cleaned 10 gl tank, now GREEN, now what?

[tank-challenged]

Without knowing what I was doing... (what IS cycling?!) I cleaned out our green 10 gallon tank over the weekend -- took everything out and cleaned it put it back in. We have 3 goldfish and one of those bottom feeders.

I put in AQUA plus.. and now the tank has gone from cloudy grey to GREEN. I'm reading about all this cycling talk.. oops... so what do I do now to recover before fish die?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

how long are your lights on and how bright is the tank (daylight?)

Green water is from excessive light. blacking out the tank for 3 days (complete darkness) will starve the algae, it typically blooms when the substrate is disturbed.

 

[tank-challenged]

the lights are on 24 hours a day.. it's about daylight lightness.

i did some more reading and isn't this just New Tank Syndrome? (i totally cleaned it, new gravel, etc) and if so, won't goldfish survive the cycling period?

and if this is N T syndrome, should i still black out the tank?

 

[Macrosill]

WHy are the lights on 24 hours a day? How long has the tank been up and running? How often do you feed? What kind of filter do you have? Is the tank in direct sunlight?

Brian

 

[tank-challenged]

i guess i the lights are on bc i thought they were supposed to be? cuz i'm an idiot? the tank is NOT in direct sunlight.

the tank has been running for six days since i thoroughly emptied it and cleaned everything and added new gravel. i put the same 4 fish back in, without waiting any time.

i have an Elite 10 (?) filter that i cleaned the inside of, but didn't get refill filters...

i've had the tank/fish for maybe two months. when i first got it, i set it up with water only for 1-2 wks, then added fish one by one each week. with cleaning it was fine until last week, it just got so gross i stupidly thought I'd start over.

 

[Macrosill]

Turn off the lights, stop feeding. I would do a 80% pwc. If you changed out the gravel and cleaned all the decos then I would be a little leary about covering the tank for 3 days. The tank may go through a mini cycle and ammonia levels may get too high for the fish, especially the "bottom feeder". I would try doing pwc everyday and monitor the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate levels to keep them low. You have two problems here at once, the cycle and the algea. Keep the lights off and only feed once every 3 days. This should keep things in check and may get rid of the algea with all the pwc's. If not then after the cycle is done you can black out the tank. It is going to be a pain but stick with it and you should be okay.

Good Luck,
Brian

 

[tank-challenged]

Brian,
Thanks so much.

Two questions -- so how long do i wait for the water to be clear before i know that didn't work and I shoul resort to the total blackout thing... and embarrassed to ask but what is a pwc?

 

[SerLunchbox]

PWC is a Partial water change. In the hobby, it is just a way for you to clean your gravel and get rid of some water so you can replace it withcleaner water. Especially with goldfish as they produce a LOT of waste.

The reason you are having major algae issues is the light and there is no reason to call yourself an idiot. People make mistakes. It is how we learn. Reduce your light to being on for 8-14 hours. This is the more natural way for fish to live.

Over the next few days when you are doing these water changes, i really wouldn't do much gravel cleaning as that is where the good bacteria cultures will grow. Mostly take the water out only.

Your fish MAY survive the new cycle process but keep a watchful eye on them. You may want to check out a way to help with water changes and that is a Python. Hooks to a sink faucet and through some forces of gravity and certain aspects of physics, it will allow you to clean your tank and then refill it right after.

 

[DepotFish]

partial water change, if you see something like this usually you can click on it with your mouse and it will tell you what it is. It autimatically shortens these words for some reason. I hate to say but you've got too much of a bioload in that tank too. Unless you plan to do water changes every other day you should try a different species.

 

[tank-challenged]

what do u mean, too much of a bioload?

are you saying I have too much bioload NOW because of how i screwed up?
OR
are you saying I will ALWAYS have too much bioload because i have the 3 goldfish?

and final question (I promise!!) For a tank to go thru cycling, don't fish HAVE to be in tank? so that means they just survive the green phase?

thanks SO MUCH to everyone for your answers!!

 

[DepotFish]

You will always have a lot of ammonia and waste chemicals to deal with because of three goldfish. I have one in a 10 gallon and I have to change the water frequently, but that's fine by me and the fish is always kept in clean water so we are both happy.
The green water is not due to cycling, its a light and algae problem. Cycling is usually done fishless because the fish don't always survive the ups and downs of the bio cycle. People add something like a piece of shrimp or some bio material from another tank that will start the biological process. Fish are added after everything is stable.
Personally, if I were you I'd clean out the tank and start over since the tank has only been running for six days. Put everything in and black out the tank to make sure the algae is dead. The goldfish have a better chance to survive if you put them in new water and start over- this time without 24 hours of light.

 

[Guest]

i would highly suggest you read the freshwater and general articles on this site

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_cat.php?fldAuto=2/


Especially this one (its the most important)

The Nitrogen cycle
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=21



And later... if you have time.. how to cycle without the use of fish:
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/article_view.php?faq=2&fldAuto=15


As i think it was already said.. new tank syndrom is when the water gets white and cloudy (a bacterial bloom) GREEN WATER is algae and its becuas eyou are leaving the lites on 24-7. Fish need a photo period and the less the better, unless you are having a planted tank. A complete blackout and daily water changes should help you cycle and clear up your tank.

also .. you might want to get some test kits.. particularly AMMONIA, NITRITE, and NITRATE as these are the three products of fish waste.

 

[Macrosill]

I had suggested not blacking out the tank for 3 days because the ammonia levels may get high without daily pwc's. With those fish, a 10 gal tank and not yet been cycled in 3 days ammonia will skyrocket. Leaving that tank blacked out, essentially unattended for 3 days is not a good idea. If you peek or do a pwc in those 3 days you may as well not have started to begin with.

Just my .02 cents. I think everything else has been pretty well covered.

Good Luck,
Brian

 

[Guest]

I had suggested not blacking out the tank for 3 days because the ammonia levels may get high without daily pwc's. With those fish, a 10 gal tank and not yet been cycled in 3 days ammonia will skyrocket. Leaving that tank blacked out, essentially unattended for 3 days is not a good idea. If you peek or do a pwc in those 3 days you may as well not have started to begin with.

Just my .02 cents. I think everything else has been pretty well covered.

Good Luck,
Brian

you can do a blackout and take it off long enough to daily water changes.