BF McUmber Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 I think I have the starts of a little black beard algae in my work tank. I am debating on whether I use a sponge from that tank to jump start a new one. When we get plants, fish and stuff from other places, who knows what all can come in on them. Is it best to think of your tank as contaminated with all the different types of algae and that it is your job to just try to keep them at bay? Or it worth trying to play the odds to keep algae like black beard algae quarantined in the other tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyBWell Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 I think a good start would be trying to identify why your getting BBA in that tank address it and start treating the tank with an algaecide like easy carbon or seachem excel. Hydrogen peroxide could also work and an algae eater could be a good idea as well. I would say hold off on the new tank if possible until you have the BBA problem gone. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BF McUmber Posted July 12, 2021 Author Share Posted July 12, 2021 It's up really close to the light on decor and the filter. I also think I was running my light too high. I turned it down like a week and a half ago. Other algae has curbed back a bit so I think I am getting closer to the balance point. Will bba ever be gone though? Or will it just be in remission effectively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyBWell Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 On 7/11/2021 at 11:24 PM, bwar said: It's up really close to the light on decor and the filter. I also think I was running my light too high. I turned it down like a week and a half ago. Other algae has curbed back a bit so I think I am getting closer to the balance point. Will bba ever be gone though? Or will it just be in remission effectively. Hopefully turning down the light will help it will probably take some patience to get rid of I've heard it's hard to get rid of. I've not had it so I can't say for sure hopefully someone that is more experienced will respond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyBWell Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 This will help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 It comes into the tank on dust via air also. There is no way to keep your tank unexposed to algae spores. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 I had the same issue with BBA only growing on my sponge filter, which was right under my light and had no shade. The rest of the plants in the aquarium are algae-free and appreciate the amount of light I use, so I didn't want to decrease my lighting for the whole tank. First, I tried spot treating the BBA with liquid carbon, which helped a little. Eventually I ended up attaching a piece of black plastic folder as an "umbrella" on top of the sponge filter, and the shade caused the rest of the BBA to disappear. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 On 7/12/2021 at 10:22 AM, Irene said: Eventually I ended up attaching a piece of black plastic folder as an "umbrella" on top of the sponge filter Genius. Like the kind of folder that has 2 pockets and holds paper, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalmedByFish Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 I've heard there's at least 1 species of fish (or shrimp?) that's good at eating it. Might be worth researching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irene Posted July 12, 2021 Share Posted July 12, 2021 (edited) On 7/12/2021 at 9:26 AM, CalmedByFish said: Genius. Like the kind of folder that has 2 pockets and holds paper, right? Yup! Just a plastic black folder from the school supplies section. I cut it into a rectangle shape so it fit neatly in the corner of my tank, and then I cut an X shape (using an Xacto knife) near the middle of the rectangle so that I could pull the airline tubing for the sponge filter through it. The X-shaped hole allows me to easily move the rectangle higher or lower so that it's not visible from the front of the tank. I have a short video about it coming out this Saturday, so I'll try to link it if I remember. Update: here's the video link as promised. Edited July 19, 2021 by Irene 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom240 Posted July 13, 2021 Share Posted July 13, 2021 That's actually pretty ingenious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okayestaquarist Posted July 14, 2021 Share Posted July 14, 2021 I had some Anubias with lots of algae that went away when I moved it to the substrate rather than close to the light. It is tall tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BF McUmber Posted July 14, 2021 Author Share Posted July 14, 2021 (edited) I am planning on putting a rock wall in my 40 breeder that makes a raised plateau in the back. I was intending for the wall to be about 4" tall. With these lighting and algae concerns, is this a dumb idea? Below is a top down view of my idea. Edited July 14, 2021 by bwar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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