# What on earth is this algae?



## Jessy2363 (Aug 27, 2015)

Hi
I have had this algae a couple of times in the past but not often thankfully. I am under the impression that it has occurred from overdosing on trace. I use a trace mix power that contains chelated iron from a hydroponics shop. But I am not so sure this is the cause and would like to get to the bottom of what the cause was so I don't do it again. 

My tank levels
PO4: 1ppm sometimes 1.5ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm sometimes 15ppm
PH: 6
Light: Medium/high
Co2 injection: 30-40ppm during the day. 

I am dosing EI and perform a 50-60 percent water change weekly. 

Before you go saying it's green spot algae hear me out. It does not appear on the glass like green spot algae and it is not hard to touch, it is sort of slimy to touch and I can scratch it off with my finger nails if I try although it damages the leaves if I do this. Also it is not green dust algae either as far as I am aware as green dust is more dusty and is easy to wipe off as I have learn from past experience! The spots it creates can get quite large in diameter so it's not so much dotty but more spreads over the leaf like a green slime although it starts off like large looking dots (refer to photo). Also it is definitely not cyanobacteria as it does not smell like anything. I"m curious as to what caused it however as all the pictures of other algaes I have seen online do not look like this. In the past I thought it was from overdosing on trace mix but no one else seems to ever get it?? What is it? Could it be from an iron overdose? Or more likely the other trace elements like copper for example. The plant leaf is a dwarf Lotus and it has appeared on other plants before, not just my dwarf lotus.


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

Looks like green spot (GSA). Lack of or low PO4 ?


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## Jessy2363 (Aug 27, 2015)

Hi Newt

Thanks for trying to figure it out. I did wonder that but it doesn't' seem like it is. The texture is soft and sort of like jelly but thin. 
It eventually covers the leaf in a slimy mass and doesn't touch the glass in the aquarium like Green spot does. I dose EI method also to rule out any chance of deficiencies. I did wonder if a trace overdose could cause this but I will never know...I did cut back on trace and it didn't seem to help. I suspect this will self correct as I have had this algae in the past and it did go away. 

I forgot to mention I did take out some old filter wool and replace it for some new stuff. I run two canisters and there was lots of already cycled media that I left behind in order to not uncycle the tank of course and all I took out was a thin layer of old filter wool but I wonder if me doing that has "upset the balance" just slightly. This did start occurring after I did that come to think of it. 

Also my PO4 levels are between 1-2ppm in order to rule out GSA. Seems different to green spot. It's a real mystery actually. I did notice recently I'm getting a bit of Green dust algae on the glass which seems weird. It's like when algae hits many strains hit at once. I suspect maybe this is to do with my filter wool replacement and a balance upset resulting in very small amounts of ammonia causing spores to germinate. It's all i can really put it down to. Still I am curious as to what strain of algae this is. 

Anyone seen this type of algae before that matches my description?


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## Jessy2363 (Aug 27, 2015)

Just thought i'd post an update here as I've had a simple revelation. 

I am almost certain this algae is caused by sunlight. I cover my tank during the summer months as the sun shines through the skylight window in the morning. Recently the weather has gotten even hotter and I suspect the sun has become stronger and is actually penetrating through my sheet as the sheet is quite thin and budget. I have actually had this exact algae before from sunlight but ruled it out due to my trusty sheet but yeah my sheet ain't thick enough lol. 

Im going to get a better sheet and see if this fixes it. Feeling pretty confident that sunlight is the cause now.


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