Black Brush Algae...HELP!!

[gball]

My twenty gallon non-planted tank is being over run by BBA. What can I do? I am getting a 55 gallon in two months that I will plant, and so I would like to know how to fix the problem in the 20 and how to prevent in the 55. 20 gal- 3 neon tetras, 4 black neon, 4 guppies, 4 h rasboras, 1 otto, 2 snails. Is there a fish I can add? Should I add live plants? I am new to this hobby and would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks:shappy:

[Lab_Rat]

Excel is great for BBA. When you dose it, use a syringe and squirt it on the BBA. Just make sure not to overdose it or you can harm your fish. True SAE's also eat it, they're just about impossible to find though. Most fish won't touch it.

[gball]

okay thanks I will try it

[rich311k]

With no plants I would take everything out and bleach it. Rinse and soak extemelly well and return to the tank. The stuff is tenacious. If you were planted I would say add CO2 but you are not. Maybe cut down on lighting time to prevent a return of it.

[Wild Turkey]

Just wanted to add to that you can spot treat with hydrogen peroxide in the 55 also. Use a syringe to squirt it on the bba dont exceed around 3ml per gallon per day

Dont remove any while its alive by hand since it can spread spores throughout the tank and make the problem worse.

[martiemcg]

This has recently sprung up in my planted aquarium. My Cory cats try to eat it. They shake their heads like little bull-dogs trying to get it come loose but I don't think they have very much luck.

Yesterday I saw my lone Platy "Earl" successfully yanking chunks of it loose and eating it with relish. I wondered if it was toxic but he seems fine today and I figured he knew what was good or bad to eat. I hoped anyway.

I let that tank go for awhile and it got pitiful looking. I've recently replanted and added DIY soda bottle co2. The end of the tank that has the BBA gets a little light from the western window. I think I'll put some sort of background on it and maybe that will block the sun and help get rid of it.

[Anomaly]

Just wanted to add to that you can spot treat with hydrogen peroxide in the 55 also. Use a syringe to squirt it on the bba dont exceed around 3ml per gallon per day


Yep, this works also and is much cheaper than using Flourish Excel.

[Phoenixphire55]

I know this doesn't help at all, but I think black brush algae is pretty :-p

[martiemcg]

LOL I was kinda thinking the same thing. My Corys and Red Platy look so much more colorful against the BBA. :-)

[dbananas2008]

That is so funny but it is true. I had bba in one of my tanks and suprisingly it went away on its own. I have guppies chinese algea eaters and ghost shrimp I saw the guppies and algea eaters try to get at it so who knows maybe they were successful.

[smaug]

With no plants I would take everything out and bleach it. Rinse and soak extemelly well and return to the tank. The stuff is tenacious. If you were planted I would say add CO2 but you are not. Maybe cut down on lighting time to prevent a return of it.
Nothing else to say here.This is the only way to treat this stuff.