau;121294 said:
Tom, how much do you feed your BNP? Do you feed with green tabs?

Ken's spirulina sticks, about 2-3x a week.
Good stuff, shrimp love it also.

So if you add a lot of Amano' RCS and BNP's, you have a great cleaner crew.
Better them, than you.

I think more water changes, more good general care, trimming, algae eaters, good flow and CO2 delivery, all these things add up and make algae much less of an issue.
It's not one silver bullet, but many little hammers beating the algae back.
 

Tom Barr

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fablau;121294 said:
Tom, how much do you feed your BNP? Do you feed with green tabs?

Ken's spirulina sticks, about 2-3x a week.
Good stuff, shrimp love it also.

So if you add a lot of Amano' RCS and BNP's, you have a great cleaner crew.
Better them, than you.

I think more water changes, more good general care, trimming, algae eaters, good flow and CO2 delivery, all these things add up and make algae much less of an issue.
It's not one silver bullet, but many little hammers beating the algae back.
 

denske

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But what do you do with these guys when they get too big? I have a few babies in my tank, and cant believe how much waste they produce.
 

wheatiesl337

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Take them to the LFS when they get too big?

Tom, what temperature ranges do you keep BNPs in?

- - - Updated - - -

Take them to the LFS when they get too big?

Tom, what temperature ranges do you keep BNPs in?
 

AaronT

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denske;122015 said:
But what do you do with these guys when they get too big? I have a few babies in my tank, and cant believe how much waste they produce.

This is my dislike for the BN pleco solution as well. Man, that's a lot of poo they make.
 

Whiskey

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I have mine in a discus tank at 82. This solution has also been very successful for me. I've gone from glass cleaning every other day to doing it on my weekly water change day with only 3 plecos in a 75 g tank.

ill get more when the LFS gets them in.

whiskey
 

Tom Barr

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denske;122015 said:
But what do you do with these guys when they get too big? I have a few babies in my tank, and cant believe how much waste they produce.

That's 1-2 years away. GDA likely will not be such an issue by then one would hope, you can always take nice big bushy nose and trade them for smaller ones too.
 

Tom Barr

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AaronT;122019 said:
This is my dislike for the BN pleco solution as well. Man, that's a lot of poo they make.

Little ones? Are you guys buying full sized adults or something and have a lot of wood or?
Ones I buy are 2" max, maybe 2x the size an otto cat.

Poo is better than algae.
 

Tom Barr

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wheatiesl337;122017 said:
Take them to the LFS when they get too big?

Tom, what temperature ranges do you keep BNPs in?

I have them in a 72F tank and an 82F tank.

They are pretty tough tank bred/raised fish.
It'll be a year or two before I need to worry about their size.
 

UDGags

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What size groups do BNP's do better in?

I'm picking some up (6 weeks old, so small) this weekend for a local breeder and curious how many I should attempt to put in my 125g. I have ~15 Oto's, 30 cardinal tetras, 6-7 Apistogramma Borelli and adding a couple hundred sakura shrimp this weekend as well.