Fighting GDA (Green Dust Algae)...where to get bristlenose plecos? other suggestions?

[cheeboonyong]

Been fighting GDA for >1 year. I'm an experienced planted tank hobbyist, not a newbie.

GDA has been a terrible plague which I have had varying levels of success controlling but mostly negative.

the plants are doing well and I have no other algae, except for some occasional BBA which is easily controlled.

Tried many methods:
1. Nerite snails. I do see them eating the GDA but there are always some spots which they miss.
2. Wait and do nothing method. Let it grow for 4 weeks and develop into thick carpet before scrapping it off. Tom Barr method. Didn't really work for me.
3. Plecos. Tom Barr again suggested using bushy-nose/bristlenose plecos to control it. I bought 6 spotted plecos from Seaview but didn't solve the problem entirely. Maybe it's because I got the spotted plecos instead of the bristlenose.

I also have the usual otos, yamatos but no SAEs.

The GDA is now fairly manageable but it's always there. If I ignore it, i.e., don't scrap the glass for 2 weeks, it will grow and spread.

Previously before I added the Nerites, the GDA would overwhelm the tank within 2-3 days after I scrape the glass. Maybe the Nerites are helping to keep it down somewhat but it's never totally eradicated.

I would like to know where I can get true bristlenose plecos so that I hopefully see if this does the trick once and for all. I live in YCK and usually just go to Seaview and NA (Thomson). Both only carry the common spotted plecos. Any suggestions on where I can find this bristlenose pleco would be greatly appreciated. Save me trips to hunt down different LFS

Also, if anyone has any good suggestions on how to eradicate GDA, would be much appreciated.

[Dscheng]

Me too, i even reduce my lightning period. Every one month, i have to scrap it ! I dose algaexit and it doesn't really help too.

[Urban Aquaria]

For me, although i have managed to clear my tanks of most pest algae (and keep them out with treatment/quarantine procedures for new plants)... the only algae that has remained undefeated so far is still the green film algae on tank glass, which i guess is called green dust algae.

Its the type that is relatively easy to scrape off with a razor blade or plastic card right? I have come to think that it as almost like a "default" algae in all tanks, as i've never seen any tank that doesn't develop it over time.

Rather than 100% eliminating it, i guess its more of how long it takes before you have to scrape them from the glass. So far, i've found that if i keep enough nerite snails in a tank (some of my 2ft tanks have up to 15+ horned nerite snails grazing around 24/7), they can repeatedly clean the glass walls enough that i only need to do some minor spot scraping every 2-3 months. There may be hints of green algae here and there, but the glass is mostly clear.

Its all a matter of number of nerite snails vs rate of algae production. Only thing is when keeping more nerite snails, chances are a good percentage of them are female, so they lay those annoying white eggs. I've been running an observation program to separate male and female nerite snails, but so far the yields are abit low... i have a few confirmed males (which i gladly put in my display tank), but a whole lot of females/unconfirmed ones. I really wish someone could just auto-detect and sell confirmed male nerite snails.

I guess if you have a larger tank that can house a few bristlenose plecos (they eventually grow abit too large for tanks that are 2ft or less), they probably do a similar job too. You can get bristlenose plecos from places like Seaview, most of the other LFS should also stock them too, just ask the shop boss.

If you have the budget, maybe can invest in some L183 starlight bristlenose plecos too, they look nice.

[Dscheng]

For me, although i have managed to clear my tanks of most pest algae (and keep them out with treatment/quarantine procedures for new plants)... the only algae that has remained undefeated so far is still the green film algae on tank glass, which i guess is called green dust algae.

Its the type that is relatively easy to scrape off with a razor blade or plastic card right? I have come to think that it as almost like a "default" algae in all tanks, as i've never seen any tank that doesn't develop it over time.

Rather than 100% eliminating it, i guess its more of how long it takes before you have to scrape them from the glass. So far, i've found that if i keep enough nerite snails in a tank (some of my 2ft tanks have up to 15+ horned nerite snails grazing around 24/7), they can repeatedly clean the glass walls enough that i only need to do some minor spot scraping every 2-3 months. There may be hints of green algae here and there, but the glass is mostly clear.

