Cloudy water cant shake it

[barterking85]

Oh man...sorry . Looks like they've got some heat and salt heading their way. I'm sure you've seen the sticky in the unhealthy fish section. Are they new additions?

No new addition fish wise but plants yes and thanks the farlowellas are my favorite fish

 

[Coleallensmom]

The liquid ferts scare me a bit so I'm being super conservative. I guess that would be part of the plants outcompeting the algae debate...but I've seen some discussion recently that the idea is questionable. The first time I dosed a liquid fert is actually when this entire algae bloom showed up...but it was Aqueon brand, not the Flourish.

I remember fort told me that what's good for plants is also good for algae...so I guess I'm trying to find a middle ground that's good for plants...but not so good everything goes green. I just want this freaking haziness to go away in this tank!!!

Plants and algae do like the same things. As far as the algae vs plants debate, just think of it this way... If plants weren't able to out compete algae for nutrients, then every single planted tank out there would have high concentrations of algae growing right along with the plants (and that's just not the case.) It's pretty common to some sort of algae in a planted aquarium, but it doesn't have to rule the tank.

Light, Low CO2 and/or poor water circulation, and nutrient deficiencies are some of the the main causes of algae in a planted tank. The reason I asked about phosphates is because while excess phosphate is believed to cause algae, low phosphate levels can often bring on an outbreak as well i.e. Green spot algae can be caused by low phosphate levels. Basically what I am trying to say is that I think it is good that you are still dosing the Flourish Comprehensive even if in small amounts. If you have a nutrient deficiency, it really could make the difference from before when you weren't using ferts.

 

[Coleallensmom]

Just a thought guys, I started out with a 2 month bout of cloudy water, poor lighting and a nice dirt bottom covered with a sand gravel mixture http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/troubled-waters-150004.html... (there are before and after pics, i should add a new one or three)..
once I started dumping a lot of plants into the tank and added better lighting and the waters better looking than the tap stuff, but what I'm seeing is everyone agrees "something" is out of wack, but no ones suggested reducing or stopping the adding of ferts for a week or two to see what would happen.

in short: too much food, plus not enough plants could equal the green/white water effect?

True in theory but he wasn't dosing ferts previously. I do agree 100% that more plants could help tremendously.

 

[eco23]

Thanks for the advice. I don't see adding more plants in my future, but I guess I'm trying to do something similar with my Water Sprite. Ive been continually trimming off sections of the planted one (hence why it looks like crap in the picture) and floating it. It kind of gets pushed together in the current, but there's tons of it floating at the surface and it loves growing up there. Do you think that will serve the same purpose?

Does the 4 hrs with the 10,000k only, followed by 4 hours with the 6,500k alone (each 39 watt...tank is 46 gallons), sound like a rational idea? I know the instructions are to "tweak" as needed...but honestly I don't know if that means more light, less light, more ferts, less ferts, etc...so I've been trying the different bulbs at different times idea. Like I said, running both at once is blindingly bright.

I also did kind of a DIY lunar thing. I took the LED kit off my 10 gallon QT and mounted it to the center brace with a type of hardcore 3M Velcro. That way I can have either the whites on to give it a nice mild beam of light down the center, or just run the blue in the evening. Since it's a tiny light in a 46 gallon, it's very mellow and doesn't give the bright artificial blue I don't like about the LED blues.

 

[Coleallensmom]

my green water also came back not a bit but with a vengeance so I now am doing pwc 2-3 week I am also trying a split photo period 4 on 4 off 4 on I know it's not natural but at this point I am willing to try anything also I am using liquid fertilizer 3 times weekly but I cut it back to half doses but I might have found tge issue I have 2 farlowellas 1 of which always hides so I didn't notice him for a while and thought nothing of it so yesterday I went on the hunt and found him dead under a fake log decoration I don't know what happened to him all my levels are great as usual but my serpea are little buggers and could have picked on him but I did a big pwc and the water looks alot better it was BAD but I will keep everyone updated

Sorry about your little one. A dead fish can cloud water but I think it's a very small chance that a single fish would have anything to do with an algae bloom. Have you gotten rid of the sunlight in the room yet? Make sure you're not over dosing ferts..a little can go a long way when you are not planted heavily.

 

[barterking85]

Sorry about your little one. A dead fish can cloud water but I think it's a very small chance that a single fish would have anything to do with an algae bloom. Have you gotten rid of the sunlight in the room yet? Make sure you're not over dosing ferts..a little can go a long way when you are not planted heavily.

The sunlight Is gone i have blackout panels so that's good and I am dozing three times a week at half the recommended dose I posted recent pics of my tank so you can see how many plants I have plus there is a floating plant at the top I can't remember the name of it I would have to look at my list of plants and google for a pic to make sure it's right lol plus there is a banana plant at the back I can't figure out how to plant it

 

[barterking85]

Well I also switched from flakes to a small pellet food they had NO NLS and only omega one flakes and I didn't want flakes so I got nutrafin max small tropical pellets hope this helps if it's not this I have no idea what it could be

 

[barterking85]

Well I also switched from flakes to a small pellet food they had NO NLS and only omega one flakes and I didn't want flakes so I got nutrafin max small tropical pellets hope this helps if it's not this I have no idea what it could be

Ok well might have been switching from flakes to pellets or my new uv sterilizer or the combination of both but I am very happy with the sterilizer 1 day in the tank and I got crystal clear water I can see through end to end might be hard to tell in the picture but it's perfect

 

[eco23]

I was thinking about this thread earlier today and was gonna ask you for an update.

Glad the UV seemed to do the trick. I've been trying to avoid it, but I might have to go that route myself.

