No cure in site

[fish_4_all]

Well I tried black outs for 4 days and nothing. I removed the undergravel 2 weeks ago and nothing. Less feeding and nothing. Water changes and nothing. What is going to cure my blue green water? The fish are happy but the plants are suffering. My java moss is turning light green and not growing but my anacharis is growing but has slowed down and is suffering in over all bulk. Java fern grows super slowly and not very large. Water changes once a week, 1/2 with gravel syphon. Filter is aquaview and working well. Also have a sponge filter that is very clean and seems to be working well. No direct or indirect sunlight. Lighting is 15 watt flourescent with a back light 20 watts. Only one tank is having the problem and it is also the darker tank of the two receiving less light from flourescents because of hood style. The other tank is fully lighted because of plexiglass top with full light penetration.

Nitrate 80
Nitrite 0
PH 7.8
Alkalinity 180
Harness 150
Ammonia 0

What can I do to make my water clear again without chemicals?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

The nitrates need to be reduced. The reading should be at 30 and below. I'd increase the water changes. How often are you doing them now?

BTW- Don't use chemicals to treat the water color. You probably already know that though.

 

[fish_4_all]

1/2 water change weekly. Nitrates are probably high because of the population of fish. 15 half sized swords and 7 cory cats, 3 adult, 4 half sized ones. 3 Neon tetras. I know it is a lot but the tank supports the life very well. No disease and all healthy, bright fish. There are about 35 stems of anacharis and one very large clump of java moss. The java ferns number 4 but are very small but are healthy looking when they do decide to grow. Is a 10 gallon tank. Other tank has as many if not more fish with no signs of any problems. Maybe a simple CO2 injector will help the plants use the nitrates?

How often should I do water changes?

 

[Guest]

UV is a cure if you are willing to pay for it.

 

[megos1]

i would do half as many water changes...that's kind of a lot of fish for a ten

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I was just thinking the same thing. That's a pretty overpopulated tank. It's not supporting the fish if the Nitrates are that high. Even with it being a planted tank, I'd decrease the number of fish that you have in there.

 

[krap101]

whats a mini java fern?

 

[Apocalypse_Gold]

Java ferns always grow slowly. They are popular because they will not die.

 

[BrianNY]

I don't mean to pick on you fish 4 all, but I don't think you've got a good understanding of what a healthy environment is for your aquarium. Your fish are slowly poisoning themselves simply because of the waste they produce. The filter hasn't been invented to handle a population like that. All of those nitrates are doing a very good job at feeding your algae too.

If it were my tank, I would be doing 50% daily water changes and use a diatom filter to help control the algae until I could significantly reduce the fish population.

 

[fish_4_all]

Don't worry about picking on me. The only reason there are so many fish is all the babies that my LFS won't take and I can't sell fast enough. Thankfully they have quit producing for the time being because they are still too young. I hate culling them but will have 2 more tanks set up soon and the populations will be much lower. The funny thing is, the nitrates were never this high until I took my undergravel filter. My other 10 gallon tank has just as many fish and has been set up almost as long and the nitrates are under 20 and has a lot fewer plants.

Who knows but I will be doing a couple water changes a week to control the nitrates until I get my other 10 and 25 set up and cycled. With no sick fish it was hard to tell there was anything wrong at all. The only reason I test often is because of the blue green water. Before I just tested twice a month before a water change and everything was perfect. Then again it could be because I was using the salt all the time but the nitrates were still never this high before.

Anyway, I guess that is why they only give advice and not rules. Is like raising kids. Once you think you know all the rules the kids change the game.