green water

[stumpy]

How do you get rid of green water? I have been dealing with this for 2 months! Water tests are fine, snails,crabs,shrimp still alive from what I can see when I drop in a little food every few days. I have been running Al-gone for the past month and it hasen't done anything. I did a 18 gallon water chenge 1 1/2 months ago and the water looked great for 5 days and then turned green again. I only use distilled water. (30 gallon tank)

[stumpy]

oops, sorry about same picture 3 times

[Corty]

Woah that's some green stuff you've got there! Turn down the lights, lower the feedings. Water changes don't usually help.

Lack of lights are what really kicked my green water's butt. Be aware that at night, this stuff consumes oxygen, and can "choke" things, so catch it before it gets any worse!

I would black out the tank by turning off the lights and covering the tank with some cloth for about 3-5 days. You will need to do some water changes to get rid of the dead algae after a couple of days.

Hope this helps - you should see a difference after the first day.

[seaham358]

Holy Crap!!!!! 8O I have never seen anything like that.... Is that all free floating algae? Do you have access to a Diatom filter? These filters are great and I think it would help get rid of the algae. there is another filter like the Diatom that would work also but I can't remember the name?? Any LR and what type of filter are you using if any.
I would try some other type of water also. Any stores near you sell RO water? I'm sorry I just can't get over how green that is. 8O

[WhiteCloud]

I thought I had it bad last week!! I'm so sorry! My problem was about 1/3 as bad..it was a freshwater tank though!

My problem was too much light and too little CO2 for my lightly planted tank....

I would guess Lighting would be the main issue as you have no fish and are not feeding much (but I would cut out for a while...your snails, crabs and shrimp must feel like they got locked up in a grocery store will all that free floating algae to eat).

What wavelength is your light at? Not being able to tell real good (due to the green) it almost looks like perhaps you have a freshwater bulb (5000-6700k) wavelength light perhaps? I think that could encourage some algae growth.

I agree with lights out and covered for 3 to 5 days.

I got a Diatom Filter for my problem, as my 1 and 3 year old would not handle a blackout period. I got the Aquarium Products Sytem 1 Diatom Filter for $110 and Big Al's www.bigalsonline.com. In 4 hours...my 90g FW tank was clearer than any tank I have ever seen. It was amazing. This is a short term fix though...you need to find out what is causing it. Also...some would say that diatom filters may filter out too much of the "good stuff" that marine aquariums need.

As your tank is relatively small...there is a cheaper Diatomic Filter...The Vortex. It is like $50-60 at Big Al's. A lot of people have also had good luck in using a Magnum HOT canister for $40 using the Micron Filter (which I belive comes with it) alone, or some people even add DE to that (but some have got a tank with a white cover of DE if it is not done correctly.)

Another thought is the distilled water...I know NOTHING about this yet...but some people say the just distilled water could be bad...and that RO/DI water is better..but I will leave that subject for the more experienced.....

Good luck..I feel for you! You spend hundreds (perhaps thousands) of dollars for an aquarium..and you get a gross, green mess...I was there with you last week!

[seaham358]

AAHHH thanks WC, its the Magnum HOT canister the other one which I hae heard works well.
The diatom filter is just a quick fix so you can see inside the tank if your going for a reef I would not run it 24/7 only use to clean the water on occasion. I think you need to try another type of water. i would cut down to 5-8 hours with the lights to start and see if that helps any if not then you you should try the lights out.

[stumpy]

I turned the lights off and covered the tank with a beach towel so no light can get in. I'll let you know in a few days how it looks.

[seaham358]

ok....... good luck

[nodoubt471]

is your tank getting ambient light from the room? that could be a problem too, if there is sunlight shining in the tank.

[stumpy]

No direct light coming in windows.

[stumpy]

This a picture I took today. I have kept the lights off and a towel covering the tank for the past 10 days. I also added phosphate remover a few days ago. This is the first time I have seen my live rock in over a month. To my surprise, my peppermint shrimp is still alive. I'm no expert but dosen't that mean my water quality is good if a shrimp can make it through that nasty green stuff?

[seaham358]

I say it has something to do with the water your using. It could take a month of no lights to get rid of all of it.???
Any chance of getting a diatom filter to use to clean that up.
I hate to say it, I would get a good ro/di unit and drain 50% and add the fresh salt water. If that does not help then you may need to drain the whole tank and start over.
Good luck with what ever way you chose.

[stumpy]

I use distilled water that I buy from the grocery store. Do you really think it may be causing the problems? What exactly is a diatom filter? If it cleans the water, will the problem return?

[TeenReefer]

good luck.....ive had alge problems too. Luckily mine went away!

[stumpy]

Any ideas on the distilled water?

[stumpy]

somebody? anybody?