Its all a matter of number of nerite snails vs rate of algae production. Only thing is when keeping more nerite snails, chances are a good percentage of them are female, so they lay those annoying white eggs. I've been running an observation program to separate male and female nerite snails, but so far the yields are abit low... i have a few confirmed males (which i gladly put in my display tank), but a whole lot of females/unconfirmed ones. I really wish someone could just auto-detect and sell confirmed male nerite snails.

I guess if you have a larger tank that can house a few bristlenose plecos (they eventually grow abit too large for tanks that are 2ft or less), they probably do a similar job too. You can get bristlenose plecos from places like Seaview, most of the other LFS should also stock them too, just ask the shop boss.

If you have the budget, maybe can invest in some L183 starlight bristlenose plecos too, they look nice.

My 19L glass has angel fish, they will eat the nertile snail. Will they eat L183 ? Saw this fish at seaview.

[cheeboonyong]

I have a 4 footer, with just about 5 nerite snails. hmm...I'm going to go crazy and go buy another 15 to see if it improves the situation.

Back to the plecos...I went down to Polyart Yishun last night and they only had 1 bristlenose pleco left. got it at $10. Polyart had plenty of spotted plecos (both black and albino).

I already have 4 spotted plecos, which I bought by mistake from Seaview about 2 months ago. I have visited Seaview several times since to look for the bristlenose but no success.

Strangely, I have 2 other bristlenose which I bought from somewhere prior to the 4 spotted plecos. The only aquariums I visit regularly are Seaview or NA, so I suspect it must have been purchased from one of these shops. Oddly, I don't remember which place but neither Seaview nor NA have it now after my repeated visits. Life's little mysteries unsolved.

So, my experience on the spotted plecos. I do see them graze on the glass. can't tell if they do eat the GDA because they don't actually remove the visible algae spots. Maybe they do eat the newer algae which are invisible to the eyes. Can't tell for sure.

The bristlenose also do the same and look like they're more active but again, similar to the spotted plecos.

I read though that the spotted plecos can grow to really big sizes, like 12 cm or so. Bristlenose are apparently smaller, like half that size when mature. I really don't fancy having 4-6 huge plecos all over my tank, so I wanted the bristlenose. Also, google literature specifically says bristlenose, not the spotted, for eradication against GDA. It's obviously a sign of my desperation that I will cling to that belief when I know that "don't believe everything you read on Google". GDA does drive me mad :-)

[cheeboonyong]

UA, not sure whether to laugh or cry when you say that you see it too all the time. Tom Barr mentions that he absolutely doesn't have it. So I thought surely I must be doing something wrong, so when you say that you have it too...hmmm...strangely comforting.

Yes, it's that soft algae which comes off with a light scrape. Even my bare fingers lightly rubbing against the glass can remove it.

[Dscheng]

My 2FT chilled tank doesn't have GSA at all. I had 5 Nerite snail, 5 otos and plenty of shrimp. I maintain 25 degree. Not sure whether temperature help a not.

[cheeboonyong]

I'm quite sure temperature doesn't affect it.

I have a office tank which is perpetually at 22 degree due to the Air-con. Yet, it also suffers from GDA.

[cheeboonyong]

Just bought 2 baby L183s from Seaview today. No luck with the bushynose plecos again. Got 6 nerite snails too. Too bad they had no more stock.

Will see how it goes.

[Urban Aquaria]

My 19L glass has angel fish, they will eat the nertile snail. Will they eat L183 ? Saw this fish at seaview.

Yeah, angel fish do tend to limit the selection of algae eaters in a tank... due to their tendency to eat shrimps, snails and even smaller fishes.

L183 pleco could work, though the ones sold at most LFS tend to be very small juvenile specimens (and then you'll have to get a group of them to have much effect on algae), so there may be a chance the angel fish may eat them too, which make for rather expensive snacks.

Maybe can look at getting those plecos that are already larger... but then they may quickly grow too large for a 19 litre tank.

