# Green Dust aglae...Ive tried everything!



## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

I have been battling with this stuff in my 100 gallon tank for a long time. I once had it a while back and I did the wait it out cycle and it worked. But it came back in about a month. I have also tried to lower my nitrates with no success. My question is, I want to do the wait it out cycle again but:
1. How long should I wait?
2. Should I do water changes during this waiting period or not?


I used to fertilize all during the week and change my water on sunday:

Monday-csm+b at 1/4 tsp.
Tuesday-Kno3 at 1/2 tsp, kh2po4 at 1/4 tsp., and k2so4 at 1/2 tsp.
Weds.- csm+b at 1/4 tsp.
Thurs.-Kno3 at 1/2 tsp, kh2po4 at 1/4 tsp., and k2so4 at 1/2 tsp.
Friday- csm+b at 1/4 tsp.
Sat.- Do nothing.
Sunday- Do a water change and then dose Kno3 at 1/2 tsp, kh2po4 at 1/4 tsp., and k2so4 at 1/2 tsp.

but recently I have gotten off schedule and here is my somewhat of a schedule that I try to follow:

Monday-csm+b at 1/4 tsp.
Tuesday-Kno3 at 1/2 tsp, kh2po4 at 1/4 tsp., and k2so4 at 1/2 tsp.
Weds.- Do water change and dose csm+b at 1/4 tsp.
Thurs.-Kno3 at 1/2 tsp, kh2po4 at 1/4 tsp., and k2so4 at 1/2 tsp.
Friday- csm+b at 1/4 tsp.
Sat.- Do nothing.
Sunday- dose Kno3 at 1/2 tsp, kh2po4 at 1/4 tsp., and k2so4 at 1/2 tsp.

I know its probably bad that I got screwed up on my water change schedule but I had this GDA before i changed my schedule. How much could this schedule change affect all of this?

I just need some answers!
thanks!


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## |squee| (Feb 3, 2005)

Try running a UV filter together with:

1) Drain the tank to low enough levels for you to wipe out the GDA.
2) Wipe it off with kitchen towels.
3) Fill it up back again. 
4) Wait till you see the algae forming up, and repeat steps 1-3. 

Don't have the filter running while you fill up the tank. I haven't tried this method myself, it's one that I've read amongst the forums.


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## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Have you tried reducing the light by an hour, and then dosing 2x of week? 

In both my tanks that don't receive any ferts I don't have green spot algae. Whereas, the tanks that have very high light and a irregular fertilzing routine get that nasty green dust and spot aglae on the glass So the solution seem to be reducing the light, and reducing the fertilizing to 2x a week for me. So far so good for me. I wish you the same luck.

-John N.


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## Marilyn1998 (Sep 13, 2006)

I battled GDA and GSA in my 90 gallon for about 3 months. Finally, I lowered my light to 1.5 watts per gallon and let it build up on the glass.
I waited 20 days before I wiped the stuff off. During that time I added my ferts as usual, pretty much the same schedule and dose as you have. I still did a WC on Mondays being careful not to bother the glass.
I got the adult algae as well as the next wave by waiting the full 20 days.
After I wiped it all down, (from the water level UP to the top of the tank) I refilled the tank. I had some brown diatom algae for a day or two, and am now algae free for 4 weeks. 

HTH!


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

ok i think im going to try just doing a water change as normal and not touch the glass and wait about 20 days and then wipe it down. My lights are on from 10 am to 6:30 pm during the day and I have 2wpg for a 100 gallon tank. Are my dosing amounts ok?


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## laelw2000 (Sep 4, 2006)

*Finally, I lowered my light to 1.5 watts per gallon and let it build up on the glass.*
After you wait it out for 20 days, do you keep the lights at 1.5 WPG. I have bad GDA at 3 WPG but the plants are growing great. I'm at the point I want the plants to slow down, so I think I'll try that


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## Marilyn1998 (Sep 13, 2006)

rachpreach said:


> ok i think im going to try just doing a water change as normal and not touch the glass and wait about 20 days and then wipe it down. My lights are on from 10 am to 6:30 pm during the day and I have 2wpg for a 100 gallon tank. Are my dosing amounts ok?


Your ferts are right if your plants are growing well. From what you posted seems good to me!


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## Marilyn1998 (Sep 13, 2006)

laelw2000 said:


> *Finally, I lowered my light to 1.5 watts per gallon and let it build up on the glass.*
> After you wait it out for 20 days, do you keep the lights at 1.5 WPG. I have bad GDA at 3 WPG but the plants are growing great. I'm at the point I want the plants to slow down, so I think I'll try that


I have mostly swords and anubias with a crypt or so in my tank. The 1.5 wpg seems to be good for their growth. Depending on your plants, you may want to keep the lighting there. If you have any reds tho, they will stay green at that light IME.

Just be sure to wait the full 20 days. At day 15 or so I thought nothing more was gonna happen, but then it started to build up again.


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## IUnknown (Feb 24, 2004)

Yeah, I haven't had much luck either. I'm playing with the lights right now, adding less to the tank. I let the tank sit for a month, it reduced the algae, but didn't get rid of it.


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

ok i have let this stuff sit for about 2 weeks and still not any better. The thing is that my plecos eat it on the glass which in turn means that its being "touched". See what I mean? what the heck am i supposed to do? This is totally ruining my viewing experience of my tank!!