Mine seems to be doing better, but not significantly. I've been doing pwc's almost every day because I've got Otos dying on me all over the place, so that might be why it's appearing clearer.

I'm on a 6 hour photo period with both the 10,000 and 6,500k running the first 3 hours, then switching off the 6,500k and running just the other for the remaining 3. I'm also dosing the Flourish Comp conservatively 2x a week.

I might just be too particular...if someone looked at the tank other than me, I don't think they'd describe it as cloudy, it might just be me.

My biggest worry is that I might have some Blue/Green algae going on (wondering if it's related to the Oto deaths), and I'm desperately trying to get it under control with h2o2 dips on the plants, and a good scrubbing of my DW. Only time will tell.

One thing I'll say...I've had fish since I was 6, and I've actually known what I was doing since I was about 21 (so 10 years)...and the only time this hobby has ever truly been relaxing without some sort of issue to deal with was before I knew or cared about what was going on. Ignorance is bliss I guess, haha! Maybe one day I can actually sit on the couch and say "Ahhh, everything is finally perfect". I don't think that'll ever happen though

 

[barterking85]

I know the feeling now more educated it seems everything needs improvement and by the way I fought the big fight with ick and won not one fish loss using only heat and salt

I was at the beach a few weeks ago and found an awesome piece of driftwood so all the decorations are coming out and I am going with pool filter sand for my plants so there is a major over haul taking place the next few weeks

 

[eco23]

I know the feeling now more educated it seems everything needs improvement and by the way I fought the big fight with ick and won not one fish loss using only heat and salt

I was at the beach a few weeks ago and found an awesome piece of driftwood so all the decorations are coming out and I am going with pool filter sand for my plants so there is a major over haul taking place the next few weeks

That's funny. I literally just had a conversation with the wife about switching to sand. I personally like the Tahitian Moon black sand, but she thinks it would look unnatural (which I guess she has a point). If I go regular sand...PFS is definitely the way to go since it's so cheap. Funny how we're doing everything at the same time, lol.

 

[barterking85]

Great minds think alike I was thinking black sand too but hawaiian black but it would cost me around 120$ compared to 40$ and I do like the look with plants

 

[eco23]

Great minds think alike I was thinking black sand too but hawaiian black but it would cost me around 120$ compared to 40$ and I do like the look with plants

Think I talked her into it . Sold her on the fact it's better for the Corys and may help with the algae (at least be less green to start out).

The PFS around here is only like $7.99 for 50lbs, so I might head to the pool store tomorrow.

I've gotta use the search feature on the site a bit and learn different ways to change it out. I saw a neat trick with a 2 liter soda bottle a while back I might try. Do you know what the depth should be? Like 2-3"?

 

[barterking85]

Think I talked her into it . Sold her on the fact it's better for the Corys and may help with the algae (at least be less green to start out).

The PFS around here is only like $7.99 for 50lbs, so I might head to the pool store tomorrow.

I've gotta use the search feature on the site a bit and learn different ways to change it out. I saw a neat trick with a 2 liter soda bottle a while back I might try. Do you know what the depth should be? Like 2-3"?

3" is what I am going with I have changed gravel colors before and I used a 4 liter milk jug and drilled holes in the cap and scooped it out but I think I will do half my tank one week and the other half the week after just put a temporary divider in the middle so they don't mix

 

[eco23]

3" is what I am going with I have changed gravel colors before and I used a 4 liter milk jug and drilled holes in the cap and scooped it out but I think I will do half my tank one week and the other half the week after just put a temporary divider in the middle so they don't mix

Cool. I think I'm just gonna knock it out all at once, otherwise lord knows I'll never get all the gravel out of there. I'm assuming the water is going to be freaking nasty taking out all the gravel. I've got the Python handy, so any mini-cycles are easily dealt with.

Just a theory, but I'm hoping that removing the green algae on the gravel will give the plants another chance to take over and fight off the algae...we'll see.

 

[barterking85]

That's a good theory hopefully it works our

 

[barterking85]

As for your tank me and the wife kinda had a little laugh I showed her the picture and said he thinks this is cloudy lol imagine what he thinks of ours

 

[eco23]

This a bad hobby for someone borderline OCD, haha. I drive the wife nuts because I have honestly never been 100% satisfied with a single tank I've owned as long as we've been together. I'll get the PFS in there tomorrow, then decide I need accent rocks. After I get them I'll need new DW. After that I'll be unhappy with the background, lol. I sit on the couch and stare at that thing...and instead of enjoying it...I'm counting heads, checking fins, noticing plants that need to be trimmed, lol.

The way I see it...there is algae on 3 things in my tank...the substrate, the DW and a bit on plants (walls are pretty clean other than some dust algae). If I completely switch the substrate and clean the DW...there should be virtually no algae in the tank (might give the plants a h2o2 bath) I understand every healthy tank has some degree of algae...but I'm hoping this gives my plants a fresh start to start competing. We'll see. I'm still hoping someone talks me out of the sand before I go to the store, haha!

I'm sure I'll mini-cycle with all this cleaning and replacing...but the Python and Prime is ready for action.

 

[barterking85]

I agree 110% never satisfied I drive the wife nuts always water on the floor she curses me " if I step In water one more time..." lol I sit on the couch for like 10 mins at a time then my arms are in the tank and it's no secret I have OCD I gave a flat black entertainment stand/DVD shelf that's flat black but it's sooo clean it shines once in a while I even wipe the DVD cases down lol sad but I am not comfortable till my house is clean

 

[Demonknight]

My house, and tanks, would drive you two nutter than you are already I spend so much time at work trying to make everything perfect that my tanks are completely given over to chaos.. no rhyme or reason.