Where to get Erythromycin?

[nacra99]

Carpets of slimy blue-green algae have overtaken my tank. That stuff is the most stubborn stuff that i have ever encountered. None of the traditional algae removal methods help at all. Looks like Erythromycin may be my last hope before i strip the tank and start all over again.
Does anyone know where i can get some in the U.S?

Cheers
Marc

[lhforbes12]

Marc,
Just about every online aquatic store sells it

[poconogal]

Marc, Maracyn by Mardel is Erythromycin.

Connie

[brewmaster15]

Hi Marc,
I wouldn't use it....It may kill the blue green, but it will also impair your filter and helps create antibiotic resistence. It also doesn't address the basic reasons as to why you have the problem.

Is this tank bare or planted?

JMO,
al

[nacra99]

Hi Guys,
Thanks everyone for the responses.

Brew, this is a planted tank. The algae showed up as a spot on the glass on the side of the tank the size of a dime, I think when i tried to wipe it off, it probably broke off into little bits and colonized the tank. Within a week, it has totally engulfed my nice carpet of glosso =(. I'm not even sure why it is proliferating because my nitrates and phosphates are very low in my heavily planted tank.

I tried blackouts, daily waterchanges, phosphate removing filter media, but it keeps spreading. I know that Erythromycin affects the biofilter, but i'm not sure what else to do.

Cheers
Marc

[brewmaster15]

sending you a pm in a minute.

-al

[lhforbes12]

Hi Guys,
Thanks everyone for the responses.

Brew, this is a planted tank. The algae showed up as a spot on the glass on the side of the tank the size of a dime, I think when i tried to wipe it off, it probably broke off into little bits and colonized the tank. Within a week, it has totally engulfed my nice carpet of glosso =(. I'm not even sure why it is proliferating because my nitrates and phosphates are very low in my heavily planted tank.

I tried blackouts, daily waterchanges, phosphate removing filter media, but it keeps spreading. I know that Erythromycin affects the biofilter, but i'm not sure what else to do.

Cheers
Marc

Marc,
And there is exactly why you are having a problem. PO4, and NO3 do NOT cause algae, in fact low levels actually encourage algae to proliferate. Add some KNO3 and PO4 and CO2 and it will disappear.

[nacra99]

Hmm... add more Nitrates and Phosphates?... hmmm.. that's a new one...
I already have CO2 injection going on in the tank, and i don't want to increase that too much further. I'll pull out the phosGuard from the filter and add some flourish and see what happens.

Thanks!
marc

[poconogal]

Hi Marc,
I wouldn't use it....It may kill the blue green, but it will also impair your filter and helps create antibiotic resistence. It also doesn't address the basic reasons as to why you have the problem.

Is this tank bare or planted?

JMO,
al

Maracyn by Mardel, which is Erythromycin doesn't normally affect bio filter. Still, I would only use it if absolutely necessary so as not to create antibiotic resistance.

[Timbo]

interesting article "Fighting Blue-Green Algae with Erythromycin "

http://www.malawicichlidhomepage.com/aquainfo/algae_erythromycin.html

[Ed13]

Marc,
And there is exactly why you are having a problem. PO4, and NO3 do NOT cause algae, in fact low levels actually encourage algae to proliferate. Add some KNO3 and PO4 and CO2 and it will disappear.


He's probably right! If you have a NICE carpet of glosso, that means that you have plenty of light and that means a faster metabolism for the plants and that means they suck up nutrients at a faster rate. When the plants start depleting the nutrients growth slows and algae take advantage. Of course this is not always the cause for algal outbreaks. Erythromycin will kill the cyano since its an bacteria and not a true algae, but finding the balance between light, CO2 and nutrients will help preventing algae in the first place in most cases. Not adding new plants without a quarantine and having good tap water also helps. Keep in mind that some species of algae can reproduce by spores so living near natural bodies of water can increase the chance for outbreaks although rare.

If it were me I try more frequent water changes sucking up the cyano and what Larry recommended before jumping into chemicals. Other people have resolved their problem by doing nothing at all, the lucky ones;)

Do let us know if, when and how you end up eradicating it.

[nacra99]

Hmmm... I didn't realize that it was a type of bacteria... no wonder it was so stubborn.

Someone suggested using Barley Extract. I think i'll give it a shot.. just for the heck of it... it'll be an interesting experiment and if that fails, i'll go with the E-mycin.

Thanks!
Marc

[texasdiscusman]

use half the recommended dosage it will wipe it out. But the real problem is like everyone said need more ferts. It worked great for me and yes it is a bacteria. Also use it once wait a few days and may be again it will go away. And at that low dosage it should not harm your good bacteria but keep a eye on it to be sure.