# Green Spot Algae



## Peter F (27 Jun 2009)

I have just started to notice Green Spot algae appearing on some of my plants in a newly heavily planted tank that is three weeks old.
Tropica Plant Nutrition fertilizer has also been added weekly. 
However, I am aware my Co2 dosing is not sufficient, this is being addressed by introducing a pressurised system. 
The lights are on 6 hours per day and I have been carrying out regular 25% water changes. 

I am also going to increase the fertilizer dosing and supplement with Tropica Plus that has phosphates.
Please advise if this is the correct way to go,  or suggest any other tactics I should adopt.

I understand Green Spot algae is common in new tanks, should I panic?
Do Ottos eat it? 


Kindest Regards: Peter


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## ceg4048 (27 Jun 2009)

Hi, 
    You should definitely not panic. GSA is common in any tank than has any combination of either poor PO4 uptake and/or poor CO2 uptake. This has nothing to do with new tank. TPN+ is a little low in PO4 so adding more is a good idea. Increase the PO4 levels first and observe for a few weeks before adding more CO2. You can also supplement PO4 by adding KH2PO4 directly. Also, you can try weekly or twice weekly 50% water changes.

Cheers,


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## davidcmadrid (4 Jul 2009)

ceg4048 said:
			
		

> Hi,
> You should definitely not panic. *]GSA is common in any tank than has any combination of either poor PO4 uptake and/or poor CO2 uptake*. This has nothing to do with new tank. TPN+ is a little low in PO4 so adding more is a good idea. Increase the PO4 levels first and observe for a few weeks before adding more CO2. You can also supplement PO4 by adding KH2PO4 directly. Also, you can try weekly or twice weekly 50% water changes.
> 
> Cheers,




I am probably reading this wrong and think i have the idea but wanted to confirm that It . You say its due to low " uptake " ,, is this because the plants have not settled to their new home with its various foods on offer including CO2 ? I gather from what you go on to say when you reference increasing dosage as a strategy that this algae breaks out from a lack of PO4 so its dosage should be increased slightly to resolve. Just wanted to clarify low uptake versus increased dosage.


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## ceg4048 (5 Jul 2009)

Hi,
    To clarify, "uptake" in the context of plant nutrition means consumption. Inability to uptake, or consume, is normally due to lack of availability of a specific nutrient or the lack of availability of a related nutrient which aids the consumption of the nutrient in question. But it is not limited to poor dosing. Uptake can be curtailed due to an inability to deliver the nutrient to the plant surface/root. This second case is related to volumetric flow and distribution of nutrient laden water. Since it is not clear whether dosing is fundamentally low or whether the tank suffers from _poor delivery_ I've used the expression "low uptake" as a catch all. Increasing the dosage, or increasing flow/distribution or both can solve the problem.

Plants that are newly submerged do have difficulty with nutrient uptake simply because their terrestrial leaves are optimized for atmospheric conditions so they can experience low uptake due to inefficiency of that physiology. If the plants were in good condition then they have stored energy reserves which they use to help them transition. Again, increasing the dosages and flow as well as lowering the light helps here as well. Once the submersed growth appears, uptake efficiency increases.

Cheers,


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## davidcmadrid (6 Jul 2009)

Thank for the clarification , I felt i had got the concept but was missinterpreting the terminology.


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