# How to cultivate GDA/GSA?



## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Yes, you read the topic right.

It seems like my shrimp love grazing on this stuff. Baby shrimp will completely clean off two entire panes on a 10 gallon tank in two days!

So my question is...how do I cultivate GSA/GDA on the few extra panes of glass? 

I was just planning to somehow hold them standing up in a 10 gallon tank, fill with water, throw in a few plant clippings, and blast the panes with light.

Would this work? I know GDA has a lifecycle that eventually dies out but that's not what I want. I just read a post from Tom Barr stating that despite trying, he couldn't successfully inoculate tanks with the stuff.


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## bgzbgz (Jul 30, 2007)

gda - too much light
gsa - add ferts but no po4

I think gda might out compete the gsa though.

Might want to add some ammonia too.


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## sewingalot (Oct 12, 2008)

Green spot algae everytime for me - 12 hours of light and low phosphate


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## bgzbgz (Jul 30, 2007)

Better yet instead of ammonia just throw in a pleco and feed lots of cucumbers, that will add some nice organic ammonia. And the pleco will disturb the gda, which should interfere the "lifecycle".


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Basically what I'm hearing is: Add KNO3, plant clippings, and blast the tank with light?


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## bgzbgz (Jul 30, 2007)

Sounds good, you might want to add some diy co2 as well, algae loves it just as much as plants. And look at the tags below crazyepicfish lol.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

bgzbgz said:


> Sounds good, you might want to add some diy co2 as well, algae loves it just as much as plants. *And look at the tags below crazyepicfish lol.*


I was hoping someone would chuckle at that.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

By far the best way to cultivate GDA and GSA is to invite one of us experts at growing it to work on your tanks a few times a week. We have the golden touch! I would volunteer, but I now devote myself to growing BBA, and have become a real expert at that.


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## jjp2 (May 24, 2008)

Better yet, periodically loan me shrimp to get rid of mý gsa.


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## jargonchipmunk (Dec 8, 2008)

you could borrow my cheap chinese bulbs. They can't seem to grow plants at the rate their wattage says they should, but the algae... oh yeah. They've got that down pat.


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## plantbrain (Dec 15, 2003)

This is much easier than you are making it out to be.

Jobes stick, a small tank, jug etc, something with a wide mouth to add rocks, wood etc + a small powerhead. Place in south facing window

Allow plenty of aeration, add rock/wood etc, wait.

That's all.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

plantbrain said:


> This is much easier than you are making it out to be.
> 
> Jobes stick, a small tank, jug etc, something with a wide mouth to add rocks, wood etc + a small powerhead. Place in south facing window
> 
> ...


Why south?


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## imeridian (Jan 19, 2007)

Southern exposures get the full brunt of the sun, year round.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

imeridian said:


> Southern exposures get the full brunt of the sun, year round.


Feng shui:icon_roll


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## Gatekeeper (Feb 20, 2007)

imeridian said:


> Southern exposures get the full brunt of the sun, year round.


Never knew that! Learned something new today. Thank you sir.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

Hoppy said:


> Feng shui:icon_roll


5 points for you Hoppy. That made me laugh.


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## manofmanyfish (Mar 31, 2008)

I could just send you some every week when I clean my tank.


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## manhatton (Oct 17, 2008)

^Ditto.


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## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

I now have 6 plates of glass caked with the stuff.

Tank, throw in EI ferts, plant clippings, 70W MH light for 12 hours a day.


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## monkeyruler90 (Apr 13, 2008)

epicfish said:


> I now have 6 plates of glass caked with the stuff.
> 
> Tank, throw in EI ferts, plant clippings, 70W MH light for 12 hours a day.



wow really? thats awesome. can we see a pic of the set up?


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## Spachi (Oct 27, 2008)

epicfish said:


> I now have 6 plates of glass caked with the stuff.
> 
> Tank, throw in EI ferts, plant clippings, 70W MH light for 12 hours a day.


what kind of shrimp is that epicfish?


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