cycled tank, possible algae problem?

[bubbles10]

I followed the popular instructions from this website of how to fishless cycle a new tank. My tank went through it's process and the levels were all where they needed to be. I went out and bought my first small school of fish (4 white-finned rosy tetra) and 2 julii corys and let them live in the tank for a week. I checked the water levels and everything was still where it needed to be. I then went back to the store and bought my second school of fish (4 forktailed blue-eyed rainbow fish) and a small pleco. It has been about 3 days since all of these fish have been living in here together and now it seems as if my water has a green hue to it. It isn't so green that you can't see through the tank... it just seems like when you look through the tank to the other side, everything in there is greenish looking. I took a cup of water out of the tank and the water in the cup looked clear. I just did about a 20% water change today to see if it helps make a difference. Does it sound like I have an algae problem with my tank water or is this something else? I don't want to put a ton of chemicals in the tank, especially since the fish are new.. What can I do to help fix this problem?

 

[nottooslow]

what is your light cycle? (when do you turn your tank light on and off?) is the tank near a window?

 

[aqua_chem]

You have an algae problem creatively named 'green water'. You can google it for more information, but as previously mentioned, excess light is the usual cause. Direct sunlight is usually the culprit.

 

[redruckus]

I just had this problem in my small tank and its no where neer a window... I actualy got a few fresh water clams from my big tank and put them in and in a week or so and it took 3 clams about 8 or so days to get the water to kinda foggy ill see how it is in a few days I also changed my poly wool filter and doubled it up and kinda squeezed it to get a finner filtration

 

[bubbles10]

My light turns on at 2 in the afternoon and shuts off at 11 at night, so it is on a 9 hour cycle (I keep it on a timer). The tank is not near a window, and my blinds are usually closed so not a whole lot of sunlight gets in the room during the day.

 

[aqua_chem]

What kind of light? Ferts or co2?

 

[bubbles10]

it's a 17W natural daylight fluorescent light bulb. i have no real plants in my tank, just an air bubbler, some aquarium decorations, and a piece of driftwood.

as a side note, i used to have a few fancy goldfish in this tank but they all died and i restarted this aquarium for my current fish.. i never had an algae problem when the goldfish were in there. is this something that happens with these tropical type fish, or could it possibly be because i added so many fish all at once?