AC reveals possible chink in armor

[fish_4_all]

I have had my tanks set up for a while now and one has had a problem with blue/green water for some time as most of you know. It came on when I removed the under gravel filter. I have since removed the undergravel filter from my second tank and guess what, blue/green water I have tried a ton of different things all from the forums but I think I have figured out the possible cause.

The removal of the undergravel filters has caused a change in the way ther nutrients are delivered in my tanks. With the undergravel, most of the nutrients were sealed away under the filter plate away from the light sources. Now the nutrients are all up in water column for the algae or whatever it is grow and flourish. I think the cause of the blue/green water is actually my 25 watt background light as has been revealed to me through my AC. They both have algae growing on them and there shouldn't be anything but bacteria growing the filter boxes.

I am going to try leaving of the background light source to see if the blue/green water goes away finally. If it doesn't, I am going to scream and then wait for good ideas from all of you.

Here are the perameters for both tanks now.

NO3 - 60
NO2 - 0
GH - 300
KH - 160
PH - 7.8
Only real odd change, GH went way up from a normal 150 to 300
KH is slightly higher than it has been at a normal 80-120

Maybe someone has a correlation to the changes that have happened and the removal of the undergravel filters. I can send all my reading to anyone who wants to try and do an evaluation of the readings.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I'd do several water changes to get that Nitrate reading down.

Have you added anything new to the tank in regards to decorations?

 

[fish_4_all]

Nothing new, I have even removed fish from both tanks. I tried changing the water as often as physically possible, 10 times in 16 days and the reading were back the next day. Phosphates are normal according to my local fish store. Nothing new added except inert items, plastic canvas and acrylic rods for my java moss but it has been in both tanks for a month or more. The blue/green problem just showed up in the second tank and the undergravel has been out for less than 3 weeks. I just thought it was a mighty coincidence.

The nitrates in the second tank, the newest with the blue/green problem are actually way down compared to normal, 80-120 before undergravel removal, now running at 60 consistantly. Plants are flourishing in second tank and actually in both tanks the anacharis is doing much better in both tanks now but that could because I am now using Leaf Zone. First tank had blue/green before Leaf Zone and second tank got blue/green after leaf zone started for a month or more.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The hardness could because of your tap water. Test the tap after letting the water sit out for 24 hours. Also test for Nitrates in tap.

 

[greenmaji]

PO4?
That would be the cause of your blue/green water..
water changes will help if your tap water doesnt have a PO4 reading..
check to see if your PH and KH of your tap water are close to the same as the tank water.. if so large water changes will help..
your NO3 is high anyway.. most species do best with less then 20ppm (10ppm or less being better unless you have live plants then 15ppm is a good nuber to shoot for)

live plants PO4 should be around 1/10th NO3
no live plants.. zero PO4 is best..

 

[fish_4_all]

Well according to my LFS, the PO4 is trace at best. They didn't have a measurement but it was the lowest reading on the set. I have lots of plants, all of which are now planted in the gravel because they are finally growing while planted and the part I plant isn't dying off.

Could I be reading my test wrong? I am having the LFS test my water today so I get the reading I need to compare my readings. Might be nothing more than my inability to read a simple test strip properly. That and a combination of too much light and too many fish. I don't think they are overpopulated now, the loaches are only 1.5 inches, the frogs around an inch and the swords are 2 inches. The cory cats are still small, 1-1.5 inches and the tetras are tetras, the betta is normal also. I am using the test strips so maybe I don't read it quick enough or maybe too fast but I swear I am following the time schedule on the instructions.

Are any of these fish messier than I would expect? I only feed once a day and it is a very small amount.

According to city water - PO4 - .2-.75 ppm, water hardness is up because of rain in past month according to city.
My test showed tap water - PH 7.6, KH 80, NO3-0 which matches the reading the city said they be.

I also took some water and tried to grow algae. I took a quart jar and sealed it and placed it in the window. 3 days to green water. At least I know feeding filter feeders should be easy.

All I know is when we finally figure this out there is at least a small book from just this topic.

 

[fish_4_all]

Ok, now I know that my test kit must be wrong. My LFS says that nitrates are 0-10. My test kit still shows 20-60.

Ph LFS 7.4, my test 7.8
NO2 is same for both

I guess that will teach me to get a test kit from Wal-Mart

Just more quesitons and no answers. Sounds like my life

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Test Strips are very inaccurate. Purchase a liquid reagent kit such as the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master Test Kit. They are under $20 online after shipping from Big Al's.