Trouble with Green Water

[George99]

The problem started about a year ago. The water would become gray and foggy then after a few weeks would turn green.

I have had the tank for years and this is something new. The lights are on during the day and the tank does not get direct sunlight.

Several weeks ago cleaned out tank and rocks with bleach solution of one part bleach to 10 parts water. It looked beautiful for about 2 weeks then began to get foggy again and is now green.

Don't know what to do next.

Thanks.

 

[Aiken Drum]

How long are the lights on for?

 

[George99]

The lights are on from 8:00AM to 10PM

 

[Aiken Drum]

14 hours is way, way too much. If you have plants 8 hours is enough for the plants health. If you dont have plants 6 to 8 hours lights on per day. You can split the time into 4 hours on, 4 hours off, 4 hours on if you like. But keep it to 8 hours per day max.

You might want to completely black out the tank for a week or so to kill off the algae if you dont have plants to keep alive. And i mean blacked out completely. No light at all, covered with black plastic, just open in the dark to feed the fish.

 

[George99]

Green water

I followed your advice as well as I could. I used the cover on my BAR B Q, A thick heavy fabric which completely covered my aquarium and the cabinet all the way down to the floor. I left it in the dark for six days and nothing happened. Another member recommended using an ultra violet light. He showed his results: day 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Each day showed great improvement. So I bought one and got no improvement at all. I gave it seven days. Any more suggestions??


George99

 

[Aiken Drum]

What are your water parameters? pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate?

Whats your typical water change schedule?

Can you post a photo of this green water?

You could try and add carbon to your filter or try a water clarifier like API accu-clear.

 

[George99]

I have used the API clarifier. Had no effect. One third of the water is changed the first of the month. The Topfin filter cartridges (two doubles with activated carbon) are changed once a month. I have a friend who will test the water. Unfortunately I just changed all of the water and cleaned the tank and everything in it with bleach and water on the 6th of June. I suppose that means a water test and a photograph will have to wait until the algae returns. Maybe its a mutant algae and untreatable.

George

 

[Aiken Drum]

I would say 1/3 water change probably isnt enough and will lead to high nutrients in the water that will feed algae. Going forward i would increase the amount and frequency of water changes to 30 to 50% weekly.

 

[Autumnsky]

I followed your advice as well as I could. I used the cover on my BAR B Q, A thick heavy fabric which completely covered my aquarium and the cabinet all the way down to the floor. I left it in the dark for six days and nothing happened. Another member recommended using an ultra violet light. He showed his results: day 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Each day showed great improvement. So I bought one and got no improvement at all. I gave it seven days. Any more suggestions??


George99

Frequently the size UV unit isn't large enough for the job. Even though the box says so.

Daphnia eat green algae in water. You could get a culture.

Are you feeding flake food? Flake can increase Phophates.

Try Hikari pelleted food.

Lowering light, adding plants which use up excess nutrients.

The light you have may be a color spectrum which isn't benefiting plant growth. Certain spectrum can increase algae.

Do you have a blue / night light you keep on? That can increase algae growth. Don't use it.

I would recommend checking the water, change and keep nitrates low, but also I would get Purigen. Asap. It helps get rid of silicates which diatoms use, not your specific issue, but also gets rid of organics, and is rechargeable.
https://seachem.com/purigen.php

Seachem also has Phosnet, Phosbond, and Phosguard, one which could help you remove phosphates. Forget which would be better.

https://www.aqueon.com/articles/gre... proper maintenance causes a gradual... More



If you end up using an algaecide it is not safe for invertebrates, please do not over dose, it can kill fish. .

 

[TUCCI]

Without seeing it or knowing what your filtration, occupant capacity or what kind of filtration your running, I can only make a generalized recommendation. I would re-clean the ornaments, rinse or replace filter media with tank water, increase water changes to 40% weekly, decrease lighting to 5hrs a day and only feed once a day as much as your occupants can eat in 5mins. I’ve never seen a successful tank run with once a month water changes as nitrate runs a muck with that timeframe and it’s a losing battle.