Cloudy Green Water Help.

[current516]

For a variety of reasons, mainly overfeeding my fish, I have very cloudy Greenish water.

Assuming I have fixed the problems causing the cloudy water, how do I get rid of it?

Water changes alone won't do it, will they? What should I do?[/code]

 

[rich311k]

What are your test levels including Nitrates. Phosphates, KH and PH?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Assuming you've solved what caused it (typicall high phosphates or excessive lighting period), reduce your lighting to 1 hr/day or blackout the tank for 3-4 days.

 

[current516]

I don't have a Phosphate test kit and the strips I was using ran out for Nitrates. I know, how are you supposed to help right? I am bring my water to my LFS tomorrow, they said they'll test phosphate and Nitrates for me.

KH is 3, When the lights been on the PH is 6.8, when they're off it's 6.6.

Not enough info?

 

[current516]

I've been leaving my light on for 9 1/2 hrs. Could I still reduce it?
How many hours do my plants need?

 

[travis simonson]

A full blackout (no lights, tank fully covered) for 3-5 days is a great way to wipe out green water issues. Run additional aeration, do not feed or fertilize. Your fish and plants are large multi-cellular organisms that can handle this well becuase they have reserves to fall back on. Algae has very few reserves to fall back on and will die off quickly when its food source is removed. That's why blackouts are so effective.

 

[current516]

BlackOut started

OK I started the blackout this morning.

Now I'm on my way over to the LFS to get my water tested for phosphates. I hope that's not a problem. According to Malkore's sticky, levels of .5 to 1.5ppm are good. What do I do if they are too high? It doesn't say in the sticky.

Thanks all! I'll keep you updated.

 

[BlazerFRS]

Water changes will reduce phosphates (like they would anyhting else in the water), unless you have phosphates in your tap water too... then you only option would be posphate absorbing crystals that go in your filter. LFS would have those.

 

[current516]

OK

LFS tested my water, and say everythings OK.
Nitrate-OK
Phosphates .5 or less

So hopefully the Blackout will do the trick.

LFS girl suggested AlgaeFix, but I didn't buy it. I'm very wary of additives thanks to folks here at AA. Right on the back it said it would harm my shrimp.

So... Monday night, I uncover the tank. Will the water still be cloudy with, hopefully dead, algae?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

It should be crystal clear, you just have to do a gravel vac to remove the dead algae on the bottom of the tank.. And you may want to feed the fish first just so you can get any uneaten food up aswell.

Good job avoiding those chems. typically algae removers that work on greenwater (clear is typically in the name) will coagulate the algae so your filter can pick it up, sad part is it also coagulates in the fishes gills.

 

[current516]

It should be crystal clear, you just have to do a gravel vac to remove the dead algae on the bottom of the tank...

Awesome! I can't wait.

If I can take a decent photo, I will try to post it.

 

[current516]

well, what now?

It should be crystal clear, you just have to do a gravel vac to remove the dead algae on the bottom of the tank.

I uncovered the tank and the water is not crystal clear! My face, but more so. I covered it all day Friday morning-Monday night (tonight). 4 full days.

It is not as cloudy as it was, and I saw a bunch of dead algae.
Fish seem fine, except my ottos look a little pale.
Most plants seem fine, even though many of them lost some leaves, and my Hygrophilia look droopy. Also, Foxtail looks pretty bad.

Was it not covered long enough? Could it be cloudy because the leaves that fell off were decaying and the algae was living off them?

I did a 20% WC and I plan on doing another tommorow. And then I'm going to hope it goes away slowly. Should I do something different? Another Blackout (my poor fish and plants)?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Reduce your lighting.. cut back to 1/2 the lighting for half the time amount (5 hr's with a single bulb). Alternate hours (1hr on, 1hr off ) for 10 hours would be best if your timer can do it.

Also, was the tank wrapped was it a thick blanket? (no light in)

I've had to do it 3 times here, and each time it worked within 2 days, my tank is in the basement with no window so getting "black" is easy..

 

[current516]

I had two blankets, 1 heavy, 1 medium over it. I was pretty confident that it was blocking all the light, but now I'm not so sure. It is so easy to doubt.

I can use my timer to alternate the lighting times, but I can't do the single bulb thing. Hope that will be sufficient?

Would you recommend another blackout with heavier blankets, if it doesn't get better? How long should I wait for my fish and plants to recover?

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Reduce your lighting to 1 hr while you see, most of your plants are low light and will do just fine. (hygro and dwarf hairgrass may not fair so well from reduced lighting)

What happens if you remove a bulb?

 

[current516]

Reduce your lighting to 1 hr while you see, most of your plants are low light and will do just fine. (hygro and dwarf hairgrass may not fair so well from reduced lighting)

What happens if you remove a bulb?

Are you saying one hour for the whole day?

If I took a bulb out only half of the tank would be lit. My tank is 48" long. But I have 2 bulbs about 20" long, each does half the tank.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

Yes, keep the lighting short and keep with the water changes. I'ld also remove the bulb that's NOT over the dwarf hairgrass, it's the most sensitive to low light in your tank.

I find it odd that a blackout for 3-4 days didn't wipe it out, I've never had a problem dealing with it this way.

 

[current516]

Yes, keep the lighting short and keep with the water changes. I'ld also remove the bulb that's NOT over the dwarf hairgrass, it's the most sensitive to low light in your tank.

I find it odd that a blackout for 3-4 days didn't wipe it out, I've never had a problem dealing with it this way.

OK, 1 hour a day it is plus 20% WC every day. I've got a fair amount of hairgrass on both sides now, it's kinda my favorite.

How well does hairgrass bounce back? If it gets bad, and I up the light will it recover?

 

[current516]

I find it odd that a blackout for 3-4 days didn't wipe it out, I've never had a problem dealing with it this way.

yeah, I probably goofed, and didn't cover it well enough. :? That'll learn me.

 

[Wizzard~Of~Ozz]

I honestly don't know that much about hairgrass, I just know it's more demanding then the other plants in your aquarium.

Also, if you have a bubble stone, try adding it. (not sure if I mentioned it was a good idea earlier)