GDA or GSA and how to get rid of it!

[Dutch]

Hello all,

Since 3 weeks I’m getting GDA or GSA on my slower growing plants. Almost only on my limnophila hippuridoides. The plants grow very fast and when I trim them they will make 3 new stems each time. So I’m assuming they are healthy.

Since a week I’m starting to dose 8 ml of ATP 3 every day since I was only dosing 3 ml daily since the start of my tank (3 months ago). This was way too low since the plant mass has increased significantly. Although the algae being there I don’t notice any bloom after the increased dosage.

My tank is roughly 160 liter. I have the Chihiros WRGB 90 pro on 100% for 7 hours daily of which 1 hour ramp up / ramp down. I increased this very slowly from 60% to 100 wo any algae issues ( after dark start). Co2 is injected 2 hours before lights turn on and one hours before lights go out. CO2 drop checker shows light green during the time the light is on.

My water is: 25 nitrate , no amonia no nitrite. But phosphorus is around 0.5. Do my 50% water change every week.

Does anyone know what algae this is? And what to do to get rid of it. Is it because of the low nutrient levels before I increased the dose?

Your help on this would be very much appreciated!

 

[Oldguy]

ATP 3

Never used APT or any of the over the shelf stuff for aquariums. Looked it up on the net, from the advertisement, I assume it contains potassium salts and phosphates and trace elements.
No idea what the algae is.
Possible solutions: keep doing the weekly water changes; use a salicylic acid algaecide (over the counter will work); move to making your own fertilisers plenty of threads on this forum.
The home made approach from dry salts will enable you to tailor your additions to your setup.
When things get back to being OK some cherry red shrimps could be of help.
Nice tank, stay with it, things will work out.
Best wishes for the future.

 

[Sanniejop]

No idea what the algae is

To me it looks like Blue Green Algea?

 

[Dutch]

Never used APT or any of the over the shelf stuff for aquariums. Looked it up on the net, from the advertisement, I assume it contains potassium salts and phosphates and trace elements.
No idea what the algae is.
Possible solutions: keep doing the weekly water changes; use a salicylic acid algaecide (over the counter will work); move to making your own fertilisers plenty of threads on this forum.
The home made approach from dry salts will enable you to tailor your additions to your setup.
When things get back to being OK some cherry red shrimps could be of help.
Nice tank, stay with it, things will work out.
Best wishes for the future.

Thanks for the reply! It seems GDA since my Otto’s do eat it , but it’s too much for them. Especially after a few days after the WC as it also gets on the glass. That’s not a big problem, but the plants… they grow good but even the new growth gets covered with it after a few days…

I’m reducing the light intensity with 5% per week. From the 100% to 80% (now still at 95%).

You think I should leave it untouched for 4 weeks , in the hope it dies off? And then trim the infected limnophilas till the bottom?

Thanks for the compliment! Not giving up 🙂 I believe it takes time but time goes slow in this case haha

 

[Dutch]

To me it looks like Blue Green Algea?

Not sure , it’s not really slime. Can it be GDA? I was in doubt it is GDA or GSA but I do see the Otto’s and Amanos eating it..

 

[Miniandy]

Looks to be GDA. GSA could be there, but suggest tackling one at a time.

GDA likes high nitrates, which you have, so I'd start by reducing that. If your sticking with APT, then you could mix it up by moving to APT1 on some days.

Alternatively you could start mixing your own fertz.

 

[Miniandy]

Also, when asking for help it can be beneficial to answer the following:

add your answers to each number on the list!

1. Size of tank in litres.
2. Age of the set - up.
3. Filtration + Media/Sponges.
4. Lighting and duration.
5. Substrate.
6. Co2 dosing or Non-dosing.
7. Fertilizers used & Ratios.
8. Water change regime and type.
9. Plant list + When planted.
10. Drop Checker.
11. Inhabitants.
12. Full tank image & Surface image.

 

[Sanniejop]

Not sure , it’s not really slime. Can it be GDA? I was in doubt it is GDA or GSA but I do see the Otto’s and Amanos eating it.

