Green Cloudy Water

[chemflex]

Hi, I have a problem with one of my tanks. The water's gone really green and cloudy. The tank's been up and running for 5 and half months.

The water parameters are all fine apart from the pH:
Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = 0
Nitrate = 12.5mg/l-25mg/l
pH - 6.4

The tank is 55 litres in capacity and has no real plants in it. The lighting is a Hagan aquaglow light and is on for 12 hours a day. The tanks occupants are:

1 x Neon Blue Dwarf Gourami
2 x Cherry Barb
2 x Golden Barb
2 x Rosy Barb
1 x Flying Fox
3 x Corydoras
2 x Albino Tiger Barb
2 x iger Barb
2 x Alino Rainbow Shark
2 x Green Barb
2 x Zebra Danio
1 x Leopard Danio
2 x Honey Dwarf Gourami
1 x Red Dwarf Gourami
1 x Pleco

My water maintenance scheduleis about a 20% water change weekly.

I used some AccuClear by Aquarium Pharmacuitals to see if it would clear the water slightly - 24 hours on and still no change

The water been cloudy since mid-week and has gradually been getting worse - can't see the back of the tank very well

Any ideas??

 

[CFC]

Is the tank recieving more sunlight than usual now that its getting lighter earlier?If so try to keep natural sunlight exposure down to a minimum (either keep the curtains closed longer or reposition the tank somewhere it gets less sunlight).Try using a product called Clearwater which should clear the water up if the water changes aren't working (it looks like a giant tea bag and is placed in th tank),its available from most fish shops and is reasonably priced

 

[gadazobe]

Are you sure it's 55 litres - my reckoning makes that out to be about 14-15 gallons. With that many fish you must spend everyday doing water changes

 

[cherrylt04]

Since I use a program on my computer to figure that your tank is 12.124 gallons, and there is 26 fish in the tank, I do believe you need to get a another tank or two. I am gona say you should only have near 10-12 fish in a 12 gal (55Liter) thanks assuming that the fish are only 1 inch long, that is actually a little many, if they are over 1 inch, I say no more than 7-8 fish.
Another thing is that is sounds like an algae problem, reduce the amount of sunlight in the tank.

I hoped i helps,
DPS

 

[chemflex]

I keep a very close check on the nitrate levels, which indicate when to do a water change and how much to change.

When the levels go even slightly above 25mg/l I do a water change....this is only indicate once a week.

As for the sunlight, the tank isn't exposed to sunlight.

Is there anything I can put in the water to kill the algae?

 

[CFC]

Get a clearwater bag as mentioned in my previous post this will remove nitrates and phosphates that the algea is feeding on,are you sure its 55l and not 55g,if its the former you are seriously overstocked.

 

[semper fi]

what kind of filter system are you using? maybe with the amount of fish you need to upgrade to a larger capacity of system.

maggie

 

[chemflex]

I've added some 'green away' by Interpet to the water - so, we shall have to see what it does!

 

[chemflex]

Tried the green away, it's done nothing. Thought it was because the pH was too low, because that effects it. I've tried bringing the pH up but it isn't moving and the water has gone worse

 

[CFC]

If you can get your self a clearwater bag they cost under a fiver and will clear up the water in a few days,they work by removing the nitrates and phosphates that the algea feed on as well as any excess ammonia and nitrite so they really are worth adding to the filtration system.

 

[chemflex]

I put a cleanwater bag in my aquarium on Friday afternoon and I haven't noticed any difference, if anything it's worse.

Getting really panicked now, I can't even see my fish to count them.

ANY IDEAS, I'M DESPERATE???

 

[CFC]

Give the bag a chance to work You should start to see a difference by the end of the week.

Try doing a 30-40% water change to help it get started.

 

[chemflex]

ok, did a 40% water change on moday evening. Left the cleanwater bag in and added some green away, still no improvement whatsoever.

 

[chemflex]

Tank still really bad, water's really green

 

[sheenzorz]

I'm not what you call an expert on aquariums...but 26 fish in a 12 gallon tank is a little much no matter what the levels or nitrates and so on are? Can they even move? heh