Aquatic Plant Central - View Single Post - What is the Best Way to Defeat Green Dust Algae?

hoppycalif · 11-03-2006, 03:14 PM

I notice that Tom Barr is now suggesting that a 3 day blackout can be effective against all forms of algae. He suggests starting by doing twice a week 50-90% water changes, cleaning the filter and substrate, adding Excel, then doing a three day blackout. Make sure the blackout is total, no peeking, no light leaks. Following that, do daily 80% water changes, manually remove all of the algae you can find, add 1 1/2 times the water change dose of Excel, fertilize per EI, and repeat this every day for three days. Then keep the lighting to 2 - 2.5 watts per gallon, for 8 hours or so a day, and all of your algae problems will be history - if you use pressurized CO2 and keep the bubble rate up as high as your livestock can live with, and maintain a good fertilizing schedule for all of the needed nutrients. I think this could be called the "work your head off" method! But, I think I will try it after I scrape off the GDA next week. Of course then I will never know which method was the one that got rid of the GDA.

11-03-2006, 03:14 PM	#17 (permalink)
hoppycalif Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Sacramento, CA, USA Posts: 5,208 iTrader Ratings: 20 iTrader Positive Rating: 100% Plant Points: 227345	I notice that Tom Barr is now suggesting that a 3 day blackout can be effective against all forms of algae. He suggests starting by doing twice a week 50-90% water changes, cleaning the filter and substrate, adding Excel, then doing a three day blackout. Make sure the blackout is total, no peeking, no light leaks. Following that, do daily 80% water changes, manually remove all of the algae you can find, add 1 1/2 times the water change dose of Excel, fertilize per EI, and repeat this every day for three days. Then keep the lighting to 2 - 2.5 watts per gallon, for 8 hours or so a day, and all of your algae problems will be history - if you use pressurized CO2 and keep the bubble rate up as high as your livestock can live with, and maintain a good fertilizing schedule for all of the needed nutrients. I think this could be called the "work your head off" method! But, I think I will try it after I scrape off the GDA next week. Of course then I will never know which method was the one that got rid of the GDA.