GSA, lighting, and anubias

[Horde4life91]

I've had my 38 gallon bowfront running for years, after my previous "wet pet" passed away I decided to get some new fish and wanted to get into growing plants. I changed substrate from river pebbles to sand, added some mopani wood, and placed a pothos in the tank. The current stock in the tank are 1 blue acara and a bristlenose pleco . I have 5 plants, I started with anubias barteri then added anubias coffeefolia, nangi, gold coin, and nana petite. I have had tons of brown diatoms for months so I did research and seen that they need silicates to live and that a phosphate remover would help removing silicates. I wiped the diatoms off the leaves, did a water change and put PhosBond in the filter. Now that i havent seen much diatoms I have noticed green spot algae on almost every plant. I researched GSA and seen that low phosphates and high lighting is what it thrives in, so I removed the PhosBond. I have a 24" Fluval Aquasky led light that i have had running at white 100%, red 70%, green 70%, and blue 10% for 10 hours a day. Ive been lowering the light intensity slowy, and started dosing easy green, I have used easy green but not every week. Ive seen nerite snails will eat the algae but i have soft water. I dont want the algae to smother out my plants and  If anyone has any recommendations on how to get rid of this algae I would appreciate it very much. 

[Patrick_G]

I think light is your culprit here. 10 hours at that intensity is quite a bit in a tank with nothing shading the Anubias. I run 7-8 hours in my tanks and still get GSA on my anubias. Other folks have recommended more shade and increasing the flow across the plants. I think it’s slowly working. 

[Horde4life91]

I have purchased a powerhead to help with flow, but what would be a good way to shade the anubias? I am gradually lowering light intensity and shortening the time the light is on. I could look into floating plants. 

 

Edited February 5, 2022 by Horde4life91

[DaveO]

You could try crypt wendtii green or red, both of which will grow tall and shade your anubius. Also dwarf sag can grow to the top and give some shade. I had a couple anubius get gsa so I moved them to the back out of direct light which cleared it up.

 

 

[Horde4life91]

Ok, Ty. I have been wanting to try crypts anways since the only plants I've kept so far are anubias. 

[Horde4life91]

I should have probly included how tall the aquarium is, Its just under 2 feet tall. The biggest anubias is about 6 inches tall and the leaves spread out about 9 inches.

[Patrick_G]

On 2/5/2022 at 1:56 PM, Horde4life91 said:

I have purchased a powerhead to help with flow, but what would be a good way to shade the anubias? I am gradually lowering light intensity and shortening the time the light is on. I could look into floating plants. 

 

I’d go directly to 50% intensity with no blue light and 8 hours. Some Amazon swords would look good and provide shade. 
 

[Horde4life91]

Ok, keep red and green at 50 also? And I was looking at some swords. Thanks for your input. 

[DaveO]

Maybe this will help you with your light. Mind you, my Aquasky is on a 16 inch only tall tank and yours is much taller.