Green Spot Algae

**celebskin** · 6th Apr 2009, 22:48

Hi everyone,

I'm fighting an ongoing battle with algae with my tank, I have about 30 malayans and 4 horn nerite snails. The snails do not seem to be 'eating' the green spot algae on the tank glass and theres more spots coming out. Would like to find out how do you combat with green spot algae?

**bossteck** · 7th Apr 2009, 00:29

Frankly, you're better off using a credit card to scrap them off. GSA hardens after a while, that's probably why your algae crew don't seem to be winning the battle.

**Cross** · 7th Apr 2009, 13:24

Hey Celebskin,

Perhaps your CO2 and Phosphate levels are low and from what i have read it mainly occurs in high light tanks. Might wanna check out your parameters

**Shadow** · 7th Apr 2009, 13:46

green spot algae on the glass is easy to clean, green spot algae on the rock is headache

3 days black out will help but it may effect other plants as well. UV sterilizer also help to prevent new green spot occurring, basically killing the free algae before stick to the glass. As all the green algae, it love high light wattage. I'm skeptical with increase in phosphate, I try double dosage before without effect.

Bro cross did you verify phosphate solution before? I'm interested to know whether it is a myth or not.

**mordrake** · 7th Apr 2009, 14:02

increase po4.
leave the spots and resist the temptation to scrap them off.
once the spots harden, you can then scrap them off during WC. drain out water and expose the spots before the scrap.

**mordrake** · 7th Apr 2009, 14:07

Originally Posted by Shadow

green spot algae on the glass is easy to clean, green spot algae on the rock is headache

3 days black out will help but it may effect other plants as well. UV sterilizer also help to prevent new green spot occurring, basically killing the free algae before stick to the glass. As all the green algae, it love high light wattage. I'm skeptical with increase in phosphate, I try double dosage before without effect.

Bro cross did you verify phosphate solution before? I'm interested to know whether it is a myth or not.

for my 2ft, i was having some GSA on glass and rocks but after increasing PO4 dosage (also increase NO3), gsa on glass have ceased. as for the rocks, it's growth has slowed done enough for my nerites to handle.
my last dose on sat night went abit overboard. i think i added about >10ppm of PO4 and >40ppm of NO3.

never had any GSA problems for my previous high tech 6ft (3x150W mh lights) using EI methods.

**celebskin** · 7th Apr 2009, 14:48

hi everyone,

Thanks for your help!

Currently my light wattage is really quite high, its 110W because I am trying to grow a HC carpet so it needs high light. I leave the lights on about 5 hours a day and currently I am only dosing Brighty K (1 pump daily) and Step 1 (1 pump alternate days). As for CO2, it is set at 1-2bps.

I've tried remove the GSA with a toothbrush, it just comes back twice as much! Haha. My tank is also plague with black brush algae and green hair algae, I believe I might not have found the right balance to contain all these algae growth, as I'm still relatively new to planted tank. Should I change my ferts regime? Can anyone recommend fertilisers with PO4?

**Shadow** · 7th Apr 2009, 15:47

Originally Posted by mordrake

my last dose on sat night went abit overboard. i think i added about >10ppm of PO4 and >40ppm of NO3.

OK, never try until 10ppm of PO4. I only increase to 4ppm. I will try it out an see how

thanks for the tip

**Shadow** · 7th Apr 2009, 15:52

Originally Posted by celebskin

hi everyone,

Thanks for your help!

Currently my light wattage is really quite high, its 110W because I am trying to grow a HC carpet so it needs high light. I leave the lights on about 5 hours a day and currently I am only dosing Brighty K (1 pump daily) and Step 1 (1 pump alternate days). As for CO2, it is set at 1-2bps.

I've tried remove the GSA with a toothbrush, it just comes back twice as much! Haha. My tank is also plague with black brush algae and green hair algae, I believe I might not have found the right balance to contain all these algae growth, as I'm still relatively new to planted tank. Should I change my ferts regime? Can anyone recommend fertilisers with PO4?

I assume your tank is 2ft tank. How do you introduce CO2 to the tank? reactor or diffuser? that will make a lots of different. BBA is sign of CO2 fluctuation/not enough

**celebskin** · 7th Apr 2009, 15:59

I introduce CO2 through a diffuser, is it better to use a reactor?

**mordrake** · 7th Apr 2009, 16:18

Originally Posted by Shadow

OK, never try until 10ppm of PO4. I only increase to 4ppm. I will try it out an see how

thanks for the tip

err... i mentioned i OD

i think keeping PO4 high with the "wait till GSA full grown then wipe" method will solve the problem.

btw, the result of sat night WC is deaths to 2 malayan shrimps and 3 "S" grade CRS on sun morning. but these 5 shrimps were only added on fri (malayan) & sat morning (CRS) so it is most probably due to acclimitisation issues. ie. add in sat morning and large WC sat night

all other CRS & RCS no issues.

**Shadow** · 7th Apr 2009, 16:18

it depend on the type of reactor, that goes for diffuser as well. Good diffuser will have very fine bubble that disappear before reaching the surface. If your diffuser is not that good, you might want to increase the bps.

**barmby** · 9th Apr 2009, 16:20

celebskin, may i suggest using lushgro macro and micro only for a start. until you get the hang of dosing, you can then start twinging with KH2PO4 (for PO4), Brighty K (for K), Seachem Nitrogen (for N), and Seachem Iron (for Fe). Do big weekly water change for Calcium and Magnesium and other trace. Our tap water should have sufficient calcium.

Bascially, I am just sharing what I did previously.