# GSA? Why just the anubias?



## Linwood (Jun 19, 2014)

I have a problem with what I think is GSA on one plant only. There are photos below, the first two show the anubias with the spots, the others show other key plants in the tank and complete absence of algae, with the final showing an overview so you can see how it generally looks.

This has been going on for almost a year. Initially I also had some GSA on the tank glass, but increasing phosphates (now in the 2 to 4 range) took care of it, I get a very small tiny amount now but little enough that I scrape only every 4-5 months (in the image below it's probably been 2-3 months since I cleaned the glass).

The tank is a 220G tall, low tech. It has four Current Satellite LED+ on for 4 hours twice a day. It has infrequent water changes (about 35% once a month), and relatively low dosing (I can provide details if helpful).

Over the last year for various reasons I've increased and decreased iron, changed from flourish comprehensive to csm+b, increased and decreased potassium, and other than phosphate nothing seemed to have any effect (and the phosphate only affected the glass, not the anubias). 

I have snails, plecos and (real) SAE in the tank. They keep it spotless of other algae (I had terrible hair algae and some BBA before the SAE). They don't affect this at all. It's firmly attached to the leaves, will not brush off.

New leaves do not have it, it takes a few weeks to take over. Notice the first photo newer leaf on the bottom right is pretty clear, but just starting to develop.










As they age further the green spots seem to lead to small holes and eventual browning of the leaf and it falls apart from the ends back. You can also see signs of what look like BBA on the edges, though no other plants have it, and the SAE (which definitely ate the little BBA I had initially) don't touch this.










Lots and lots of crypts, red and green, including pretty old leaves, many much older than the anubias leaves. Not a sign of algae anywhere, even on the oldest leaves.










Huge, wide jungle vals. It's recently pruned, but even old, long tips of leaves were clear.










Here's the overall tank for density perspective.










Any idea how to deal with this, other than "get rid of the anubias"?

Actually, since someone will eventually ask, here's what I add to the tank: 

Start with RODI water, and mix to about dKH=2 (working my way down from previously dKH=5, gives me about ph=7.4), and dGH=4 (working down from about 8 slowly).

Temperature 78F.

Nitrates range from about 20-50ppm depending on water changes, no added nitrogen.

P = .03 ppm (added daily increments, runs about 2 to 4 ppm)

Excel (added as Metricide in Excel strength) = 20ml daily

Iron (DTPA) = 0.43ppm once a week (concentration before addition measures usually in the 0.1 to 0.2 range), note I used to add it in small amounts daily but can see no difference in doing it weekly.

CSM+B = 1 TBLspoon in 500ml then 30ml of that per week, whic should give weekly amounts of: 

B = 0.0074ppm
Cu = 0.0008ppm
Fe (additional) = 0.06ppm 
Mg = 0.13ppm
Mn = 0.017ppm
Mo = 0.005ppm
Zn = 0.0034ppm

At present I have been adding potassium explicitly as I mix the RODI water with Equilibrium which is very heavy on it; for a while I was convinced in adding potassium I was getting excessive levels (pinholes and ratty leaves on swords) and just stopped. 

I've also used both Osmecote+ and Seachem root tabs, and cannot see a difference in growth or the green spots either with or without either one.

Advice on the fert schedle welcome in general, but any idea what the green spots are, is it really GSA, how to fight it only on this one plant?


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## jr125 (Mar 5, 2015)

I think Anubias in general are more prone to algae because they are such slow growers. I had/have the pinholes in some on mine and feel that's improved with a bit more potassium. Nitrates are on the high side if they are getting up to 50. Mine run high as a rule also, usually 20-40, no additional ferts though except the potassium and root tabs every 4-6 weeks. Also trace elements. Maybe the high nitrates are a factor? More frequent water changes are probably the answer for you there. I currently change twice a month but if the nitrates creep up throw another one in.

I Started with Excell about 8 months ago, small amount at first and working up to recommended dose. I have Jungle Val and some crypts and they didn't tolerate well at first. They seemed to adjust to it a bit but now I've started tapering off on it and they are looking much better IMO. I's a low tech tank and I'll settle for very slow growth.

I'll be interested to see any advice those that know a little more than me might have.


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## Linwood (Jun 19, 2014)

jr125 said:


> I think Anubias in general are more prone to algae because they are such slow growers.


I've heard that also, but this one is not very slow. And the Crypts grow pretty fast in terms of new leaves but the old leaves remain unchanged for many months, and don't show algae.


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## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

Place the Anubias in a shaded place. They are slower than other plants even if your is not as slow as they normally might be. Could be that this particular type is a bit faster growing than other Anubias are.
I have the Pettite and it is prone to getting GSA if I leave it in the open. But it also grows faster than projected by info on it while it is in the open/w higher light than in the shade. Leaves got a bit larger also because of the light in the open, but not as big as a nana.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

I think it is just the light. If you could shade the anubias I think you wouldn't have this problem.


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## Linwood (Jun 19, 2014)

How shaded, you mean something like relocating it under the stump? The problem is it (unexpectedly for me) got quite tall. It's almost a foot tall.


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

The stump got too tall? I guess you mean the vals got too tall? 

Anyway the anubias would just do better with less light. 
If you pull it out you can clean it up with a soft toothbrush and a little h202.


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## Linwood (Jun 19, 2014)

Sorry, worded that badly. The Anubias is too tall to fit on the stump where there is shade; that's about the only shaded area.

I had some anubias (of a different sort) in another tank, it has grown about 10% in 18 months and is only about 3" tall (but looks nicely healthy). I was expecting something of the sort here, but this grew (relatively) huge. I should have looked it up first (it's not bigger than it is supposed to be, just bigger than I expected).

My point is I don't know how to shade it really. I can try moving some back around the stump where it might get a bit less light (light on one side of the tank will be in the shade).

But you think the light is the cause of the GSA on it then? Even though other plants (crypts) with leaves lasting just as long don't have a spec?


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## BruceF (Aug 5, 2011)

Yes that is what I think. It seems to be much more prone that that kind of algae problem. I had some coffeefolia I used to grow under a canopy of Asian water grass. I was worried it wouldn't get enough light but it did fine. Given your comment I would suggest maybe you don't want it in the tank. I find my crypts almost never had an algae problem in that same tank but suffered from the lack of light under the water grass.


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## Biznatch (Mar 26, 2005)

If you can drain the tank low enough to emerge them, use a Qtip with excel and rub it on the GSA. Stuff will die off in a day or 2. I was surprised how well it worked on my anubias.


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## Linwood (Jun 19, 2014)

But Biznatch, it will just come back. And I don't think the stock in the tank will fair well that low, at least for the lower leaves.

I may try a bit of spot treatment with excel or H2O2 or both, I've got a nice long syringe, but I just don't see it as a permanent fix, since the new leaves get it in a few weeks or so after starting clean.


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