# Blue Green Slime Algae & Maracyn



## Toms Fish Room (Dec 27, 2008)

My 30 gallon Discus planted tank has a large Algae problem. I've done some research on it & discovered it to be BGA - Dreaded Blue Green Algae. I'm thinking of killing it off with Maracyn. But I'm conserned about also killing off my Bio Filter. Anyone ever used Maracyn to get rid of this plague?
Thanks for any & all help.

Blue Green Slime Algae & Maracyn


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## Chickadee (Nov 15, 2008)

I have not used Maracyn specifically for an algae problem but I have noted that when I have used it in my tanks my algae has disappeared although I have never had much of it. I will say that I have not ever had Maracyn disturb my biological filter at any time. Are you planning on using massive concentrations of it? I have used it at 3 times the recommended dosage as the water is extremely hard here and the manufacturer recommended the increase in concentration to me for the treatment of a particularly stubborn infection one time and prolonging the treatment for 15 days instead of the recommended 5 days at the time with partial water changes after every 5 days to keep the concentrations from becoming too high. So I did 50% changes after every 5 days and did the full 15 days with a temp of 82 degrees F and also kept a close watch on my phosphate levels. (can also be a contributory cause of algae by the way have you tried a phosphate remover pad in the tank?)

Rose


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## Dmaaaaax (Nov 20, 2008)

Do you have more info about the tank? Like pH, nitrates, lights used, photoperiod, fish stock, filters used, heavly planted on not, CO2 or not...etc.

Typically Blue-green algae is from lack of current and excess waste. People typically do a large clean up of the algae (vacuum), followed by a blackout period, and a final clean up of remaining algae. Not sure about the various Marycins, but the treatment used contains erythromycin which can affect your bio media. If you go that route, I would remove a portion of your bio-media if possible and keep in bucket with tank water. Then after treatment, add carbon for a day before returning bio-media and if possible add some bacteria back in the form of Stability (Seachem) or Cycle.


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