What Causes Black Beard/ Brush Algae and How to Fix it

[@neilrobins3329]

Best explanation why I have BBA I've heard🤔 thanks!

[@klinekg1]

Your channel is really underrated. You've got great stuff. Subscribed and liked

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that it means a lot to me!

[@michaelholmes4808]

Good to see you back! Thought maybe the studies (or life in general,) had gotten in the way of your videos. Don't suffer from BBA in my tank.... yet. Just started with some plants so hopefully now I'm armed with the knowledge to prevent it.

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Studies had gotten to me for a while for sure haha. I’ve adjusted a bit so now I’ll hopefully have some time to make more!

[@michaelholmes4808]

Kalem, your studies and your degree are the priority! (PhD????) Take it from me.....I was distracted by other things when I was taking my biochemistry. Don't regret where I ended up, but what was the potential?

[@po.po.poquito]

I really appreciate this information, as someone who only got into the hobby in May. I have a few light patches of BBA, which I now know is due to some plants I had rooting in the filter that didn’t survive. Cleaning that filter today! There are 2 patches on my monte carlo carpet that I could try spot treating but I’m just going to cut them out. Thank you!

[@KalemsFishtanks]

@@po.po.poquito glad it could help! 😁😁

[@jasonupson]

Great video. Since I switched to black Java Rock in all my aquascapesI rarely get BBA anymore. I also layer my substrate with it. I have tanks in front of windows that don't get algae. Obviously always a bit but nothing unmanagble.

[@sweetcornforthewin]

I had crazy amounts of bba, I never changed the water for several months only water top ups. Fed everyday brine, and rapashy every other day. I finally cleaned the tank, vacuumed the substrate and did 50% water changes 2 days in a row. While doing that I removed all the dead plant leaves and organic plant material that was just floating around. I also cleaned out the filters leaving the bio filters in place. In a matter of days the BBA receded.

[@bnato8209]

I had BBA and cyanobacteria and I elevated my co2 levels and ramped c02 to its target much faster (within 30 minutes) and kept it there at target for 7 hrs. I was using a Milwaukee PH controller to make sure the levels did not cross over into the toxic zone. It is so amazing what happened as a result. The BBA and cyanobacteria completely disappeared. And I mean there was a major change within 48 hrs. Crazy!! My tank is completely free of the algae now.

[@cyborgbadger1015]

Thank you for this!!! I had a pristine tank for months then suddenly it was full of BBA. I had a blockage in my filter powerhead and since I discovered it, I have managed to slowly eradicate it.

[@KalemsFishtanks]

@@cyborgbadger1015 amazing!! I am super glad to hear this video helped 😁

[@cyborgbadger1015]

@@KalemsFishtanks It did definitely. I got the BBA after I added duckweed. I had read that having these fast growing plants reduced the need for water changes (maybe so) but unbeknownst to me the filter had become blocked (I think with both dead duckweed and fish poo). I only discovered it after hearing a grinding noise from the powerhead. The amount of dirt released was staggering.

[@KalemsFishtanks]

@@cyborgbadger1015 yikes! At least you caught it early and I’m glad that solved your problems for you!

[@Fariz.Mammadov]

You are correct!. Seiryu stone absuloty do BBA. after I add seiryu stone BBA covered my stone.

[@natethegreat8747]

made a huge change in my tank two weeks ago, black beard just entered the building, hope i can still prevent the worst. I might not study biochem, but biotech. still, always nice to get a good explanatory video

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Biochem biotech very similar! Took a couple biotech courses during my undergrad! But thank you! I’m glad you found it useful

[@4kfishes]

Ah grateful for this information. Thank you for the knowledge brother 🎉

[@KalemsFishtanks]

@@4kfishes of course 😁 glad it could help (:

[@danieschoeman1810]

Does the decay of driftwood contribute to the increase in organic matter, which in turn increase the bba growth. I find that my driftwood and slow growing plants like Bucephalandra and even some Anubia are more susceptible.

