Need help with green water

[bluerili]

Hello everyone, I made an account here because I'm very frustrated with a green water problem and could use some advice.

I have a 10 gallon fully planted tank. 8 cherry barbs (males), a dwarf hair grass field and a little patch of baby tears. And some rocks.

I have an aqueon 10-20 gal filter, a heater set at 74 degrees and a finnex light.

These are the parameters when the water is super green:
Ammonia: 0-.25ppm
Nitrate: 0-5ppm
Nitrite: 0
PH: 7.6
GH: 6-11
KH: 0-3

The fish haven't shown any signs of stress or illness.

I used to use filtered water for my tank, I noticed that this problem started when I got lazy and began using dechlorinated tap water for water changes. To rid the water of algae, or slow it's growth, I've tried cutting down the phosphates by using mostly distilled water again and feeding less. I haven't been adding CO2 unless I do a water change, and I add very little (once a week I have to take out 50% because the water is awful). I've also started having my light on for only 4 hours or so a day. That said, the pants in my tank are growing just fine.

I've tried turning down the temp a little as well... but the algae is unstoppable. I've been trying to fix this for weeks. I've been looking at UV sterilizers but would much rather get to the root of the problem than to keep adding gadgets to my tank. Do any of you have experience with treating green water algae?

Thank you

 

[kashif314]

Can you buy a UV sterilizer? It works wonders in case of algae blooms. You can look the amazing before and after videos on YouTube. I have installed mine and since then I didn't have algae or bacterial bloom in my tank ever.

 

[bluerili]

I can buy one, but I'd rather see if there's any other changes I could make first, or if I'm making any errors I'm not seeing. I just don't want to add more gadgets to the tank. Is that my only option in your opinion?

 

[kashif314]

I can buy one, but I'd rather see if there's any other changes I could make first, or if I'm making any errors I'm not seeing. I just don't want to add more gadgets to the tank. Is that my only option in your opinion?

Really such things as algae and bacterial bloom can happen any time without any errors from ur side. U can try but like I said I am telling you from my personal experience. As soon as I installed one. I never had any algae or bacterial bloom ever and most importantly the water looks always crystal clear.

 

[Fresh2o]

Which Finnex light are you using? Depending on the model, you can expect low to medium-high light. For the most part, reduction in hours will have the most impact (as you have tried).
Lowering the temperature should have no effect on this.
What fertilizers are you adding and how often? The traces of ammonia and zero nitrate may indicate an incomplete cycle. How long has the tank been setup?
Using distilled water (unless you are adding something to it to replenish the minerals) is generally not advised for plants or fish. Phosphate is not the problem. Plants needs phosphate and nitrate. How much depends on the lighting; more light, more fertilizers.

 

[bluerili]

Which Finnex light are you using? Depending on the model, you can expect low to medium-high light. For the most part, reduction in hours will have the most impact (as you have tried).
Lowering the temperature should have no effect on this.
What fertilizers are you adding and how often? The traces of ammonia and zero nitrate may indicate an incomplete cycle. How long has the tank been setup?
Using distilled water (unless you are adding something to it to replenish the minerals) is generally not advised for plants or fish. Phosphate is not the problem. Plants needs phosphate and nitrate. How much depends on the lighting; more light, more fertilizers.

The finnex is the Ray AL-H18DS, 15 Watt, really awesome light. I've had my tank for nearly two years now. I'm adding Flourish Excel (CO2) only when I do a water change once a week. I've backed off adding Flourish (trace minerals), I add about half what I used to. I still use some spring water, I know that distilled water isn't good for a tank, I have just been trying to bring the phosphates down because I was reading that they cause algae. I also read that the temp adjustment might work but here I am.
So I'm guessing one of the things I should be doing is not worrying about the minerals. My plants are fine right now but I don't want any deficiencies.

 

[kashif314]

Look I came back to tell u that instead of looking for cause u can get a UV sterilizer. There maybe like many reasons and may be very hard to find. UV sterilizer will do the job for u and it also prevents many parasites and diseases to fish.

 

[bluerili]

Look I came back to tell u that instead of looking for cause u can get a UV sterilizer. There maybe like many reasons and may be very hard to find. UV sterilizer will do the job for u and it also prevents many parasites and diseases to fish.

Thank you for your advice, I do appreciate it. Which brand do you have?

I am considering a sterilizer, but I'd like to see what other people have to say first. Maybe I can learn something.

 

[kashif314]

Thank you for your advice, I do appreciate it. Which brand do you have?

I am considering a sterilizer, but I'd like to see what other people have to say first. Maybe I can learn something.

Sun Sun has some very nice UVs out there. Usually an 8 or 10 watt is sufficient. I keep mine on all the time but u don't have to turn it on all the time if u like. And I used different brands and tbh all are fine. Just if u can get the one whose lights can be replaced would save u some bucks because usually after like six months or like eight months the power of UV lights diminish and need to be replaced but they still work just take more time than usual.