Continuing Problems Keeping Water Clear

[Viclin]

I am fairly new to keeping fish and need some advice. I have a Interpet PF2 Filter and Interpet 64 litre tank. It is lite by a growlux tube and uv light. I have got 10 neon tetras, 4 pepper cory catfish, 1 siamese fighting fish, 1 spotted plec and 1 female guppy. I have been back to the dealership and taken his advise, keeping the fishtank lights on for only 5 hours. The filter is cleaned every week, and the temperature is kept at 25 degrees. There is no sunlight hitting the tank at any time, despite all this the water gets green within three weeks. There is no algae on the ornaments, and I am at a loss as to how to keep it clean, or is this the norm. Help please

 

[Bazza57]

Hello Viclin,

There could be several reasons why your tank water is turning green - Is the tank situated in a bright sunlit spot? A likely cause is that the tank is newly set-up & the water is relatively "fresh" so the filters are not yet fully efficient. Your pleco should take care of any algae growing on surfaces, & the filters should take care of any water borne algae.
Did your LFS advise carbon pads to place inside your filter? these would help short-term, also pond users use straw placed inside nylon tights to control algae - believe it or not, this works, but would look unsightly in an aquarium

Seriously though, try rinsing your filter out in used tank water (when you do your water changes) this way the filter has a chance to develop the beneficial bacteria which will keep your tank healthy. I personally feel that your filter should only be rinsed every 2-3 weeks.

Hope this helps.

 

[Viclin]

Thanks for this - how often in your opinion should I have to change the water fully.

 

[Bazza57]

Thanks for this - how often in your opinion should I have to change the water fully.

I would never do a 100% water change, unless I was breaking down the set-up. Basically all you need to do is around 10 - 15% water changes every 2 weeks, you may find that other forum members will recommend more frequently, it all depends on your set-up, but once you have a mature & healthy tank this should be all you need.
Don't forget, when cleaning out filters or scrubbing ornaments - do so in your old aquarium water so you don't kill any beneficial bacteria.

I think there is a beginners section on these forums which will give you valuable guidelines for maintaining a healthy tank, as well as useful tips from forum members - the one important thing to remember is; Don't be afraid to ask, we all had to start somewhere

Spend a little time reading the various articles on this forum, there are many experienced aquarists on here who willingly pass on advice & share their experience for the benefit of all fishkeepers