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Re: See spot gone



> Wow, everything I ever wanted to know about eradicating
> spot algae in one word.
> Shireen Gonzaga


See Spot gone:
PO4 really seem to help, but was not 100% effective. Adding PO4 does seem to
keep it held back a good deal. Good NO3/CO2 also.
Most folks that get it often have swords, and Anubias and some old leaves
might have a little accumulate. I just trim them. Many are too chicken or
feel their plant grows too slow to trim it.

Plants should grow faster than the spot can attack new leaves. IME, new
leaves of Anubias are not nearly as prone and actively growing plants.
Plants that are just sitting there often get the algae in higher light
tanks.

Low light CO2 plant tanks never seemed to get it if the nutrients have been
kept up on. No CO2 tanks also never got it.
Both of the above tanks never had glass algae of any noticeable kind for
months at a time. 
I have a friend that's had an Anubias plant for about 9 years now. I think
it puts out one new leaf a year, non CO2 tank, 15 watt incandescant bulb
over it and few plants/fish. Not one speck of any algae, she just feeds the
fish, changes the water every month or so.

Higher light and good nutrients often will yield spot algae if something is
off kilter. I have not scrubbed the glass in a high light tanks for about a
month now. The glass is pretty clean, has 5.5 w/gal of PC light blaring down
in a small tank. No algae eaters except some snails.

I used to get green spot and figured at one point I'd never get a hang of
it. But good CO2, nutrients and light does the trick. Lower light seems to
be pretty effective control and presence and for most glass algae generally.
There is bound to be a good herbivore for this but most don't like tough
hard old algae.

Pickers like Shrimps may keep young GS from getting a foot hold.

Going in a removing what is there first then keeping up on things is the
standard procedure. It does work and works with all algae. I use a credit
card or a razor blade to remove it and then make sure to keep up on things.

Regards, 
Tom Barr