Help! Green Dust Algae

[PaulLB]

My new “Dutch” setup seems to be plagued with algae in the two weeks since I planted it. This is only my second tank, but have been lucky enough that my first had none of these problems (in the same room and continues to be fine).

both are identical in spec no-filter heavily planted tanks. Both with CO2 and water changed from the same source (tap).

I don’t have any test kits so no idea on water params apart from my Co2 drop checker.

As you can see the algae is not only on the glass but on the leaves too. It wipes off pretty easily so I assume (?) this is the “green dust algae”, but really don’t know.

It hasn’t been heavily building up on the glass and seems more of a problem on the plants if anything.

I’ve done a couple of 90% water changes in the last week and also added in some gluteraldeyde today out of desperation.

I’ve heard some say you have to let GDA run it’s lifecycle but I’ve not actually heard of any success on this method.

Do I just try to keep on top of it and hope the plants out accelerate the algae eventually ?

 

[LMuhlen]

I would expect that waiting would indeed possibly help, but you wouldn't be waiting for the algae lifecycle to complete. Instead, you would be waiting for the tank to mature, and that would lead to the algae to recede.

Other than that, keeping the tank clean, changing water, maybe using activated carbon, and possibly reducing the light intensity, would all help keep it under control.

 

[RickyV]

I had this problem too with GDA growing on my plants. My post might help Persistent GDA on plants The post eventually moved to my journal 1200L High Tech Planted Tank

I made a lot of changes as you will read in there but if I were to guess what had the biggest impact I would say reducing the light, and making sure I had a 1 pH drop by lights on and very stable CO2 throughout the photoperiod. Algae eaters also help, but not enough to solve the problem, only once you solve your root cause.

 

[PaulLB]

I think (hope) the plants are going to outcompete the algae , they just need time to get established.

I put some Flora Grow Carbo (Gluteraldehyde) in yesterday in the hope it might discourage the algae due to its algaecide properties. I might try dosing every day for a week and see how that goes, then if no joy I’ll black out the tank for 3/4 days and see if that helps.

 

[MichaelJ]

I think (hope) the plants are going to outcompete the algae , they just need time to get established.

If the plants are doing well they will play a huge role in fending away the algae for sure.

I put some Flora Grow Carbo (Gluteraldehyde) in yesterday in the hope it might discourage the algae due to its algaecide properties. I might try dosing every day for a week and see how that goes, then if no joy I’ll black out the tank for 3/4 days and see if that helps.

What @RickyV said.... Often you have attack algae on multiple levels. Glut is not a longterm solution, but it might aid you in the battle against the algae. Proper light/CO2/ferts/flow and of course time is the key.

Cheers,
Michael

 

[erwin123]

My new “Dutch” setup seems to be plagued with algae in the two weeks since I planted it. This is only my second tank, but have been lucky enough that my first had none of these problems (in the same room and continues to be fine).

both are identical in spec no-filter heavily planted tanks. Both with CO2 and water changed from the same source (tap).

I don’t have any test kits so no idea on water params apart from my Co2 drop checker.

As you can see the algae is not only on the glass but on the leaves too. It wipes off pretty easily so I assume (?) this is the “green dust algae”, but really don’t know.

It depends on how you wipe off the GDA from the glass. If you use a traditional scraper like I do it remains in the water column (if you do a 50% water change, the other 50% will still have the GDA in it) . Thats why others recommend using towels or similar methods to ensure that the GDA is removed from the tank after being wiped off the glass.

Since I use a scraper, I found using an in-tank UV right after water change helped a lot in slowing the spread of GDA.

Heres a photo of a 200micron pad added to my usb pump 1 full hour after water change (i.e. the water has gone through my canister filters a few times already). Its evident that the regular filter sponges are not fine enough to remove the algae from the water column after they are removed from the glass.

 

[PaulLB]

Hi m going ahead with the Gluteraldehye addition for a few days to see if this gives the plants an advantage.

I’m not dosing fert in this tank as I want to keep as much nutrients from water as possible and hope the plants can get the nitrients they need from the Tropica soil and co2 .

I’m loathe to do a blackout as this prejudices the plants too and I feel they can outcompete the algae if given a chance.

