# Black beard algae



## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

Ok so here we go again, i have some BBA again growing on some of my plants. Had this issue before then I got some SAE. They got rid of it but my tank is only 30cm cube and doesnt have a lid. 

My lights are also on 8hrs/day. 

Question now is, are there any other alternatives on gettig rid of this algae other than getting SAE?? Or maybe ill just go with Amano's.

Thank you in advance my good people.


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## ciao (Oct 21, 2010)

Cherry Shrimps IMHO is the best thing you can get for the cube.


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

ciao said:


> Cherry Shrimps IMHO is the best thing you can get for the cube.


Correct me if im wrong but i dont tgink RCS munches on BBA. However, Amano Shrimpies does. Also, ill try to cut down the lights to 7hrs/day.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

If it's just RCS, try excel treatments. 2x dosage for a while should take care of the BBA - also, keep on water changes to keep nitrates down.


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

Actually Amano Shrimps will not touch BBA. They will eat regular green one as well as RCS if you will get a lot of RCS, they will try to eat your algae. What worked fr me is over-planting my tank. I have so many plants in my tank that any algae just don't have opportunity to grow. In addition I do have ottos, amanos and a lot of RCS in my tank.


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

ameekplec. said:


> If it's just RCS, try excel treatments. 2x dosage for a while should take care of the BBA - also, keep on water changes to keep nitrates down.


Ive heard if I did this, and probably stop doing this BBA will come back  Coz I will be stocking some CRS.



ppaskova said:


> Actually Amano Shrimps will not touch BBA. They will eat regular green one as well as RCS if you will get a lot of RCS, they will try to eat your algae. What worked fr me is over-planting my tank. I have so many plants in my tank that any algae just don't have opportunity to grow. In addition I do have ottos, amanos and a lot of RCS in my tank.


I will try to plant more but most of the plants I have are low light and tank doesnt have that much space =/

thank you for giving me some ideas on how to fight BBA guys!


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

This morning I saw the BBA spread on my shrimp tubes =/ needless to say I just took out the plants in there and trim out the ones infected. You can see some black spots on the pic. Poor riccia and flame moss =/


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

brapbrapboom said:


> Ive heard if I did this, and probably stop doing this BBA will come back  Coz I will be stocking some CRS.


Nope - if you use the excel to control/eradicate the BBA, then when you have your parameters in check, or at least reduce your nitrates, it shouldn't have a chance to come back if the plants are growing well.

I used this method on my old man's 75g, and it worked like a charm. It was overgrown with BBA and after a few weeks of big water changes and double doses of excel, the BBA died back. Now a few months later, the BBA is all gone and everything's good


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## ppaskova (Apr 27, 2010)

brapbrapboom said:


> Ive heard if I did this, and probably stop doing this BBA will come back  Coz I will be stocking some CRS.
> 
> I will try to plant more but most of the plants I have are low light and tank doesnt have that much space =/
> 
> thank you for giving me some ideas on how to fight BBA guys!


Try to plant hygropilia deformia ! Very fast growing, low light plant that will fight with your BBA.


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

ppaskova said:


> Try to plant hygropilia deformia ! Very fast growing, low light plant that will fight with your BBA.


Thanks for the info!  googled it and it actually says this is the best plant for figgting algae coz it sucks up too much nitrites an nitrates  I actually got some of this plant from Igor for free! Wooot! Maybe ill try to look for some more of this lol!


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## ubr0ke (Jul 12, 2011)

nitrates do not cause algae and more specifically bba..

I add 20ppm every second day of no3..i do not have bba...


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

ubr0ke said:


> nitrates do not cause algae and more specifically bba..
> 
> I add 20ppm every second day of no3..i do not have bba...


Please do enlighten me sir. My plants seems to grow well.


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## ubr0ke (Jul 12, 2011)

If your plants were growing well you wouldnt have bba.. 
bba is always related to co2....high light and low co2 or unstable co2 seems to trigger its life cycle....Low oxygen levels may also contribute..


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

ubr0ke said:


> If your plants were growing well you wouldnt have bba..
> bba is always related to co2....high light and low co2 or unstable co2 seems to trigger its life cycle....Low oxygen levels may also contribute..


Thank you for ur insights as well, would it be possible that these bba have been revived? I mean some of the plants were from my late tank that had BBA, then transferred it to another tank and it was okay, the growth to some of the plants stopped. I am now using the same light as the tank it used to be before. Its PL-18w light. Ill put up a pic on how the tank looks like now.


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## ubr0ke (Jul 12, 2011)

yes...algae will stay dormant until the right conditions exsist...
Is bba the only algae in the tank?


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

ubr0ke said:


> yes...algae will stay dormant until the right conditions exsist...
> Is bba the only algae in the tank?


There are some small amount of hair algae but that doesnt bother me at all. Only thing I hate growing is BBA, and green spot algaes  cant really get a really good pic to show since my iphone camera is so s**tty xD


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## ubr0ke (Jul 12, 2011)

do you add co2 or is it a non co2 tank?


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## brapbrapboom (Sep 2, 2009)

ubr0ke said:


> do you add co2 or is it a non co2 tank?


Its a none co2 tank my good sir.


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## ubr0ke (Jul 12, 2011)

Read this...It will give you a better understanding of a non co2 tank...If you follow this method you will be algae free..http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/2817-Non-CO2-methods


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