Green Spot algae!

gabcas0319

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Aug 29, 2016
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Hello guys! my low light excell tank was working perfect for the last 2 weeks! but today i see that is starting to grow green spot algae! i think That means that i should add more phosphates but i want you guys confirme that!


its a 5 galon tanks 1,5wpg i thinks is 36 PAR and i dose like this:


10ppm of NO3


1,5ppm of PO4


0,2ppm of Fe


two times per week and


0.05ppm of urea and 1,5 the dose of excel every day!


70% water change weekly


Thanks Guys!
 

rajkm

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If you are sure it's GSA then one way that most have had success with is to increase PO4 to about 2-3ppm.


you can also move slow growing plants away from center to corners or sides with less light of it they can take overshadowing then under stem plants.


also remember to do large water changes after uprooting/moving things around.
 
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gabcas0319

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rajkm said:
If you are sure it's GSA then one way that most have had success with is to increase PO4 to about 2-3ppm.

you can also move slow growing plants away from center to corners or sides with less light of it they can take overshadowing then under stem plants.


also remember to do large water changes after uprooting/moving things around.

you are talking 2 or 3 ppm of phosphates per week? or 3 times per week?


Thanks
 

edelry.junior

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Why are you dosing urea? You dosing a lot of nitrates, as much as I do with around 100 PAR and 35 ppm of CO2. And the water changes... ...I am not sure.


I think that instead of trying to explaing it here, you should just go through this topic here. Tom explains it in detail.


I think you could be going more along the Diana Walstad stuff, plus 20% of the standard EI dosing (e.g. single dose 4ppm NO3 weekly).


What do you think?
 
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gabcas0319

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edelry.junior said:
Why are you dosing urea? You dosing a lot of nitrates, as much as I do with around 100 PAR and 35 ppm of CO2. And the water changes... ...I am not sure.

I think that instead of trying to explaing it here, you should just go through this topic here. Tom explains it in detail.


I think you could be going more along the Diana Walstad stuff, plus 20% of the standard EI dosing (e.g. single dose 4ppm NO3 weekly).


What do you think?

i dose excel so my tank cannot be like diana walstad tanks! also i like faster grow with excel! 4 ppm of no3 weekly? i test my tank with api test and in one week it consumes 10 ppm of NO3 so i need more than 4 ppm!
 

gabcas0319

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Aug 29, 2016
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edelry.junior said:
Why are you dosing urea? You dosing a lot of nitrates, as much as I do with around 100 PAR and 35 ppm of CO2. And the water changes... ...I am not sure.

I think that instead of trying to explaing it here, you should just go through this topic here. Tom explains it in detail.


I think you could be going more along the Diana Walstad stuff, plus 20% of the standard EI dosing (e.g. single dose 4ppm NO3 weekly).


What do you think?
also look my problem! i dose 3ppm of po4 in a week and i have GSA so my tank is telling me that need more PO4!!!
 

gabcas0319

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edelry.junior said:
Why are you dosing urea? You dosing a lot of nitrates, as much as I do with around 100 PAR and 35 ppm of CO2. And the water changes... ...I am not sure.

I think that instead of trying to explaing it here, you should just go through this topic here. Tom explains it in detail.


I think you could be going more along the Diana Walstad stuff, plus 20% of the standard EI dosing (e.g. single dose 4ppm NO3 weekly).


What do you think?

i recommend you to look the comment in the non co2 method and EI post! Tom explain that low light with excel or co2 need around 20 ppm of nitrates and 3 to 5 ppm of po4 per week
 

edelry.junior

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My question about urea was not against using it, but understanding why do you feel the need to add it. It is not like you are not adding N from NO3.


PO4 helps against GSA, but GSA presence does not say you have little PO4. GSA usually shows up under direct light on slow growing plants, for instance Anubias. Circulation also plays a role.


I forgot to take the excel in the equation, that is true. I checked the post (we were both reffering the same post :) ) and what I found is:

Just use the 10:1 or 7:1 dosing ratio for CO2 : non CO2 tanks. CO2 : Excel dosing 3:1.

And also from the old EI post:

Some Typical uptake rates at high light and CO2 levels per day (24 hours):


NO3 1-5ppm


NH4 0.1-0.8ppm(if you use this in place of NO3)


PO4 0.5 ppm

So that does give some margin to play. Definitely not the 4ppm I said before, but please beware that 20 ppm is what many people dose, under bright lights, CO2, big WCs and good circulation. Excel is a good source of carbon but it is not CO2. I only wanted to say that the NO3/PO4 sounded bit high IMO.


Always use a standard solution to check if your tests actually work. The plants growth should be the parameter, right? ;)


How big is tank (WxHxD) and exactly what do you use as your light source (led, t5, etc)?
 
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edelry.junior

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And to further help against GSA, Neritina Zebra snails are a big help. Do not add a lot of them or they start laying these white eggs all over the place. Even worse because afaik these eggs do not hatch underwater.


I have 3 on my 60l tank and is alright.


zebra-nerite-snail-anubias-barteri-leaf.jpg
 

DON OKANE

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Brand new to the site would really like to find the article on excel usage as I have started using it in my 95 to try and help my plants out