[@Kamikazeesouled]

Great video and knowledge ! Your scapes look so effective...what is the stem plant on the right of your dutch tank ?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

I think that one is Ludwigia atlantis

[@suffysdave]

@MJAquascaping interessante uitleg ivm de connectie tussen bba en plantresten

[@GG-mu4wg]

Great info, thanks! Now that you mention it, I've definitely noticed an increase in BBA when newly added plants start melting back. Also, any idea what species of moss at 5:15?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Yes definitely plants melting will definitely help cause BBA! And that moss is flame moss from tropica I forget the scientific name

[@DashDrones]

Amazing, thanks for sharing your super knowledge and experience Sir👍

[@charlesroll8502]

Definitely worth a try 👍

[@oldmonkeynut8302]

The only time I've ever had BBA over the last 10 years is when I either don't do any water changes for weeks or when I use lava rock. One setup had lava rocks as hard scape and one had it in bags under the aqua soil. Since removing lava rock, it's not been back for 3 years.

[@justin94431]

Why specifically on lava rock?

[@oldmonkeynut8302]

@@justin94431 I don't really know. I wonder if it absorbs all the nutrients to feed the bba

[@FHScapes]

I'v had it on seriyu stone , I think its related to organics co2 misting and too much or improper flow distribution, I never miss my weekly water changes. Always get it in the way of the outflow and co2 mist.

[@vany7699]

Love you video ❤, I highly recommend 2Hr aquarist APT Fix my tank was cover with bba, with in a week of dosing, bba completely gone.

[@KalemsFishtanks]

I’ve heard great things about it! I may have to test it out in the future!

[@baileybeluga425]

timing couldn't get any perfect, my rotala's lower leaves were bombarded with bba. I find the dirty filter flow and leaves deteriorating to be so true. Bba grew on my rotala's deteriorating leaves as well as the flow where it initially hits. Very informative kalem! thank you!

[@KalemsFishtanks]

I’m glad it helped! Your situation should be an easy fix! Trim and replant the tops and remove the bottoms!

[@realhusky]

Subscribed. Thanks for the info

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Thank you very much! 😁

[@AngrieJelly]

here in holland Noord brabant, the water is high in SiO2, a very nice source for BBA, tried to lower it with bags in filter, but i also have to change water in my 800litre, (400 liter every 2 weeks) to balance phosphate and nitrate. so i m trying to live with bba

[@predatoria_aquatica]

This wont be popular opinion but i actually want to grow bba in a bare tank.. but the problem is i do 2x weekly water changes..any tips to cause bba growth?

[@RacecarsAndRicefish]

I've been just letting huge aquarium lily leaves break down at the front of my tank, then wondering why my sand up there is getting so covered in BBA/diatoms

[@JoaoPereiraJBP]

I also have black seiryu stones and have tons of bba on plants and the rocks. I have a dropchecker that is always lime green, so the CO2 is consistent or the dropchecker can't shot that inconsistence about CO2, and maybe my problem is the seiryu stones?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Could definitely be swings that the drop checker just isn’t catching. I would test your KH the day after your water change and then retest it before you do the next one. Usually with seriyu stone it slowly leaches into the water and at the start of the week you have lots of CO2 and by the end there isn’t much

[@Julia_Evgenievna]

Дякую 🙏 Гарний контент!👍🏻🔥

[@Kamikazeesouled]

Do you think using only tissue culture plants could prevent introduction of BBA in the first place?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

That’s a great question I’m not exactly sure. Some people think to get it you need to bring it in from somewhere else but I’m not exactly sure. I think it could be possible to start on its own

[@sot8343]

I got BBA after I stopped maintaining my water and filter. No BBA for the first year or so.

[@cyborgbadger1015]

yep me too.

[@Fariz.Mammadov]

How we can deal with use Seiryu stone and high KH water change (tap water) without bba

[@KalemsFishtanks]

@@Fariz.Mammadov some people do an acid wash, I have never done one before but this removes some of the bicarbonates which cause the KH to rise. But note it won’t stop it completely

[@dADAquaHobby]

nice

[@sot8343]

How's the 40 gal breeder doing?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

You’ll have to wait and see 😉it’s up and running recently switched up lots of plants in it

[@HalfManHalfCichlid]

Don't dirted tanks have high organics?

[@KalemsFishtanks]

Depends, I assume if you don’t sift it well it will have a lot of

[@AngrieJelly]

I see BBA also needs light, no light, so shadow sides have no BBA

[@sot8343]

You can see the back side of his rock has plenty of light but no bba. Back side actually has more light.

[@markdoe6118]

I had some but then I got some Florida flagfish and they took it out.

[@KalemsFishtanks]

I’ve tried those once but they weren’t able to keep up with it

[@reedheath1331]

*Promo sm* ✨