BBA on driftwood

[bbortko]

Over the last month I’ve developed a small bba issue on my manzanita branches. It’s only on the branches(for at least) and the past 2 water changes I’ve sprayed them down with peroxide and scrubbed them but it keeps coming back. A couple of weeks before it cropped up I tested my nitrates and they were under 10ppm. It’s a 240g tank with a 3d background so I really don’t want it to spread. Thought about bleach but don’t really like that idea since the wood may hold some and it’s on 3 36” pieces so soaking isn’t really viable. Any thoughts?

 

[Jexnell]

I have read that Chinese algea eaters will consume it.

I have BBA all over my tank and have noticed my Nanolutae are eating off the branches.
See how much is on the branches.

Same branches after a couple months of Nanolutae grazing.

 

[bbortko]

I have read that Chinese algea eaters will consume it.

I have BBA all over my tank and have noticed my Nanolutae are eating off the branches. View attachment 1429580
See how much is on the branches.
View attachment 1429581
Same branches after a couple months of Nanolutae grazing.

I have heard algae eaters are hit or miss. I also have a crenicichla sp venezuela that’s pushing 14” and an it datnoid that isn’t far behind so I can’t add anything too small. My smallest clown loach is 4” and nothing bothers it .

 

[Chief Tom]

There's bba in the tank I set up to be algae proof. Unless it's obnoxious, ignore it. I scrape it off with my hand. I need more flow in the water and it'll go away. No panic.

 

[bbortko]

There's bba in the tank I set up to be algae proof. Unless it's obnoxious, ignore it. I scrape it off with my hand. I need more flow in the water and it'll go away. No panic.

My only concern is the 3d background, I don’t want any on it and if it grows the it’s not like glass or where I can just scrape it off. If it was guaranteed to only grow on the wood I wouldn’t care as it’s a nice natural look but I don’t want it every where.

 

[Chief Tom]

Don't get fish just because you have algae. I did that thinking clown loaches would get the crap under river rocks. They kept the tank looking great and I didn't realize the water was unhealthy. Then they died because I was fooled. Sh#: happens. You have to vacuum it up.

 

[Chief Tom]

Spray everything down with vinegar and water. Heavy vinegar. Soak, evaluate, repeat as needed.

 

[Chief Tom]

Also, keep the lighting to the front. I'm seeing algae on the lids where the lighting is.

 

[FJB]

BBA is a tough algae to get rid off completely. Once it has established itself in a tank, nobody does actually completely eliminates it without full breakdown. One learns to live with it, and keep it under control (or not).
In a heavily infected tank, must mechanically remove as much as possible, several times, frequently, to reduce it dramatically. The less left, the less will recolonize, and the easier you can continue fighting it. Peroxide or vinegar and all that helps, but mechanical removal is most effective.
The best I have done is to reduce enough that I can't see it in the tank anymore, although really, it is still there, and every week I have to work on it.
In that manner, it works for most fast growing stem plants that have become infected.
For slow growing rhizome plants (Anubias, Bucephalandra), good luck and lots of elbow grease if you want them to grow well in an already infected tank. Actually, they may grow well, but will also have unsightly BBA.