I guess the best alternative in this case is to just use the trusty algae scraper.

[Urban Aquaria]

UA, not sure whether to laugh or cry when you say that you see it too all the time. Tom Barr mentions that he absolutely doesn't have it. So I thought surely I must be doing something wrong, so when you say that you have it too...hmmm...strangely comforting.

Yes, it's that soft algae which comes off with a light scrape. Even my bare fingers lightly rubbing against the glass can remove it.

Every tank gets algae, just that in Tom Barr's own tanks, he can probably manage it well enough that it doesn't become noticeable (his client's tanks also get those algae too and he has to work to solve them). If your parameters are perfect and you have sufficient algae management to handle all the different algae types, you also wouldn't see them appearing.

But we are not at Tom Barr expert-level yet, so just have to keep fine-tuning our tank and livestock configuration to get it closer to an optimal setup.

[Urban Aquaria]

Just bought 2 baby L183s from Seaview today. No luck with the bushynose plecos again. Got 6 nerite snails too. Too bad they had no more stock.

Will see how it goes.

The baby L183 are nice but wouldn't be much help in a 4ft tank due to their current tiny sizes at the moment... have to wait for them to grow much larger (or stock alot more of them) in order to help in managing the algae.

Btw, Seaview usually stock larger sized bristlenose plecos (have the black and albino versions) in the stock tanks at the back of the place, did you check with the staff?

[cheeboonyong]

Sure did. The staff actually pointed me to the more expensive Plecos that's right next to the plants. Those more exotic ones with L numbers (>$30-40). Not those.

The tanks in the main area where where they house the common plecos (black and albino) are all the common spotted ones. No bristlenose.

Unless you're referring to the private background where public cannot go in?

Anyway, my search continues...

Got another problem now...trying to catch the 4 spotted plecos out from my main tank. Can't seem to get them. Using cucumber in a net to bait them but not too successful.

[Urban Aquaria]

Sure did. The staff actually pointed me to the more expensive Plecos that's right next to the plants. Those more exotic ones with L numbers (>$30-40). Not those.

The tanks in the main area where where they house the common plecos (black and albino) are all the common spotted ones. No bristlenose.

Unless you're referring to the private background where public cannot go in?

Anyway, my search continues...

Got another problem now...trying to catch the 4 spotted plecos out from my main tank. Can't seem to get them. Using cucumber in a net to bait them but not too successful.

Not too sure about their current stock, last i visited Seaview a week ago, there was a retail tank with bristlenose plecos (the males were large enough to see their prominent bristles)... so i guess it depends on their shipments.

Yeah, just have to keep shopping around to find them.

[greenie]

Not too sure about their current stock, last i visited Seaview a week ago, there was a retail tank with bristlenose plecos (the males were large enough to see their prominent bristles)... so i guess it depends on their shipments.

Yeah, just have to keep shopping around to find them.

I think, yet to confirm, my battle against hair algae, green water, hair algae,GDA (for the longest time), BBA, GSA, in that order in the last 3 years may be due mainly to the light intensity.

As I am doing everything based on EI method + 2 methods of C02 dosing at the same time, I've been changing my DIY LED setup many times. For the last year, my diy led is based on arduino-based pwm dimmer where I program the rate of 0-100% intensity base on X hrs.

I had GDA, GDA+BBA and finally only GSA proliferation before I manage to adjust and tweak the duration/rate/intensity of my LEDs with every other water/fert management is kept consistent until I cannot see anymore GSA. BBA growth was completely halted. Only using Seachem EXCEL can I nuke them to bits.

Let me experiment some more but glad every algae is kept at bay. I know they are not eliminated as I manage to grow back GSA within 6 hours when I add back a DIY LED fixture I removed earlier. I might record it using my gopro when I'm free.

I did use ALGAEXIT & BLUEXIT but only manage to slowdown and not stop growth of GDA,BBA and GSA. As for algae eaters, if given the choice, why would they dine on GDA.I notice though my OTOs prefer brown algae compared to algae wafers but since none brown algae, have to take the wafers.

