I have a thriving tank I setup in September. Everything grows well, inhabitants are happy. I have not had one algae incident yet except near daily GSA. I have been gradually boosting my concentration of phosphates to over 3ppm and hardly put any nitrates in (which usually range from 10ppm to 30ppm+, hard to tell exactly on the API test). I've read GSA can be the result of too low phosphates or "phosphates out of balance with nitrates" (which is not a very helpful statement). None of phosphate/nitrate movements I've made have abated the GSA in anyway, it always comes back although strangely there are some days it seems to not grow.
I am very overstocked with Endlers, is there is an organic waste component to GSA? I manage that with extreme plant density, modest feedings, 10% daily water changes, and I use liberal amounts of both Seachem Stability and Seachem Pristine bacteria supplements to break down wastes. I also avoid putting in much nitrate (currently) due to overstock. The shrimp population is exploding so I am assuming my water quality is pretty good.
The tank also gets a little light from outside (its near a sliding glass door), could that be the issue? There is no way I can change that so I'll have to work around it somehow.
Here it is April 1 a few days after thorough glass/tank cleaning. You can see the GSA already forming.
Then here it is just 4 days later, time to scrape! And this is definitely GSA and not GDA because it is a workout getting it scrapped off. Though interesting enough, I notice both RCS and pond snails like it when it is fresh, normally I don't think they like GSA because it's too hard. It's an acrylic tank so I have to use a nylon scrubby vs a metal scraper. I'm going to try one of those magnetic scrapper. But how do I stop this???? I'm about to move from Seachem liquid ferts to NilocG dry ferts in a PPS mode. I'm hoping this might balance things out a little but it seems a shot in the dark.
I am very overstocked with Endlers, is there is an organic waste component to GSA? I manage that with extreme plant density, modest feedings, 10% daily water changes, and I use liberal amounts of both Seachem Stability and Seachem Pristine bacteria supplements to break down wastes. I also avoid putting in much nitrate (currently) due to overstock. The shrimp population is exploding so I am assuming my water quality is pretty good.
The tank also gets a little light from outside (its near a sliding glass door), could that be the issue? There is no way I can change that so I'll have to work around it somehow.
Here it is April 1 a few days after thorough glass/tank cleaning. You can see the GSA already forming.
Then here it is just 4 days later, time to scrape! And this is definitely GSA and not GDA because it is a workout getting it scrapped off. Though interesting enough, I notice both RCS and pond snails like it when it is fresh, normally I don't think they like GSA because it's too hard. It's an acrylic tank so I have to use a nylon scrubby vs a metal scraper. I'm going to try one of those magnetic scrapper. But how do I stop this???? I'm about to move from Seachem liquid ferts to NilocG dry ferts in a PPS mode. I'm hoping this might balance things out a little but it seems a shot in the dark.