Tank Water Has Green Tint

[metulburr]

My wife noticed our tank water was tinting green. I couldnt really notice it until she mentioned it. So i did a 75% water change, and took out ALL of the fake plants, as well as ALL of the decorations and scrubbed the algae off of them. After that the water looked good.
 
However a week and half later the tank has a green tint again. Algae has grown a little on the glass, and we scrub it off. 
 
I know i can get rid of the green tint by doing another 75% water change, but that seems kind of excessive to do every week and a half. Is there another option?

 

[Ch4rlie]

If I remember right, green water is an algae, sometimes its a very fine green tint, other times can be a thick green colour.
 
Theres something in back of mind saying this could be due to ammonia in tank water column, there could have been ammonia spikes you may have missed and this can contibute to green water.
 
Is your tank fully cycled?

 

[Efishent]

I think algae is the problem. Not sure, though. First, do a test to make sure all of your ammonia, nitrate, etc. levels are normal. If they aren't, maybe try to fix that and then see what happens. Also, you could try some algae eaters. What size is the tank? Just remember, even if you get an algae eater, you still have to feed them. You can't rely on the fact that there will always be algae in the tank. If the tank is big enough (and the right type of community), maybe try something like a plecostomus or an otocinclus catfish. Not a common pleco, unless your tank is a few hundred gallons. If it is, a common pleco would be epic. Anyway, I hope I could help. 

 

[jag51186]

Do you think the tint is within the water or from algae growing on the glass?? Both are algae of different varieties, and all algae comes from an imbalance of nutrients involved. So, your nitrates might be getting too high and feeding the algae itself. Is the tank getting any excessive light?? (near a window, too long of light cycle, etc.) And, as Ch4rlie asked, is your tank fully cycled?

 

[metulburr]

we found the problem. There was no algae growing anywhere in the tank but on the clear plastic for the light. We just wiped that clear plastic off, which had a thick layer of algae in the middle, and after that the tint was gone. 

 

[Ch4rlie]

Yay! I love simple solutions like this

 

[metulburr]

yes. such a simple solution is relieving. I just have to remember to weekly clean the light lid.