For info, I keep high light red and green stem plants, HG, low-light plants like nana petite, moss like mini pellia and ferns eg mini bolbitis.Different section of tank, different light setup eg intensity/rate/duration.

To summarize, if your fert and water husbandry is consistent, experiment with not only light duration but also intensity. Unless you have an arduino-based setup like me, you can try placing your light fixture higher from water surface to reduce intensity. I mean it's free to try that.

Like anything else, monitor that your plants don't have too little light. I've learn lots of things with regards to led vs FL or CF light fixture. Definitely off-the-shelf LED fixture is overly priced but some do look cool.

[greenie]

Not too sure about their current stock, last i visited Seaview a week ago, there was a retail tank with bristlenose plecos (the males were large enough to see their prominent bristles)... so i guess it depends on their shipments.

Yeah, just have to keep shopping around to find them.

I think, yet to confirm, my battle against hair algae, green water, hair algae,GDA (for the longest time), BBA, GSA, in that order in the last 3 years may be due mainly to the light intensity.

As I am doing everything based on EI method + 2 methods of C02 dosing at the same time, I've been changing my DIY LED setup many times. For the last year, my diy led is based on arduino-based pwm dimmer where I program the rate of 0-100% intensity base on X hrs.

I had GDA, GDA+BBA and finally only GSA before I manage to adjust and tweak the duration/rate/intensity of my LEDs with every other water/fert management is kept consistent.

Let me experiment some more but glad every algae is kept at bay. I know they are not eliminated as I manage to grow back GSA within 6 hours when I add back a DIY LED fixture I removed earlier.

I did use ALGAEXIT & BLUEXIT but only manage to slowdown and not stop growth of GDA,BBA and GSA.

For info, I keep high light red and green stem plants, HG, low-light plants like nana petite, moss like mini pellia and ferns eg mini bolbitis.

To summarize, if your fert and water husbandry is consistent, experiment with not only light duration but also intensity. Unless you have and arduino-based setup like me, you can try placing your light fixture higher to reduce intensity. I mean it's free to try that.

Like anything else, monitor that your plants don't have to little light.

[greenie]

Also to add, I based my CO2 dosing using 1deg pH drop instead of bubble count or drop checker as degree of GH/KH affect pH reading too much for my liking. I'm using pH controller for the dosing and realtime measurement to eliminate CO2 inconsistency and pH swings to ensure sufficient for optimum photosynthesis and stressing my fauna.

[Ralph]

The L183s are beautiful and they will not grow infinitely to become "monster fish".

Another thing, which you probably might notice (or ironically, not notice them) by now, is that they hide alot, especially if you have planted set-up with corners to hide, so you don't even know if they are doing their job well.

I only have a 5 gallon tank, and after the 3rd day, I never see them ever again for the next 5 months until I decided to re-scape.

I don't think they will be of any help in your 4ft tank at this stage though. But enjoy looking out for them. =)

Just bought 2 baby L183s from Seaview today. No luck with the bushynose plecos again. Got 6 nerite snails too. Too bad they had no more stock.

Will see how it goes.

[cheeboonyong]

Thanks for all the suggestions from everyone.

I'm using a Maxspect LED fixture which is dimmable. I'm not going to meddle with it just yet, so that I can verify the the bushynose and L183s do make a difference. If not, then I'll start playing with the intensity.

The GDA is mostly a glass issue, which is not that terrible so long as I scrub religiously. What also irks me though is that the Java Ferns and Nanas are also hit with GDA. All the other faster growing plants are ok but not the Ferns and Nanas.

Back the L183, yes they are incredibly shy. They seem to stay at the same spot on my driftwood all the time and frankly I don't see them grazing. Maybe at night when I'm not looking. Hard to tell. Will continue to monitor.

[cheeboonyong]

Just to add, the funny thing is that the big driftwood which the Ferns and Nanas are attached to are spotlessly clean. No trace of GDA at all. Something must be cleaning it. But the Ferns and Nanas for some reason don't get the same attention from the algae cleaning crew, whoever they are.

Probably the same reason why the glass gets hit by GDA. Simply less attention paid by the cleaning crew I think.