Green Water after water/filter change - Aquarium Advice

slatfats · 10-04-2004, 01:58 AM

I've read through a few topics on this already so I am just making sure that I've got this right. Most of the topics that I read were referring to planted tanks. I have fake plants.

Well, I just changed about 50% of the water a couple weeks ago. After about a week and a half I started noticing the water becoming murky. I then changed the filter and hoped to see improvements within a couple of days...It's been a few days. The water still has a green look to it and it's not any clearer. I can see approx. 6 inches in to the tank. I can barely see my bubbles on the back side of the tank.

So, my question is, should I do a 72 hour blackout or should I do a 6hour light on, 2hour light off timer? Or, is there something else I should do?

This is a 29 Gallon [acronym:9abfd7101d="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:9abfd7101d] tank. Only 5 neon tetras, one placostimus, one water frog.

Thanks in advance.

vega · 10-04-2004, 02:26 AM

If its a milky white, then its algea bloom due to high [acronym:037e08bbdf="Ammonium"]NH4[/acronym:037e08bbdf] which norm happen to new tank.
At moment just leave the tank alone for few day the milky white water will go away.

If its green and yellowish then its due to another type of algea bloom due to high [acronym:037e08bbdf="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:037e08bbdf] in plant-less tank as the algea flourish on the high nutrien and light.

Leave the filter alone for 1-2 weeks so that the bacteria can establish.
How long you kept the light on?

[acronym:037e08bbdf="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:037e08bbdf]

slatfats · 10-04-2004, 02:52 AM

I turn it on at 7am and turn it off at 10pm. Leave it alone for 1-2 weeks? Continue my lighting routine or turn it off for 1-2 weeks?

vega · 10-04-2004, 04:13 AM

Hmm i think you over lighting the tank as your tank do not need to have that long period of lighting.

Use the auto timer switch.

Maybe you can turn on the light at 7am-10am (before you went for work/school) then off for rest of the day and switch on again at 7pm-10pm so the tank only switch on during the time you are at home.

The fish will be fine as long as the ambient light (without the tank light) is enough for to the fish to be visible in tank.

Btw i am not sure whether the frog(amphi) would be ok with limited light cause [acronym:2d72bbe77a="As far as I know"]AFAIK[/acronym:2d72bbe77a] reptile need daily dose of [acronym:2d72bbe77a="Ultra Violet"]UV[/acronym:2d72bbe77a] light for the body to produce vitamin and heating up.

Regardless now or 1-2 weeks later, if you continued the 8-10 hours lighting in a plant-less tank, the green water will always be there. Only way to remove the green water is to cut down the lighting or use a [acronym:2d72bbe77a="Ultra Violet"]UV[/acronym:2d72bbe77a] (with is over kill for a 30 [acronym:2d72bbe77a="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:2d72bbe77a]) or add plant into the tank.

[acronym:2d72bbe77a="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:2d72bbe77a]

slatfats · 10-16-2004, 09:56 PM

so, the light off, light on scenerio won't work...at least my wife will not let it work. It gets too dark in our house during the day because our windows face north and the sun is south of us. If our frog needs light for the majority of the day, I don't want to reduce it. Will live plants help the green water clear up?

vega · 10-17-2004, 02:42 PM

Yup. But need to know the [acronym:9bb85bfefe="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:9bb85bfefe] 1st so you can get the proper plant.

Either is get a plant suitable for your current [acronym:9bb85bfefe="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:9bb85bfefe] or get the light with suitable [acronym:9bb85bfefe="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:9bb85bfefe] for your prefered plant.

With addition plant, there will be lots more issue need to be consider.

[acronym:9bb85bfefe="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:9bb85bfefe]

10-04-2004, 01:58 AM	#1
slatfats Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Portland, Or Posts: 3	Green Water after water/filter change I've read through a few topics on this already so I am just making sure that I've got this right. Most of the topics that I read were referring to planted tanks. I have fake plants. Well, I just changed about 50% of the water a couple weeks ago. After about a week and a half I started noticing the water becoming murky. I then changed the filter and hoped to see improvements within a couple of days...It's been a few days. The water still has a green look to it and it's not any clearer. I can see approx. 6 inches in to the tank. I can barely see my bubbles on the back side of the tank. So, my question is, should I do a 72 hour blackout or should I do a 6hour light on, 2hour light off timer? Or, is there something else I should do? This is a 29 Gallon [acronym:9abfd7101d="Freshwater"]FW[/acronym:9abfd7101d] tank. Only 5 neon tetras, one placostimus, one water frog. Thanks in advance.

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10-04-2004, 02:26 AM	#2
vega Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 575 Images: 6	If its a milky white, then its algea bloom due to high [acronym:037e08bbdf="Ammonium"]NH4[/acronym:037e08bbdf] which norm happen to new tank. At moment just leave the tank alone for few day the milky white water will go away. If its green and yellowish then its due to another type of algea bloom due to high [acronym:037e08bbdf="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:037e08bbdf] in plant-less tank as the algea flourish on the high nutrien and light. Leave the filter alone for 1-2 weeks so that the bacteria can establish. How long you kept the light on? [acronym:037e08bbdf="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:037e08bbdf]

10-04-2004, 02:52 AM	#3
slatfats Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Portland, Or Posts: 3	I turn it on at 7am and turn it off at 10pm. Leave it alone for 1-2 weeks? Continue my lighting routine or turn it off for 1-2 weeks?

10-04-2004, 04:13 AM	#4
vega Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 575 Images: 6	Hmm i think you over lighting the tank as your tank do not need to have that long period of lighting. Use the auto timer switch. Maybe you can turn on the light at 7am-10am (before you went for work/school) then off for rest of the day and switch on again at 7pm-10pm so the tank only switch on during the time you are at home. The fish will be fine as long as the ambient light (without the tank light) is enough for to the fish to be visible in tank. Btw i am not sure whether the frog(amphi) would be ok with limited light cause [acronym:2d72bbe77a="As far as I know"]AFAIK[/acronym:2d72bbe77a] reptile need daily dose of [acronym:2d72bbe77a="Ultra Violet"]UV[/acronym:2d72bbe77a] light for the body to produce vitamin and heating up. Regardless now or 1-2 weeks later, if you continued the 8-10 hours lighting in a plant-less tank, the green water will always be there. Only way to remove the green water is to cut down the lighting or use a [acronym:2d72bbe77a="Ultra Violet"]UV[/acronym:2d72bbe77a] (with is over kill for a 30 [acronym:2d72bbe77a="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:2d72bbe77a]) or add plant into the tank. [acronym:2d72bbe77a="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:2d72bbe77a]

10-16-2004, 09:56 PM	#5
slatfats Aquarium Advice Newbie Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Portland, Or Posts: 3	so, the light off, light on scenerio won't work...at least my wife will not let it work. It gets too dark in our house during the day because our windows face north and the sun is south of us. If our frog needs light for the majority of the day, I don't want to reduce it. Will live plants help the green water clear up?

10-17-2004, 02:42 PM	#6
vega Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Malaysia Posts: 575 Images: 6	Yup. But need to know the [acronym:9bb85bfefe="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:9bb85bfefe] 1st so you can get the proper plant. Either is get a plant suitable for your current [acronym:9bb85bfefe="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:9bb85bfefe] or get the light with suitable [acronym:9bb85bfefe="Watts Per Gallon"]wpg[/acronym:9bb85bfefe] for your prefered plant. With addition plant, there will be lots more issue need to be consider. [acronym:9bb85bfefe="Hope this helps (or) Happy to help"]HTH[/acronym:9bb85bfefe]