Biollante

Hi All,

I will blog this stuff here in case anyone is interested.
There is no intention to offend, I am a real gasbag, I thought it interesting but it offends

I find myself unable to follow the threads, I read and understand them, but there seems to be a “presumed knowledge,” it eludes me…

Biollante
Can too much co2 be a bad thing?

Removed as offensive from post #5
Streptococcus & Serious Eye Infections, Ok So Neon Tetra Disease
Hi,

Erythromycin is generally most effective in alkaline conditions generally pH 7.2 is listed as the minimum effective pH.



A couple of problems Erythromycin, is very harsh stuff, for aquatic situations, mainly effective for serious eye infections (Gram-positive) and Streptococcus, beyond that not overly effective. Even then I would not recommend the use of Erythromycin in any tank that hasn’t been established for at least a year. In my ever-humble-potted-plant opinion Erythromycin are over-rated for aquatic infections.


Since cyanobacteria have Gram-negative cell walls, Erythromycin is not a terribly good choice, as always in as diverse a group as cyanobacteria, there are exceptions.

Then I am one of those evil plant monsters that simply do not think “shortcuts” in general are a good idea.



Why not change the conditions to favor your desired plants, critters and microbes?


Biollante


Removed as offensive to original poster, post #7
Hi,


A couple of things just to make sure we are speaking the same language…

• We always capitalized the “Gram” in Gram-positive or negative, as we are referring to a person not a SI mass unit.
• The Gram-positive or negative refers generally to the cell wall of bacteria.
• Erythromycin is not per se Gram-positive it has to do with the difference in uptake, about 100 fold greater for Gram-positive than negative.

I would love to see the microphotographs. We should be able to see the type of cyanobacteria and perhaps the microbial zoo making their homes or at least their living in and around the colony.


The staining technique, the Cliff Notes version, makes it very clear very quickly, as to whether it is a Gram-positive or negative.


A factor many aquarist miss is that cyanobacteria fix Nitrogen and I think helps explain the reason it is so often associated with new aquariums though these are marine it gives a good explanation. I believe that the “shortcuts” many advise actually exacerbate the problem and work to favor the cyanobacteria. Since our friendlier Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacteria are slower doubling Nitrogen fixers.


One problem with just cranking up the Carbon dioxide in a cycling tank is it may slow the good bacteria. Likely,¹ the best bet is to oxygenate, cyanobacteria are sensitive to oxygen while our friendly Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacteria² require and are invigorated by oxygen.


This is among the reasons a good first step is a series of large water changes when faced with a major outbreak of cyanobacteria in the aquarium.

Trying to mend my old-gasbag ways so if anyone is interested I have more, if not…


Biollante
¹The only bet in my ever-humble-potted-plant opinion.
²I am aware there is a change of opinion on precisely which bacteria do what and that it is obvious there are indeed a series of bacteria at work and is beyond the scope of this conversation.


Request of OP whom I offended
Hi B,
No Intention to Offend, I Will Delete Offending Useless Post
I only know what I read, I have no magical powers, some is an attempt to get information out, my bad, it is an old-gasbag thing.

I still do not understand Erythromycin, but I am not very bright in that way, it was the Erythromycin, three times no less, more than anything else that mislead me.

Biollante