Green Hell!

[Lohoyan]

Help! My tanks been taken over by algae. I presume this is the unicellular algae, or green algea, sometimes called green water. I've had a new T5 HO Dual 39W fixture on there for about a month now running 12 hours a day and just recently dosed with nutrafin plant grow twice, a week apart. I was hoping to get my plants going well but maybe I don't have the right type of plants to out compete the algae. The tank doesn't really get any direct sunlight. I've added some wisteria in pots to try to use up some nutrients. I put them in pots because I don't think the gravel I have is great for plants. Its 10-12 mm natural beach gravel. It looks good but I suppose that's about it.

Well I've got a new to me 66G and 60lbs of ecocomplete on the way and will be transferring every thing over to the new tank once its established.

Anything I can do in the mean time about the algae? I've been doing extra water changes and stopped dosing. Anything else?

Thanks

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

Wow. I think you should rename this algae heaven. haha

Anyway, were you not running any sort of CO2? And that lighting schedule is far too much. You should be doing around six to eight hours.

For a tank this far gone, I would think you would have to do a blackout. But, I'm not really an expert.

I would scrape as much out as possible and do a big water change to get it down. Definitely you need to cut down your lighting schedule, get some sort of CO2 running (there are a few options), and maybe get plants that will require more of the nutrients in the water. If you only have wisteria, they aren't taking up that much. I accidentally left wisteria clippings in a bag with a couple drops of water for two weeks under one of my tables and it was fine. That stuff doesn't require much.

 

[Lohoyan]

It does look kinda cool in its own way, lol. No, I don't run CO2. There is no algae on any surfaces, only suspended in the water. The only plants doing well in there are the ferns, I've a couple other species but they are kind of just barley getting by. I grow wisteria in my 20G and its always grown like crazy and being a stem plant (I think) I figured it would use up sonething at least, if I could only get it going in this 45, I tried it before and it just disappeared. Like I said, I think I have the wrong substrate. Hopefully my new tank with the eco will be much better for plants.

Thanks for the response.

 

[TheCrazyFishLady]

What kind of substrate do you currently have?

And if you have those lights, I would recommend CO2. I use the DIY route, which has a start up cost of like $6 and a continuation cost of maybe $1 every month or so. It is not as effective as the actual units you buy at the store, but it's a significant difference. My tank would look as bad as yours if I didn't run two bottles on mine. So, it would be worth you at least checking it out.

Good luck!

 

[Jess1ca]

Wow! That is a lot of green

 

[mfdrookie516]

12 hours of light is excessive. I'd run no more than 7-8. I'd cut the lights for a few days, and do lots of water changes.

 

[Lohoyan]

It's large size natural beach gravel. Yes, when I get the new tank set up I think I will try CO2 eventually, probably start with a DIY setup. But wouldn't that also help promote the algae? I'll cut back the light now but with a properly planted tank with established plants 12 hours is not too much is it? I really want to get the new tank growing well.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Yes, 12 hours is entirely too much. 7-8 hours is all you need... period.

 

[pleechford]

I had this same problem but I bought the green killing machine uv sterilizer and it made my water crystal clear. I highly recommend it! I never had a problem with pea soup since and I only run it maybe 3 days out of the month now.

 

[Lohoyan]

Ok, I've just read some of the stickies on this site and am starting to understand the relationship between high light and CO2. Geez, I thought I'd already read a ton about light and stuff, now I realize there,s more. Lots more, lol. I'm gonna go DIY CO2. Should be fun making it, sure I'll learn something. Thanks for the help, I'll probably need lots more before I'm done lol.

 

[KlcoKN]

Now somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard that having green water is actually good for your fish? I kindof want to grow some in a little tank to try to raise baby ghost shrimp lol.

 

[Mab2000]

On the DIY setup, make sure you don't forget the check valve. I learned the hard way on that one.

 

[Lohoyan]

Seems like I can't DIY the entire system. I may purchase this part.

http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c163336/p17672317.html

It's a check valve, bubble counter and ceramic diffuser in one piece. After that I can put together the pop bottles and tubing, correct?