It certainly is no Green spot algea. I have no experience as i am aware of with green dust algea. But i have alot experience with blue green algea. And to me this looks a lot like it. 😃
At the time i was struggeling with it i had to low Phosphates in my tank. Maybe something to check for.

 

[Dutch]

Also, when asking for help it can be beneficial to answer the following:

add your answers to each number on the list!

1. Size of tank in litres.
2. Age of the set - up.
3. Filtration + Media/Sponges.
4. Lighting and duration.
5. Substrate.
6. Co2 dosing or Non-dosing.
7. Fertilizers used & Ratios.
8. Water change regime and type.
9. Plant list + When planted.
10. Drop Checker.
11. Inhabitants.
12. Full tank image & Surface image.

Thanks for the reply @Miniandy !

Tank : 90p - 90x45x45 - 180 liters empty.

Age of set up: 2,5 months (after 2 month darkstart)

Filtration: ada Superjet 900 - full of biomaterial. Also filter mesh and pack of seachem pyrogen.

Lighting: Chihiros WRGB 90 pro - 7 hours of which 1 hours ramp up / down. Intensity: 95% - but above the tank 35 cm. Including shades.
Substrate: ada aquasoil

Co2 : in tank diffuser. Around 5/6 bps. Light green dropchecker. On 2 hours before light turn on and 1 hour before light go off.

Fertilizer: since day 1: 3 ml of ATP 3. But since a week 8 ml. Because i think the plant mass need more then the initial 3 ml. Tank is much more matured since planting phase.

Plant list: hairgrass carpet , rotala indica bonsai, rotala wallichi, rotala green , rotala orange juice, limhophila sessiflora, limnophila hippuridoides, blyxa japonica, staurogyne repens, hydrocotyle tripartida, pinnatifida (1 month ago) , and some floating plants .

Inhabitants: 15 cardinal tetra, 3 red phantoms, 2 guppies , 5 Otto’s , 8 amano shrimp.

My waterparameters:

Kh: 8.0
Po4: 1.0
No3: 15.0
Ph: 6.8 ( and 6.1 during lights on)
Gh: 7.0

I do a 60% waterchange every week. And never had algae but since a week or 3 I started to get this GDA on only my limnophila hippuridoides and on my panatifida. The Otto’s try to eat it but they can’t handle all. Note that I increased my liquid fertilizer since a week from 3 ml to 8 ml every day since I thought this algae came from the minimal nutrition I gave compared to the mass of mainly fast growing stem plants. The strange thing is day everything grows very fast , including the algae infested plants.

As mentioned I already reduced light from 100% to 95% and I’m planning to reduce it with 5% every week.

I’ve added a couple pictures of my tank as requested hopefully you can make something out of this… your support is highly appreciated!

P.s. the last picture is of my rotala indica bonsai neer de co2 diffusor. Since a few days some of the new leaves have these brown colouring…

 

[Dutch]

It certainly is no Green spot algea. I have no experience as i am aware of with green dust algea. But i have alot experience with blue green algea. And to me this looks a lot like it. 😃
At the time i was struggeling with it i had to low Phosphates in my tank. Maybe something to check for.

Thanks Sanniejop! Why do you believe so? I read it must be smelling and slimey .. that’s not the case. And Otto’s eat it.

 

[Sanniejop]

Thanks Sanniejop! Why do you believe so? I read it must be smelling and slimey .. that’s not the case. And Otto’s eat it.

Well indeed i never saw otto eating blue green algea. Are you sure they are eating it? Or just shove it away?
It may be smelling but then you need alot of it. And indeed it is slimey. But it looks like it was blue green algea in the early stage meaning still a very thin slimey layer, and then the algea was suffering because of the conditions have changed. So i think you have sort of 'on the edge' blue green algea beneficial conditions. APT3 is low in N and P. Do you feed alot of fish? If no i think you are low on N and P. In my experience zero P causes severe blue green algea outbreaks. Just my two cents.