Green Dust Algae

inkslinger · 08-15-2012, 09:13 PM

Too keep Green Dust Algae at bay , should I up my
Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) or
Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4)

Is there a way to tell each apart from each other?

cradleoffilthfan · 08-16-2012, 08:26 AM

Did you mean how can you tell pot. sulfate apart from pot. phosphate? The bags aren't labeled? If not, it's pretty easy to tell, the phosphate looks like tiny crystals, like salt almost.....then the sulfate is like baking soda, or flour like. As far as your green dust algae, I'm not really sure what you mean. I would test your phosphates and see where they are at before you add any more. When I add my ferts, I test my water to see where I am at first, then add accordingly. If my phosphates are above like 1.0-1.5, I don't add any. Same with my pot. nitrate. If my nitrates are above 20ppm, I don't add any. The trace I add twice a week and the pot. sulfate I add when I add my ferts after my weekly water change, and that's it. Once a week. Do you have any pictures of this green dust algae?

inkslinger · 08-17-2012, 01:44 AM

To what I read is that Green Dust Algae is cause by low Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4)
I think I mark my canister wrong an put Mono Potassium Phosphate (K2SO4) on the label . So thinking I had the right one , I get a big bloom of green dust on my glass.
So now I got to try to tell them apart and re-do my label .

**plantbrain** · 08-17-2012, 04:29 AM

GDA, near as I can tell, is not caused by low PO4.

Nor K+, nor any dosing routine I'm aware of, or not dosing at all.

Maybe CO2, maybe O2. etc..but not ferts......

08-15-2012, 09:13 PM	#1
inkslinger Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Taunton ,MA Posts: 1,603	Green Dust Algae Too keep Green Dust Algae at bay , should I up my Potassium Sulfate (K2SO4) or Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) Is there a way to tell each apart from each other?

08-17-2012, 04:29 AM	#4
plantbrain Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (232/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: The swamp Posts: 11,999	GDA, near as I can tell, is not caused by low PO4. Nor K+, nor any dosing routine I'm aware of, or not dosing at all. Maybe CO2, maybe O2. etc..but not ferts...... __________________ Regards, Tom Barr

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08-16-2012, 08:26 AM	#2
cradleoffilthfan Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Eureka, California Posts: 323	Did you mean how can you tell pot. sulfate apart from pot. phosphate? The bags aren't labeled? If not, it's pretty easy to tell, the phosphate looks like tiny crystals, like salt almost.....then the sulfate is like baking soda, or flour like. As far as your green dust algae, I'm not really sure what you mean. I would test your phosphates and see where they are at before you add any more. When I add my ferts, I test my water to see where I am at first, then add accordingly. If my phosphates are above like 1.0-1.5, I don't add any. Same with my pot. nitrate. If my nitrates are above 20ppm, I don't add any. The trace I add twice a week and the pot. sulfate I add when I add my ferts after my weekly water change, and that's it. Once a week. Do you have any pictures of this green dust algae?

08-17-2012, 01:44 AM	#3
inkslinger Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (1/100%) Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Taunton ,MA Posts: 1,603	To what I read is that Green Dust Algae is cause by low Mono Potassium Phosphate (KH2PO4) I think I mark my canister wrong an put Mono Potassium Phosphate (K2SO4) on the label . So thinking I had the right one , I get a big bloom of green dust on my glass. So now I got to try to tell them apart and re-do my label .