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

I listed my fert. schedule and amount at the first post. Do all the levels look right? SHould I change something?


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

I had a look in your tank photos. This is a medium density planted tank with lots of heavy root feeders. What I would suggest is this. Put more emphasis on substrate supplementation of nutrients (is your substrate plain gravel?). If it is plain gravel, hand shape 1.5 - 2 cm clay balls enriched with laterite and maybe a bit of rich soil, let these bake in the sun and place them deep with your tweezers every 3 cm allover or near your plant roots (do it over a number of weeks maybe), this would do the trick of supplying quite a lot of your plant needs. I would also cut back on KNO3 through which I reckon you now add 14 ppm NO3 weekly to 6-7 ppm weekly, CSM+B is mainly for TE supplementation, no need to add much of those, instead increase a bit the iron concentration in the column by using an iron only product, DTPA iron powder will do nicely as flourish iron or Iron Gluconate powder for that matter if you can find some, observe your plants for yellowing and add, also do you really need to add that much PO4?. Clean as much detritus from your substrate surface with a small diameter hose, repeat that until most of the detritus is gone, cut all affected, rotting leaves. Wipe everything clean and do a big WC to remove the floating algae, from then onwards do small WC up to 30% total, split 2-3 times per week. Cut back your light to 8 hours per day. Feed fish sparingly. Don't wait for the green dust to build up instead wipe your glass every 2 days before even green dust is visible on it. If you feel like it wipe the leaves of your plants if this are affected as well with a piece of cloth wraped around your thumb with a loose tied rubber band. This wood of yours could be an organic matter leacher check it for soft on the nail spots or rotting parts.
Freemann


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

where can i find clay like that?

I do dose an iron supplement(flourish iron) of two capfuls every week.

So basically wipe all the algae off everything and keep doing it every time it comes back?? What about the whole waiting period and lifecycle of this algae?


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

also when i do the water change, should i remove the algae above the water line first? How exactly should i do this?


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

> where can I find clay like that?


Any red clay soil you can find in an "unspoiled" piece of nature will do sieve it with a 2-3 mm sieve to remove stones and big pieces wet it, dry it and see if it stays in one piece when you press it (you only need enough time to push it deep in the substrate anyway then it can melt) mix in it laterite (from pet shops) and some rich soil (any good black soil will do, no chemical additives or ferts in it). Amounts depend on clay amount.


> I do dose an iron supplement (flourish iron) of two capfuls every week.


Increase it to 4 cupfuls per week. It is a matter of trial and error. Watch the yellowing of the leaves.


> So basically wipe all the algae off everything and keep doing it every time it comes back?? What about the whole waiting period and lifecycle of this algae?


Yes clean everything that is above water after draining remove with a paper towel, the rest clean and let the filter remove the suspended algae from the water before refilling this way you have higher turnover and faster removal (don't forget to switch off the thermostat cause in this case it will be out from water for a longer time). Do not keep doing it when it comes back; just clean the glass every 2 days this way it stays away for good while you improve the conditions of the tank. Algae exist because conditions favoring it exist, remove conditions and algae goes, otherwise it will come back.
Freemann


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

> (don't forget to switch of the thermostat).


what do you mean by thermostat?



> Do not keep doing it when it comes back; just clean the glass every 2 days this way it stays away for good while you improve the conditions of the tank.


so you mean to just keep scraping the algae away on the glass every 2 days?

As far as dosing iron...i dont have any yellowing of my leaves. I do have a case of green spot algae though.

I think im going to reduce my lighting period along with the amounts that I am fertlizing. That should help huh?


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

also...when it comes to supplying nutrients to my plants' roots, I think it would be alot easier to just buy some good root tabs. I have used some before with great results.


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

> Do you mean to just keep scraping the algae away on the glass every 2 days?


Yes clean the glass frequently 2-3 days.



> As far as dosing iron...I don't have any yellowing of my leaves. I do have a case of green spot algae though.


Well maybe it is just me but a good pulse of iron always helps plants stretch their leaves.



> I think I am going to reduce my lighting period along with the amounts that I am fertilizing. That should help huh?


Lighting period along with the reduction of ferts should do the trick yes.



> also...when it comes to supplying nutrients to my plants' roots, I think it would be alot easier to just buy some good root tabs. I have used some before with great results.


Well what I am trying to suggest is that sifting to a more substrate based fertilization with all you root feeders would give you a chance to run a fairly lean water column and could rid you of lots of worry. Root tabs will do fine as well, I just find the soil way has a more slow, *lasting* and if you like it "natural" effect. Soil is alive.
Freemann


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

ok well thanks for the help freemann! Im just scared that Ill miss a spot when i scrape the glass. It just seems immpossible to get all of it since its on alot of my plant leaves...


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

Well you don't have to scrape all as long as you clean as much as possible and at the same time remove the conditions that favor it, it will subside. Just keep after it and it will go away.


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## rachpreach (May 23, 2006)

freemann, i just wanted to thank you for helping me with this algae! You are the only one that has really given me a straight answer. I think this method is really going to work! thanks again!


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## Freemann (Mar 19, 2004)

You are welcome. I wish you the best of luck with this.


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