Please share your thoughts on Maracyn dosing for BGA

[ShadowMac]

I'm curious to hear people's thoughts on using Maracyn to control BGA.

I've recently had a discussion in a thread that I didn't think it was the best approach and likened dosing maracyn to a person with high blood pressure taking a pill, but not changing their lifestyle. Its a quick fix, but does not get at the root problems. There is an individual who is insistent it is best practice to use maracyn.

I stated that BGA is similar to other algae in that the methods to control it are similar, improve CO2, improve dosing, improve flow, reduce light. Try a blackout to kill it.

Please provide me with more than my own regurgitated knowledge. Or if I'm wrong tell me so.

Thank you

 

[nipat]

Black-out, antibiotics are short cut. It will come back if the root cause is not solved.

I think all my BGA incidents are caused by high level of DOC (dissolved organic carbon).
Because I find that cleaning filter, using carbon pad, improving oxygen level (to improve
biodegradation), or any way to reduce DOC, will reduce BGA fast.

http://fins.actwin.com/aquatic-plants/month.200312/msg00350.html

This is from the reef side, but it's very informative and probably applicable to our side.
http://netclub.athiel.com/cyano/cyanos2.htm

 

[ShadowMac]

thanks, both helpful links. I had failed to mention DOC. My BGA occured when flow was decreased allowing detritus to build up.

 

[nazrm]

I recently had some BGA which I removed using 3 bags of Maracyn each day for 3 days. (250L aquarium) Root cause was that I forgot to dose KNO3! It totally disappeared by the 4th day.

 

[Cyclesafe]

For me, BGA is controlled with better flow. I have a undergravel jet system that sweeps the bottom of the tank 9X per hour.

Erythromycin works very fast on BGA and doesn't kill your nitrosomas and whatnot.

 

[Gerryd]

Hi,

BGA can be caused by dirty filters and/or low K...

Both have caused this in my tank at one time or another...

If the maracyn dosage is prophylactic in nature, I personally would not do it. You should as stated look for and address the root causes...

I don;t like to add stuff to the water just to prevent algae. That does not seem like a sound strategy to me. Just my 2 cents of course...

Don't doubt it works, just think it unwise in general...if all is in order, BGA should not appear...

 

[Tom Barr]

If there is an increase in DOC's, somethign no one I know has ever measured as an aquarist.............and flow decreases when the filter gets clogged, what else may be occurring related to NO3?
Denitrification.

 

[nipat]

If there is an increase in DOC's, somethign no one I know has ever measured as an aquarist.............and flow decreases when the filter gets clogged, what else may be occurring related to NO3?
Denitrification.

Could you estimate the rate of denitrification for a planted tank in that situation?
I've been wondering how fast it can destroy NO3.

 

[Tom Barr]

Could you estimate the rate of denitrification for a planted tank in that situation?
I've been wondering how fast it can destroy NO3.

Yes you can measure this.

You need two tanks however linked, one with weeds and all, and then another without, but deep sand etc.

Then cut them off and measure the removal of NO3.

You can also uproot the plants very carefully in a normal tank and then measure the loss of NO3.
The roots influence NO3=> N2 a great deal and stop it. However, the plants take it up also.

So here is a case where the plants add O2 that prevents bacterial usage of NO3 to N2 gas.

The plants could be said to compete for N in this case, but for different reasons, one is an electron acceptor, the other is a nutrient.

Still, adding more NO3 is the solution to prevent reoccurance and a good routine for cleaning the filters often.

.

 

[aquabillpers]

I sometimes get BGA in a new tank. I assume that the cause is that the soil substrate is providing more nutrients than the new plants consume. Maracyn kills the BGA, and it doesn't come back.

Bill

 

[Matt F.]

Maracyn aka erythromycin works on BGA. No questions asked. I find it has little affect on good bacteria. I've never had a tank crash from using Maracyn.
I've only had BGA once-- in a tank where I did not EI dose. All my EI dosed tanks have been BGA free Coincidence?