# removing green spot algae



## fishkeeper (6 Dec 2008)

i have green spot algae all over my glass.

The problem is i dont have an algae scraper with a blade to get this off (except my marine one but i dont want to risk it)

is there any other way of getting this off? my algae magnet is just a hagen one so it doesnt get it off

Thanks


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## scottturnbull (6 Dec 2008)

By hand, using white filter floss. The perfect algae scrubber. You can usually buy a bag for less than a pound in your LFS.


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## fishkeeper (6 Dec 2008)

got planty of filter floss   

thanks ill give it a try tomorrow in the regular clean


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## aaronnorth (7 Dec 2008)

i use a scourer


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## ceg4048 (7 Dec 2008)

Why not just avoid it completely by adding more PO4?

Cheers,


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## fishkeeper (7 Dec 2008)

to be honest, i didnt know adding PO4 stopped it. From an article of read on the internet, it says this algae was inevitable   

thanks Ceg


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## aaronnorth (7 Dec 2008)

fishkeeper said:
			
		

> to be honest, i didnt know adding PO4 stopped it. From an article of read on the internet, it says this algae was inevitable
> 
> thanks Ceg



adding PO4 will lower it, but you will probably still get the odd spot.


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## ceg4048 (7 Dec 2008)

GSA is primarily PO4 related and is also CO2 related, believe it or not. It's a good idea to understand what type of algae is related to what causal factors as we now have a pretty good idea about this. Without knowing what article you're referring to I'm going out on a limb and rudely proclaim that the author of that article still has much to learn if he/she believes that the addition of PO4 inevitably causes algae. This is not to say that algae cannot accompany PO4 addition. If you develop a type of algae that is not PO4 related then the addition of PO4 can then feed that algae so it's critical to understand cause and effect. Check out JamesC's algae guide which provides a summary of the various algae types and their fundamental causal factors.

If you are an extremist you can add enough PO4 and CO2 to completely eradicate GSA from the tank, however normal people just add enough of both to render it only a minor nuisance.

Cheers,


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## fishkeeper (7 Dec 2008)

thanks for the guide Ceg   

Has been favourited in my 'Fish' folder   
How is the best way to add PO4?

Will


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## ceg4048 (7 Dec 2008)

Will,
       The best way of starting an internet flame war is to ask "What's the best...[insert any product here]..."  So let's look at it from another perspective:

The _cheapest_ way to add PO4 to a tank is via Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4). The cheapest popular supplier I recall off hand is Garden Direct Potassium Phosphate but there may be ebay type offers out there.

The most _convenient_ way to add PO4 is via a premixed commercial product that contains it such as Tropica's  TPN+ all-in-one or via the dedicated Seachem, Kent or Easylife range. Typical examples are here:=>AE Kent Phos+ or AE Seachem Flourish Phosphorous or AE Tropica TPN+

As a precautionary note, save yourself confusion by completely ignoring the propaganda wording accompanying the product pages if you decide to go the convenient route. 

Cheers,


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## fishkeeper (7 Dec 2008)

ahh cool

i have Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) in my fert mix so i guess im ok, ill jsut add more to the mix then it will not come back as easily?

Thanks

Will


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## ceg4048 (8 Dec 2008)

Yes, agreed, but also remember that CO2 is in the equations as well. Double the PO4 first and take a reading after about 3 weeks. If that shows no improvement then make an additional adjustment of slowly increasing the bubble rate.

Cheers,


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