55 Gallon cloudy / brown algae

[justcrusin]

Hi,

So glad you all are here. I am a new aquarium owner with a 55 gallon Marineland LED Aquarium kit. Loving and learning my new hobby. The new tank has been up and running for about 2 months. Added TetraSafe start on week 2.

Current friends include 6 Danios, 1 platy, 1 dalmation molly, 1 sunburst play, 1 snail, 1 tiger barb, 1 Oto cat and 1 other cat.

In the past week I have experienced a bloom of the brown algae, over the past few days the water has become very cloudy. I have changed both of my filter pads and have been keeping up with 20% water changes weekly. My PH is a consistant 8.2 and all other levels (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) are 0. Water temp is 75-78.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Could it the bacteria bloom be the end of the cycling?

Thanks so much for your help!

 

[daileene]

bacteria bloom normally comes at the beginning of the cycle...that could be diatoms, but I could be wrong...diatoms are normal in a cycling tank...

 

[Greenmaster]

You shouldn't change both your filter pads at the same time unless you poisoned your tank or something... Your filter pads are the main location for your bacteria colonies.

 

[daileene]

You shouldn't change both your filter pads at the same time unless you poisoned your tank or something... Your filter pads are the main location for your bacteria colonies.

Oh yeah, you shouldn't have done that. Everytime you change your pads, you will have a mini cycle and your good bacteria's gone. Next time, you only have to change it when it is literally falling apart coz the beneficial baterial lives in there. If it is really gunky and dirty, just swoosh those pads in the tank water when you do PWC. Do not rinse it with tap water coz the bacteria will be gone that way too.

 

[kenny69]

Hi,

So glad you all are here. I am a new aquarium owner with a 55 gallon Marineland LED Aquarium kit. Loving and learning my new hobby. The new tank has been up and running for about 2 months. Added TetraSafe start on week 2.

Current friends include 6 Danios, 1 platy, 1 dalmation molly, 1 sunburst play, 1 snail, 1 tiger barb, 1 Oto cat and 1 other cat.

In the past week I have experienced a bloom of the brown algae, over the past few days the water has become very cloudy. I have changed both of my filter pads and have been keeping up with 20% water changes weekly. My PH is a consistant 8.2 and all other levels (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate) are 0. Water temp is 75-78.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Could it the bacteria bloom be the end of the cycling?

Thanks so much for your help!

With no readings on nitrate as well as ammo and nitrite is strange??? when did you put your fish in???? this could be vital info so we can help you out also you have a very high PH there at 8.2 with platys and molleys, more akin to a cichlid tank lol. If your tank is cycled you should have readings of nitrate.

 

[justcrusin]

I'll retest the water tonight. I was under the assumption since i had a bio wheel filter that those would contain all of the beneficial bacteria so that's why I changed both filters. The tank was cloudy and brown algae before the change so I don't think that was the cause.

In the meantime should I just wait it out, or is there anything I can do to improve the water conditions.?

 

[kenny69]

I'll retest the water tonight. I was under the assumption since i had a bio wheel filter that those would contain all of the beneficial bacteria so that's why I changed both filters. The tank was cloudy and brown algae before the change so I don't think that was the cause.

In the meantime should I just wait it out, or is there anything I can do to improve the water conditions.?

How long have the fish been in the tank?

 

[Greenmaster]

The bio wheel helps but I would still only change one filter at a time... giving about 2 or more weeks before changing the other. To me it sounds like an algae bloom... perhaps you have cycled your tank and then the nitrates got high, then the algae grows to consume the nitrates... and here you are... how have your readings been going over the last week or so? it's a good idea to keep track of all readings and changes made to the tank. Lots of people have a tank journal it helps to keep all the info and gives you something you can look back on to see what has changed and what may have brought about an "event". The more details you keep in your journal the better it helps. Important information like water changes, tests, any meds or new fish, ect...

 

[Amicus]

I am not sure how long your biowheel has been running but it does take a few weeks for the bacteria to grow inside the wheel. If it was my tank I would test for phosphates. In a 55 gallon tanks with a small number of fish thus a smaller bioload I am not convinced that nitrates are the problem, but you never know until you investigate. Keep testing the water and doing the 20% pwc weekly. Peridically check your biowheel to ensure that it is working mechanically well too. I would not change the filters in intervals of less than four weeks apart, I also soak the new filter in a bucket of aquarium water for a bit so some bacteria can begin to colonize. If nitrates are at zero do not do a vacuuming, there is wiggle room for nitrates so you don't have to vacuum the instanst they move a little bit. The bottom line is the first thing I would do is test for phosphates.

 

[Amicus]

Forgot to ask, what size biowheel do you have?

 

[justcrusin]

Very cool responses everyone. I will test everything when I get home tonight. I do not have a phosphate test kit. The fish have been in for about a month. I have a biowheel 350.

 

[justcrusin]

Water tested tonight. Still 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 0 Nitrates but the PH was crazy at 8.4. I did a 25% water change.

 

[kenny69]

Water tested tonight. Still 0 Ammonia, 0 Nitrites, 0 Nitrates but the PH was crazy at 8.4. I did a 25% water change.

Wow with 13 fish in there for only a month I thought that you would have had readings of both Nitrite and some Nitrates. Still sounds unusual to me. I think your tank is still cycling and that you have a bacterial bloom, that in time will go away.

 

[Greenmaster]

If he is having an algae bloom... that is consuming all of the nitrates then you would get no readings because it is all being consumed as it is produced. The pH can be affected by oxygen concentrations in the water... again leading me to believe you are having an algae bloom.

 

[justcrusin]

O.K. So the vibe I am getting is just to wait it out. If it is an Algae bloom what is the approximate amount of time it will take to clear?

 

[Greenmaster]

Depends on food source... I would hold back on feeding a little.

 

[justcrusin]

O.K..So retested today, all levels are the same with the exception of the PH which is down to 8.2 since the PWC on Tuesday. The algae is getting worse. Should I do another PWC or wait and see what happens?

 

[justcrusin]

O.K..So retested today, all levels are the same with the exception of the PH which is down to 8.2 since the PWC on Tuesday. The algae is getting worse. Should I do another PWC or wait and see what happens?

Help. Now I'm losing fish, 2 in the past day. Tested the water, it was fine. Brought it into my LFS and had them test to make sure I wasn't doing anything wrong. They also said water was fine.

Anyone have any additional suggestions?

 

[Greenmaster]

This is a prime example of why you should do a fishless cycle. First option is to take your fish back and do a fishless cycle. Now if you can't/wont do that we need to look at the problem closer. If they are dieing because of the over abundance of floating particulate covering the gills and thus suffocating then there isn't much we can do about it. If they are dieing because something is consuming all the oxygen (eg. a bacteria bloom) then your fish again would be dieing because of asphyxiation. Things I would do is; do water changes every day, I would attach an air stone to bring the O2 level higher, SLOWLY be lowering the pH to within the proper limits for my fish, and be taking any excess growth out of the tank. (eg. algae/diatoms) with a gravel vac.