im ready to try and get rid of this bga/bba breakout thats slowly taking over my tank. i tried to kill it off by raising my co2 but when i get to the levels where it starts turning white my fish start to getting really sleepy and cant take the co2 overdosing..so i thought i might try a blackout,but i need help getting it started..i know i need total darkness for 3 days but what about my EI and co2..dan
whats the process for a 3day blackout?
- Thread starter danski
- Start date
Prune snip, clean, fluff, preen, and then clean filters, tubes etc.
Then do a water change, 50% or so..........
Add KNO3/PO4/GH(no traces)
Then turn off CO2, light.
Add a bit more current to the surface.
Cover tank with 2 layers of trash bags etc.
Wait 3 days
Remove bags, turn light/CO2 back on.
Do another 50% water change.
You can add some Excel as well after the water changes.
You can also and likely should do 2-3x a week 50% Water changes followed by Excel, revamp and look at the CO2 much more and watch plants for new growth.
Keep up on things from then on. after a 1-3 weeks of hard work, you likely can back off and relax.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Then do a water change, 50% or so..........
Add KNO3/PO4/GH(no traces)
Then turn off CO2, light.
Add a bit more current to the surface.
Cover tank with 2 layers of trash bags etc.
Wait 3 days
Remove bags, turn light/CO2 back on.
Do another 50% water change.
You can add some Excel as well after the water changes.
You can also and likely should do 2-3x a week 50% Water changes followed by Excel, revamp and look at the CO2 much more and watch plants for new growth.
Keep up on things from then on. after a 1-3 weeks of hard work, you likely can back off and relax.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Tom Barr;21307 said:
"Prune snip", you mean remove algae-coated/dead leaves, stems, fronds?
"fluff", you mean generally give the substrate a good bit of moving and mixing?
"preen", what? I don't know what you mean...
By "clean filters, tubes", do you mean to totally sanitize what parts you can without disturbing the bio filter, or just basically remove algae deposits and build ups on the tubes and filters?
Please help a poor fool...
Yes, for the most part you got everything right.
Fluffing a tank means just sloshing the water around and flicking the plant leaves underwater good to get any dust that settles or dead leaves off, then net them out etc or siphon out.
Preening-> see birds and their feathers, they clean them individually and meticulously. Same deal with plant leaves etc.
Cleaning the filter just means rinsing the media etc with warm tap water good, get the dirt out, use those long wire brushes to clean out the tubes etc, add fresh floss etc.
Regards,
Tom Barr
Fluffing a tank means just sloshing the water around and flicking the plant leaves underwater good to get any dust that settles or dead leaves off, then net them out etc or siphon out.
Preening-> see birds and their feathers, they clean them individually and meticulously. Same deal with plant leaves etc.
Cleaning the filter just means rinsing the media etc with warm tap water good, get the dirt out, use those long wire brushes to clean out the tubes etc, add fresh floss etc.
Regards,
Tom Barr
