Green Water

[cute_chubby_cory]

Hello hello,

I have a slight problem - my fish tank water (not the tank walls) is green . It's even hard to see the fish .

Worried that such water color in the tank indicates high polution levels, I used to change 15-20% of water almost every second day (45% of water when vacuuming the gravel once a week) - anything to keep my fish alive! Such solution seems to be just temporary and after a couple of days the tank water gets back to green. I was told this is an algal bloom and actually just benefits from water changes.

I guess my 2 months old tank never cycled properly... Nutrafin Test shows my high ammonia level varies from 1.2 to even 4.9 - dangerous! and neither Nitrite nor Nitrate seem to be increasing at all. Therefore, I can not just stop changing water for extended time periods.

Yesterday I scooped my fish out into the quarantine tank willing once and for all deal with the algae. But how...? I am reluctant to add any of the "magic help" liquidie stuff in to my tank - does it really help?!. Is there anything else that could be done?

... I want a see-through water and my fish happy.

I appreciate any opinion or word of advice.

 

[tim1]

Well, if your aquarium hasn't cycled yet I guess the best way to clean the tank would be to wash the filter out with your aquarium water, and then clean your gravel, and do a 100% water change.
Thats what I would do, but wait for somebody more experience to answer.

 

[cute_chubby_cory]

Thank you Tim,

I guess newbies like us are bound to be a little impatient.

Cleaning it all out would mean start the tank all over again...

I did toy with the idea before... but who will guarantee that the problem won't return next time I set up the tank.

At the moment my fish are squeezed into around 10L quarantine tank - don't think that's the best place for 13 small fish. Erm, don't think they are going to last long and eventually I will have to pop a few fish back to tank in a couple of days time.

I do have a temptation to change a good part of the water just to knock down ammonia levels and let the fish back, but the algae won't disappear....

Aww I am losing here

I still hope someone will suggest how to deal with algae bloom problem, please.

 

[rabbut]

OK, green water is excess nutrient levels, notable ammonia phosphate and nitrate. What are all you weter test results? I know your ammonia ones for above, but nitrite and nitrate and pH would also be useful. Also, are you using liquid drops or dip strips?

What size tank are we talking about here? Sunlight is a trigger for this type of algea also, so is your tank in direct sunlight?

With your tank still cycling, you need to be doing more waterchanges to keep ammonia down below 0.25mg/l. It being above this will seriously damage your fishes long-term health, so it needs to be dealt with. Stripping the tank down and restarting my help initialy, but without identifying the caurse here you can guarrentee that it will come back again

All the best
Rabbut

 

[jollysue]

A tank that is showing ammonia or nitrite or nitrate elevation is not cured by big water changes. If anything it will shock the fish that have acclimated to poor water quality. It is called Old Tank Syndrome in a mature tank and is cured as I and rabbut said by frequent small water changes.

Do frequent small changes--10% several times a day even.

Are you sure your test kit is testing correctly? Have your water tested at the lps if you can. It really gets to be easy to see by the fish behavior if there are problems. Ich is not the only thing that makes fish flick. Ammonia burns the fish and his gills, so he will flick if there is an ammonia spike. They will also stay near the surface if they can't get oxygen.

Prolonged exposure to these conditions does irriversable damage.

 

[cute_chubby_cory]

Thank you so much for your reply jollysue and rabbut,

To your question - What are all you weter test results? I know your ammonia ones for above, but nitrite and nitrate and pH would also be useful. Also, are you using liquid drops or dip strips?- I use liquid drops test kit named Nutrafin. pH - 7 - 7.5, Ammonia - 2.4, Nitrite - 0.1 and Nitrate - 5 (I hope it says anything to you). So far I trusted my Test kit.

What size tank are we talking about here? - Tank measurments are 76cm x 30cm x 38 cm (30"x12"x15")

It stands in the furthest corner of the room, but still gets some direct sun in the evening which I try to keep away by shutting the blinds as soon as. Obviously sometimes I might not be around to do so.

Thank you Jollysue, I guess I will start small 10% water changes every day .



I am still open for suggestions if anybody wants to add some friendly advice. Thanks peeps.

 

[jollysue]

10% several times a day until the water quality is within acceptable readings.

 

[rabbut]

Looks like yo have started to cycle, as nitrite is not usualy presant in a tank that has not yet started cycling, so hopfuly this will sort itself out with time. In the mean-time however, you need to ensure you fishes health. Keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels in yo QT tank, as they will soar in there if the tank is uncycled

How much do you feed your fish?

Nutrafin are supposed to be a good kit, but I'd still get the results cross checked by the LFS to ensure it is still accurate

All the best
Rabbut

 

[cute_chubby_cory]

Thanks Rubbit.

Basicaly, I knowing that my tank is not perfect, I tend to feed just once a day.

I have small cories and feed them with 2 smaller sinking tablets of TetraTabimin. Other fish get 1 small pinch of TetraMin flake food. Once a week I treat my fish to a live frozen bloodworms which they adore.

 

[jollysue]

Also reduce feeding or stop it until the worst is over.

 

[cute_chubby_cory]

Aww I will feel so guilty watching my hungry wee fish searching for something eatable, but if it has to be done - anything ...




By the way, sorry Rabbut, misspelling

 

[seangee]

Thanks Rubbit.

Basicaly, I knowing that my tank is not perfect, I tend to feed just once a day.

I have small cories and feed them with 2 smaller sinking tablets of TetraTabimin. Other fish get 1 small pinch of TetraMin flake food. Once a week I treat my fish to a live frozen bloodworms which they adore.

The fact that the water is green won't bother your fish. Your best bet would be mechanical filtration. Try a really fine material such as JBL Symec Micro Put it into your filter together with the existing media. This should clear your water in 3 -4 hours. Don't leave it in the filter for more than 24 hours as it clogs up very quickly. You could also add a flocculant, something like Kent Marine Pro-Clear, this will stick the algae particles together and make it easier to filter. If you do make sure that whatever you use has no other chemical effects, I personaly don't use "algae killers" because they do upset the balance of the tank.

I had a similar problem a few months back. Weeks of daily changes didn't touch it and after using the micro filter once the tank was chrystal clear - and stayed that way. of course you will need to continue the large changes until your cycle is compleet

 

[rabbut]

Yes, cut all feeding untill ammonia and nitrite hit zero. They can easily survive 2 weeks+ if well fed before the fast How many flakes are in your small pinch? I ask as my idea of a small pich will feed 4 discus, 6 corries, two plecos and 20 tetras Possibly overfeeding is the caurse of the green water here Just a thought

All the best
Rabbut

 

[cute_chubby_cory]

The fact that the water is green won't bother your fish. Your best bet would be mechanical filtration. Try a really fine material such as JBL Symec Micro Put it into your filter together with the existing media. This should clear your water in 3 -4 hours. Don't leave it in the filter for more than 24 hours as it clogs up very quickly. You could also add a flocculant, something like Kent Marine Pro-Clear, this will stick the algae particles together and make it easier to filter. If you do make sure that whatever you use has no other chemical effects, I personaly don't use "algae killers" because they do upset the balance of the tank.

I will try that, thank you. I guess my Local Fish Shop should have all this. where is the pen and piece of paper - terminology for fish-wise empty head.

 

[tim1]

Green water is floating algae basically, so its pretty harmless to the fish, don't worry. The ammonia is though.

You could try buying a UV sterilizer.

Or do something like I said before, a large water change and then no lights for a few days would kill the algae. But this method dosen't always work, didn't work for me.

You can always remove the sterilizer, and its useful for other things to(like treating some diseases).