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Post by Carl on Jul 7, 2014 15:24:41 GMT -5
Thanks, guys, I'll check them out! BTW, can the T8 CFLs by Zoo Med be used in a standard T8 fluorescent fixture? If not, I'll have to find a way to temporarily mount the CFLs thatscrew in. Yes, these should be available at many pet retailers too Regards; Carl
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Post by angelminx on Aug 1, 2014 1:03:36 GMT -5
I added the 2 ZooMed Ultra Sun bulbs on July 17, though I had to fiddle with them on the 18th since one had been flickering the night before--I'd switched them to each other's place in the AM to see if it made any difference, but they didn't want to come on. I still had cyanobacteria thru the 24th, and I rinsed off the plants that did, then replaced them. I also did a partial gravel change-out. Since then I haven't seen any more CB. I don't know if that had to do with the "dust" from the gravel-change settling on everything, and smothering them, or what. I still stir up some dust with the Eheim Quick Vac, but it's much better since I did an 11 1/2 gallon water change on the 26th. I only have to "dust things off" a little bit now. Hopefully the CB will take a LOOOONG vacation!
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Post by Carl on Aug 1, 2014 9:01:31 GMT -5
Good news!
Often persistence helps with Cyanobacteria
Carl
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Post by angelminx on Aug 2, 2014 18:40:48 GMT -5
I spoke too soon.
Today I noticed a coulpe of plants with tiny spots of CB starting up again, so I pulled them and rinsed them off before returning them to the tank. Do you know of some kind of critter that will eat the stuff? As I've mentioned before, I'm saving up for the LEDs, and was wondering if there was a biological control I could use while I waited.
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Post by Carl on Aug 3, 2014 17:05:23 GMT -5
I spoke too soon. Today I noticed a coulpe of plants with tiny spots of CB starting up again, so I pulled them and rinsed them off before returning them to the tank. Do you know of some kind of critter that will eat the stuff? As I've mentioned before, I'm saving up for the LEDs, and was wondering if there was a biological control I could use while I waited. The Mexican Dwarf Hermit Crabs are the only critter that works that I know of, but this is for marine aquariums. Other than the major player lighting can be, here are a few points (from Aquarium Answers; Cyanobacteria) along with the regular rinsing you are already doing *Cut back on nutrients in the water column by the use of RO instead of tap water in marine aquariums. In ALL aquariums cut back on feeding and improve food quality by feeding more digestible foods (No TetraMin). Better choices: Aqua Master, Paradigm, Aqueon, Hikari, Spirulina 20 just to name a few. This again will cut back on nutrients. You want to aim for less ammonia, which is the result of poorly digested food (not necessarily nitrates due to the properties of Cyanobacteria, as well plants and true algae can out compete providing phosphates and optimum light are available)
* Increase circulation and dissolved oxygen. These Prokaryote Bacteria do not do as well in a well oxygenated/circulated environments (remember my points about the lakes). This is often a major problem of ponds with Cyanobacteria outbreaks.
* Temperature; although this by itself will not make much difference, lowering your aquariums temperature (below 76 F) has been shown to help when part of an over all plan for BG algae removal or prevention.Reference: www.aquarium-pond-answers.com/2006/07/blue-green-algae-in-aquariums.htmlCarl
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Post by angelminx on Aug 3, 2014 17:10:23 GMT -5
What's weird is that when I had the airstones going in the big tank--they were only on one side--that's were the cyanobacteria showed up first; in the water sprite that were bathed in the bubbles.
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Post by Carl on Aug 3, 2014 17:24:16 GMT -5
What's weird is that when I had the airstones going in the big tank--they were only on one side--that's were the cyanobacteria showed up first; in the water sprite that were bathed in the bubbles. Air bubbles on a plant is different than actual dissolved oxygen levels in the water Carl
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Post by angelminx on Sept 16, 2014 1:04:25 GMT -5
I got my GroBeams on 8/16, and had them installed by the next day. I had a couple of days with cyanobacteria after this, but there HAD been a few days that the tank had been without lights--until I got my LEDs--so nothing after this. As of today, STILL no CB !
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Post by Carl on Sept 16, 2014 9:31:05 GMT -5
I got my GroBeams on 8/16, and had them installed by the next day. I had a couple of days with cyanobacteria after this, but there HAD been a few days that the tank had been without lights--until I got my LEDs--so nothing after this. As of today, STILL no CB ! Good news! Make sure to watch the other parameters that can affect CB Carl
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Post by parker002 on Sept 16, 2014 9:46:26 GMT -5
Yes, the Zoo Med bulbs are standard 2-pin T8s. By the way, if you have a lighting supply store or big box (Menard's, Lowe's) close, you might be able to find 6500K bulbs there.
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Post by angelminx on Dec 5, 2014 20:40:40 GMT -5
Greetings, All
I was going to post this a little earlier, but thought I'd better post my source info on Banjo catfish since it had been so long since I'd planned on doing it.
On the evening of Dec. 3rd, I noticed a "patch" of CB matted in the plants at the surface of the 55G, on the left-hand side of the tank (didn't think to take a pic). I hadn't pruned for a while, so the foliage was quite thick, so I am thinking that some of the flake food had been trapped there, unseen by the fish, AND I had been feeding frozen food more often then normal, so I'm SURE that had something to do with it, too.
Because of this, I did a LARGE water change of ~18 gallons (2x what I normally do), adding 1 1/2 tsp Alkaline Buffer to the change water. I also trimmed the plants, and rinsed the filter inserts and pre-filters, and added 6 capfuls of Stability (I turned the UV off, but forgot to turn it back on till today). For the fishes' sake I added 6 capfuls of StressGuard.
The water Parameters before the H2O change were as follows: Temp: 79.4 degrees pH: 7.6 KH: 4 degrees GH: 19 degrees (after 4 days of 1/4 Wonder Shell--just a chip left--and a previous GH of 16 degrees [tap GH 7degrees]) Nitrate: ~19 Phos: 0.1 mg/l Am and Nitrite: 0
Today: Temp: 79.3 pH: 7.4 KH: 4.25 GH: 12 Nitrate: 10 Am/Nitrite: 0
So far there is no sign of any more CB.
Angelminx
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