It's been a long story, but I converted my low light/low tech 125 gallon to a low light mid tech tank. I did this as my ongoing battle with BBA. I had horrible BBA for a long time due to excessive water changes in an effort to keep down nitrates (large SA/CA cichlids). I got a 20 lb CO2 cylinder and am misting CO2 from either end of this 6 foot tank. Plant load is about medium, because that's all the cichlids will allow. Plants include watersprite (a few floating, but mainly planted large ones, jungle vals, corkscrew vals, Anubias, java fern and java moss. Lighting is T5's and T8's (Coralife and Perfecto) for a total of 144 watts.
I've been using Excel to systematically eradicate the BBA menace, with some measure of success, prior to adding pressurized CO2. However, ever since I added the CO2, the rest of the tank is great, but area where the CO2 mist is strongest (heaters, filter outlets) are the areas accumulatin MORE BBA. And yesterday I took down my Rhinox 2000 diffuser to clean off what I thought was brown algae, but found to be BBA! What's going on here? Why is the BBA preferentially attacking these areas and how can I stop it?
FWIW, my filters are an FX5 and an Eheim 2028, one on each end. The Fluval uses a dual outlet output and the Eheim I am using a spray bar. Both are pointed towards the center of the tank.
I can see the plants pearling even with the heavy water flow, so they are growing well (the watersprite and the Java Fern are actually out of control).
I change about 30% of the water once a week and dose with K2SO4 (no need for nitrates or phosphates, I do the water changes to reduce them) and add a tablespoon of Epsom salts and 30 ml of trace (from local hydroponics store).
I've been using Excel to systematically eradicate the BBA menace, with some measure of success, prior to adding pressurized CO2. However, ever since I added the CO2, the rest of the tank is great, but area where the CO2 mist is strongest (heaters, filter outlets) are the areas accumulatin MORE BBA. And yesterday I took down my Rhinox 2000 diffuser to clean off what I thought was brown algae, but found to be BBA! What's going on here? Why is the BBA preferentially attacking these areas and how can I stop it?
FWIW, my filters are an FX5 and an Eheim 2028, one on each end. The Fluval uses a dual outlet output and the Eheim I am using a spray bar. Both are pointed towards the center of the tank.
I can see the plants pearling even with the heavy water flow, so they are growing well (the watersprite and the Java Fern are actually out of control).
I change about 30% of the water once a week and dose with K2SO4 (no need for nitrates or phosphates, I do the water changes to reduce them) and add a tablespoon of Epsom salts and 30 ml of trace (from local hydroponics store).
