Using potasium promangnate.

[bostonrickb]

I am having a real problem with a green slime alge covering the bottom of my tank. It sits on the top layer of everything and really starts to grow with more light. I am thinking of removing all the fish. Just two tetras and a betta in my 29 and using a large dose of potasium promangnate to kill off everything in the tank. I will start over after the alge is gone. What the forums opinion of doing this and will it take care of my problem compleatly.

[ScottFish]

Sounds like BGA (Blue-Green Algae) --Cyanobacteria. That stuff can quickly take over a tank.

[J.B.]

DO NOT PUT POTASSIUM PERMANGANATE IN YOUR TANK!

Not that it will not kill-off the Cyanobacteria, but it will stain the silicone seals on your tank a nice shade of purple'ish pink...forever.

Add some more flow to your tank and then do a total black-out for a minimum of three days. Do not allow any light into the tank during this period, cover it with towels, or a blanket. After three days, check it and see what's going on with it, it may need an additional day or two.

Prior to doing this, give your fish a good meal and then don't worry about feeding them during the black-out...they'll be fine for those few days.

Once you see that is has died off (lost color and density), do a large water change, manually removing the now dead cyano.

[Diana]

Nothing will take care of the problem forever. As soon as you get it cleaned up more will find the tank.

I would do some less drastic measures, but start along these lines:

Try to alter the conditions that make it grow so well. Then get rid of it and it will be much less likely to come back.

Is this a planted tank?

[joemc]

agree with the above post, change the conditions in the tank that are making it flourish.
increase circulation in the tank, it tends to thrive in areas of low flow, syphon the gravel more often, remove any visible waste and increase your water changes.
There are products that can be added to the tank to kill it, ones like Erthyomycin (spelling?) an antibiotic but i would resist going down that route, find the cause and it will go away itself
a blackout of the tank for a few days will kill it, but if the conditions remain the same in the tank afterward is will be back in no time at all
so in short it is water changes, syphoning and increased flow in the tank, maybe a small wavemaker would do the trick
Horrible as it is you can beat it!

[bostonrickb]

Ok, Ill give the blackout a try. I have a bubbling undergravle filter and a hanging filter. I use a bubble wand a few hours a day too. Weird becasue I moved the tank away from a window. The sun still hits it but not for long and not directly. Ill post again and let you know how it goes.

[bostonrickb]

Ok the black out worked pretty well. I still have a little algee in the substraight between the glass and gravel about 3/4 an inch below the top of the gravel. All of the surface algee is gone. I did buy some potassium pro incase I need it but I am going to use the black out method from now on. I am pretty happy with how it looks. I kept it in the dark for about 6 days. All the fish made it no problem. Thanks for the help peeps!!!

[Crazygar]

Here is an article I wrote about this stuff; Potassium promangnate.

Gary

[bostonrickb]

Wow, thanks for the insight. I am only going to use it as a last resort. Thanks again.

[Crazygar]

Not a problem Bud.

Gary

[bostonrickb]

Gary, The first time I saw your name I thought it was a reference to an Alligator Gar, I didn't realize your name was Gary. Have a good one.

[Crazygar]

Nah, I hear all the time, "That's Crazy Gar" and the name just stuck... I've done some wacky things in my time... and continue to do so and at a more respectable rate..

Gary