Green Tank Impoosible To Clean

[CroNiC]

Well over the past week my tank has become "nemo's tank" It is extremely green. I can hardly see my plants, let alone the fish. I cant think of what made this happen. I cleaned my filter, I did a 60-75% water change. I took 1 artificial plant out (thought it was the cause) I cleaned the glass by the magnetic cleaner. I put water clear medicines in their after i did the water change. I cant think of any other cuases. I have cleaned everything. I am just thinking of now taking the fish out and throwing 95% of the water out and getting new gravel and plants ... that is how dirty it is

Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

How long do you leave your tank lights on a day on average? Its generally a bad idea to take out more than 60% of water in a single day, do you use dechlorinator? How many gallons is the tank, what and how many fish do you have in it, does it have live plants and how long has it been set up?
Algae blooms are more a symtom of their being an imbalance of some sort in the tanks ecosystem, like an excess of nutrients or too much light etc.

 

[_cRaCkEr_]

Be sure sunlight doesn't reach your tank.

 

[CroNiC]

How long do you leave your tank lights on a day on average? Its generally a bad idea to take out more than 60% of water in a single day, do you use dechlorinator? How many gallons is the tank, what and how many fish do you have in it, does it have live plants and how long has it been set up?
Algae blooms are more a symtom of their being an imbalance of some sort in the tanks ecosystem, like an excess of nutrients or too much light etc.

I leave my tank lights on for about 10-12 hours.
I have been doing bout 60-75% water change in my tank since 6 years with the same fish in it.
I use Aquasafe which is a dechlorinator.
My tank is 30 gallons
I have 7 fish currently (however planning to get more) - 4 lemon tetra's, 2 black skirt tetras, and 1 guppy.
It does not have live plants
My tank has been set up for 6 years

. . . I might have overfed them (but i doubt it) , but even if i did i have siphoned the gravel and done the water change. Yet it makes no difference.

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

The algae is most likely growing because the lights are being left on for such long periods of time and there are no plants to take up the nutrients in the tank- i would reduce the amount of time you leave you lights on average to 6hrs; if you want to get rid of the lage imediatly though just leave the tank lights off and the tank covered so no light can get in for a couple of days, the fish will be fine and the algae will die off.
Tanks with no live plants are at much higher risk to getting algae problems as there is nothing the algae has to compete with for nutrients.

 

[CroNiC]

The algae is most likely growing because the lights are being left on for such long periods of time and there are no plants to take up the nutrients in the tank- i would reduce the amount of time you leave you lights on average to 6hrs; if you want to get rid of the lage imediatly though just leave the tank lights off and the tank covered so no light can get in for a couple of days, the fish will be fine and the algae will die off.
Tanks with no live plants are at much higher risk to getting algae problems as there is nothing the algae has to compete with for nutrients.

I think ur right. Only prob is i cant just cover my tank for "days without any light entering. My fish are "different." Maybe in a negative because if i dotn open the lights when it is dark then all my fish are like almost flat on the floor not moving. Some are even upside-down! It really freeks me out. I will try to reduce the light in my tank, but im guessing this will take around 3-4 days. Ill rather just take most of the water out, and totaly change the tank. This way all the unclear water will go, and i can start fresh again with the same fish of course.

 

[Animation]

Why don't you try to buy a little ancistrus or some common pleco's for a short peiod- i had the same problem and that's what sorted mine- BEWAREPleco's grow very large so do not get attached to them like i have!

 

[CroNiC]

Its the water thats green. Not the gravel. I dont think the plecos can clean the water

Therefore i have decided to do another water change and this BETTER work. If it doesnt ill have to go to my last option. Reomving the fish and getting rid f the water. Re-setup of the tank. This is delaying the fish i am plannign to get

 

[CroNiC]

Well it turned out that the tank is possible to clean

I just did a 80% water change. Took out all the plants and the rocks. I am leaving my light closed and have left the plants out and rocks out. Only thing in tank is fish and gravel. Filter has been cleaned. The glass has been cleaned 3 times, and the water clearer medicens have been also added. So far its been an hour and it looks pretty clear to me. I think the tank should be fine now.

Thx for the advise every1

 

[Tokis-Phoenix]

Alternatively you can just add some live plants to your tank, the fish will appreiciate them and you won't get half as many algae problems if you have some nice plants in there to take up the excess nutrients and light . Not all aquarium plants sold are actually proper aquarium plants that can be submerrged in water 24/7, the basic rules to buying proper aquarium plants is
a. avoid anything that can support itself out of water, true aquarium plants should go droopy and not be able to support themselves out of water, and
b. avoid anything that has varigated/patterned leaves with more than one color.

 

[black angel]

Check your nitrate level as that can also cause algae blooms.

 

[CroNiC]

Check your nitrate level as that can also cause algae blooms.

Well um i havent really checked for nitrate level ,ever.I just felt it was uneccesary since i have had my fish for 6 year, and havent lost any of them. Maybe i shud go to my lfs and pick up stuff to check my nitrate level.

 

[black angel]

If you havent checked your nitrates then what about ammonia and nitrite levels? Maybe take a sample and ask them to check everything out for you.

 

[CroNiC]

If you havent checked your nitrates then what about ammonia and nitrite levels? Maybe take a sample and ask them to check everything out for you.

Unfortunately i havent checked those either. I am going to check those today also. But my tank is fine now and so are my fish.

 

[rdd1952]

A UV Sterilizer will clear green water. I used one successfully on 2 of my tanks. Hereis a thread I did back in June showing the day to day change in the 29 gallon tank. The 75 gallon was even more dramatic and only took about 2 days (it was first and I didn't think to document it).