Guess we’ll see……

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I’m not dosing fert in this tank as I want to keep as much nutrients from water as possible and hope the plants can get the nitrients they need from the Tropica soil and co2 .

I'd probably dose at least a minimal amount of a complete nutrient solution. Nothing like EI, but a definite trickle.

If you are adding CO2 the plants can't make use of it unless the mineral nutrients are available. Your plants won't be CO2 limited, but one of the mineral nutrients will be <"Liebig's limiting nutrient">.

cheers Darrel

 

[X3NiTH]

Your tanks running low or out of Phosphate you need to add some back in, regardless of the level of other nutrition, run out and boom GDA (personal experience). I wouldn’t be hoping Tropica soil is that rich in nutrition to keep all those stems healthy, any fertiliser you do add will help to mineralise the substrate further.

 

[MichaelJ]

@PaulLB What are you dosing? how much and how often?

Cheers,
Michael

 

[PaulLB]

@PaulLB What are you dosing? how much and how often?

Cheers,
Michael

Tank is just three weeks old and I only got my co2 kit one week ago so I haven’t been dosing anything yet. I held off when I spotted the algae as I didn’t want to be putting extra nutrients into the water column. I have some flora grow fertiliser should I start dosing that ?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I have some flora grow fertiliser should I start dosing that ?

Yes. You'll need to be a little bit careful with it, because it <"contains some ammonia (NH3)">.

cheers Darrel

 

[PaulLB]

Your tanks running low or out of Phosphate you need to add some back in, regardless of the level of other nutrition, run out and boom GDA (personal experience). I wouldn’t be hoping Tropica soil is that rich in nutrition to keep all those stems healthy, any fertiliser you do add will help to mineralise the substrate further.

I have some seachem flourish, but I’m loathe to add in nutrients to water column while the tank is so new (3 weeks).

What I can definitely start to see now is the plants (Rotala especially) is starting to grow quite rapidly. So I’ll try dusting off the leaves doing a big water change then dosingnup with gluteraldhye and my combined nutrients flora g

Hi all,

Yes. You'll need to be a little bit careful with it, because it <"contains some ammonia (NH3)">.

cheers Darrel

Maybe I’ll start with one squirt per day rather than the full dose (9 squirts for my 45L nano) in one go.

 

[PaulLB]

Battle continues against GDA. Did another 90% water change scrubbed all glass and even removed some of the plants to rinse them under tap. Sure this won’t be the end of it but looking better right now.

 

[Hanuman]

To me this does not look like GDA. Looks like a combination of diatoms and biofilm or perhaps some other algae. Your tank is only 3 weeks old if I read well. Adding glut is really not something I would do in such a young system. Glut is an algicide but if your plants are struggling and show signs of damage, glut won't do any good to them, quite the contrary.
I would focus on your CO2 and light (duration and intensity) at this point. Balancing these 2 factors alone will set your long term success.
For CO2 try to target a 1PH drop. Turn CO2 a good hour before lights go on. Make sure you have good surface agitation.
For Lights I can't advice much since you don't say much about it but it's good practice to start lower and then increase progressively through the weeks.
Add a complete fert to make sure no nutrient is missing.
Don't focus on algae. Focus on plants health. Algae will disappear consequently.

 

[PaulLB]

I’ve bought a black out cover for my tank I’m going to try a really strict lighting regime with CO2 switched an hour before lights on and off, using the cover the block all ambient light. If that doesn’t work then I’ll try 3-4 days total blackout.

 

[Kalum]

Or just add some ferts and enjoy your tank

 

[Hanuman]

using the cover the block all ambient light. If that doesn’t work then I’ll try 3-4 days total blackout.

I’ll be honest but I have never been a fan of that method which I think does more harm than good. This is typically a method used out of desperation and shows one is focusing on killing algae rather than making plants healthy. Depriving your plants of complete light and consequently of co2 for 4 days wont help them, you are doing the opposit and although you might kill most visible algae, there will be plenty of spores left to start propagating all over again.

 

[PaulLB]

Blackout will be last resort I’ll use cover just to strictly control light incident in the tank and try to dial in Co2 as you suggest.

 

[G H Nelson]

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