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New Member
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| When I brought up the subject of an algae problem in my 95 gallon tank, an employee at my LFS suggested I use barley extract. I guess it is normally used in ponds, but he said he had been using it in his home aquarium with success. When I asked a couple other employees about it, they advised against it, saying that it could create problems in a home aquarium. I can't remember the exact problems they cautioned about. One of them said I could try the purest form of barley extract, but that it would still be potentially dangerous. Does anyone have any experience or knowledge of the use of barley extract in an aquarium? It is a planted tank, and the current stock of fish is listed below.
20 gal:
5 bronze corys, 2 otocinclus, 1 male betta splendid 95 gal: 7 dwarf chain loaches, 5 otocinclus, 4 siamensis, 5 amano shrimp, 3 Lake Kutubu rainbows 10 gal quarantine/hospital: 6 neon tetras, 1 cardinal tetra, 1 serpae tetra (suspected neon tetra disease)
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I've never heardof barley extract being used for anything other than a pond -- and I don't know why. If I had to guess I would say that it may have other things that it does to the water besides discourage algae, and in a small volume of an aquarium this may not be good. What kind of algae problem do you have -- green water, hair etc?
***************************Be warned -- everyone at college has a weird roommate. If you don't have a weird roomate -- then you're the weird roommate.
Conan O'Brien, Stuyvesant High School.
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Senior Member
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We've used barley grass in the tanks at my job to keep the algae down. The fish that we used in those tanks came out just fine, but barley grass really and truly is just a short-term solution, from what I've seen. It doesn't last all that long, and it doesn't fix the root problem. Once it's "used up", the algae will just come right back.
20 gallon long
Lionhead - Kiko
Calico Lionhead - Little Bean
29 gallon
Fantail - Oliver
Black Moor - Damian
Calico Ryukin - Serafina
2.5 gallon
male betta - Pirate
10 gallon planted
minnow, betta, guppy
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New Member
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Last Login: 2 days ago @ 5:58:30 AM
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| I'm not certain what the name is of the algae I have the most trouble with. It grows on driftwood, rocks, and other ornaments. It starts out as bright green spots, then grows into what looks like a thick green carpet, with hairs no more than a quarter inch high. It pulls off rather easily, but must leave roots or something embedded because it grows back quickly. I don't think it's hair algae; I always thought that stuff grew with much longer strands that were not as clumped together, creating a cobweb type appearance (I've had that too). I asked at my LFS again, and a couple different employees said they use it sparingly in their home aquarium, about a teaspoon a week.
20 gal:
5 bronze corys, 2 otocinclus, 1 male betta splendid 95 gal: 7 dwarf chain loaches, 5 otocinclus, 4 siamensis, 5 amano shrimp, 3 Lake Kutubu rainbows 10 gal quarantine/hospital: 6 neon tetras, 1 cardinal tetra, 1 serpae tetra (suspected neon tetra disease)
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New Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 2 days ago @ 5:58:30 AM
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Just an update. I went a head and bought some barley extract, and have been adding it once a week. So far there have been no problems with any of my fish, shrimp, or plants. It is too early to tell if it is restricting algae growth yet. But I guess the important thing is, it is safe for aquariums, at least the fish I have.
20 gal:
5 bronze corys, 2 otocinclus, 1 male betta splendid95 gal: 7 dwarf chain loaches, 5 otocinclus, 4 siamensis, 5 amano shrimp, 3 Lake Kutubu rainbows 10 gal quarantine/hospital: 6 neon tetras, 1 cardinal tetra, 1 serpae tetra (suspected neon tetra disease)
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