Algae bloom and bad timing

[Thever]

Ive had the 10 gallon up and running for close to 2 months now, I have an aquaclear 20 HOB w/ about 48w of light running for 10 hours. I do DIY co2, and last I checked(<cough>last week<cough>) it was in the 20-25 range. I did a a replacement of my riccia mat and next day I noticed the water looked far from clear, and the next day it was pretty nasty lookin. I did a pretty large wc yesterday which helped a bit, but its back. I do dose ferts but havent since this happened. I can still see the back, but its murky.

I also have 2 amano's, and 4 cherry's, 1 of which is expecting. Today I swear I saw a baby but cant confirm. Are there any special things I should do to help out the little guys?


I cant do a nitrate check as my test kit is jacked, I can test the others though, I ordered a nitrate and a phosphate test kit today.

These are the tests I can do:

Amm=0
Nitrites=0
Nitrates=?
Phosphates=?
KH=14
PH=7.2
co2=27ppm
Things are acting ok, riccia is pearling, shrimps are molting. So maybe I'm over reacting

 

[neilanh]

Are you sure it's algae? What color is the murkiness? If it's hard to tell, put it in a cup and compare to another cup of tap water.

If it's white in color, it's likely a bacteria bloom. THis is caused most likely by when you replaced your riccia, you stirred up a bunch of settled waste. The bloom will clear itself in a matter of days, it won't hurt anything.

If it's green, that's a whole other issue we'll need to address.

Don't worry about the baby shrimp, as long as there are no predators in the tank they will be just fine.

 

[Thever]

Heres a recent pic, and what it looked like before http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f98/my-attempt-at-aquascaping-109486-5.html

 

[neilanh]

It's hard to tell, I think the green color of your riccia, mixed with the cloudiness of the water is making the water look green, but up close to the light it looks white to me.

Take some into a styrofoam cup and see what it looks like.

 

[Thever]

I thought the same thing, it difficult to tell, I did take a dixie cup full of tank water and my significant other and myself agree it has a slight green tint to it.
As a test, I have let the light run its normal cycle and to my eyes it seems to be getting more 'cloudy', I'm having a hard time reading the numbers on the thermometer in the back corner

 

[neilanh]

if it was green, you'd know it. The slight tint I wouldn't think would be a concern. My bet here is for a bacteria bloom. Let it run it's course, it'll take about a week usually, but it'll be fine.

 

[Thever]

Ok, I'll let things run as normal, would you recommend I dose ferts at this time? I did a pretty large wc and didnt put anything in since wed night. Thanks for the help

Kevin

 

[neilanh]

Shouldn't have any effect one way or another if it is just a bac bloom.

 

[Thever]

just got back from a day away at family. 1 dead cherry, cant tell if theres more as I can hardly see anything now, getting worried as I cant test for nitrates to see if things are getting toxic.

 

[neilanh]

Don't worry so much about trates. Are your ammo and trites still at 0?

 

[Thever]

Ammonia is still at 0, I did a double test to make sure the test kit was reading, by putting 2 drops of ammonia in the 2nd tube, it is a different color-green-blue.

Nitrites are reading 0 as well.

Visiblity is bad and have seen 2 of the 3 remaining cherry, and both amano's