Mirky Water Problem

[dy84]

My tank water is greenish and i do not know the reason for this......I thought it was my co2 system so i pulled it off but still the water gets green after a water change. I cleaned the filter but still no luck...... Could it be one of my plants that is doin this???

 

[QuotheRaven]

It would be a algae bloom from the lighting in the tank and the Co2 Im no expert on planted tanks but yeah it would be a algae bloom

 

[dy84]

thing is its only the water that is green. THere is no algae growin on plants or tank.....

 

[lljdma06]

thing is its only the water that is green. THere is no algae growin on plants or tank.....

What are the complete tank specifications (lights, CO2 levels before you removed it, fert regimen, plants kept, bioload, tank size, etc)? Also, where is the tank situated? Does it get light from a window? What's your maintenance regimen as well? I think some more information is needed before we can correctly address the problem. It sounds like an algae bloom to me, but I'd rather find the reason why you have greenwater and fix that problem rather than blindly offer you a solution. I've battled it before.

llj

 

[dy84]

Ok
my tank is a 200 litre tank (55Gal), has 2*40 watt lights and 2*36 watt lights. about 2.8 WPG?
i have sand subtrate with JBL aqua basis plus below the sand. The tank has been setup for about 1 week now....I have read trhough forum and found that new tanks with amonia spike usually creates green water?
I do not know the stats for my Co2, will be getting pressurised one soon. I leave light on for 12 hours, however i will change it to 5 hrs on 2 hrs off and 5 hrs on.

 

[Themuleous]

Sounds like standard green water! This is easily cleared with a UV light but they are expensive, so may not be an option. I would sort your CO2 quickly, at 2.8WPG that tank it a breeding ground for algae without 30ppm Co2. Do you have any pics? How heavily planted is it?

Until the Co2 gets to a stable 30ppm, I would reduce the lighting level quite a bit (just remove the two 36w bulbs?) and also the length, say down to 8hrs each day.

If you have a pH test kit, an easy way to check the Co2 is to take a sample of water from the tank, leave it to stand for a day or two and then test the pH. If the pH of 'fresh' tank water is 1pH point below that of the 'standing' water you're at around 30ppm CO2.

But whatever you do, get the CO2 sorted!

Sam

 

[JamesC]

I'll second what Sam has said - reduce your lighting intensity and make sure your CO2 is good. Don't bother with the popular myth of having a break in the lighting period - it doesn't do a thing. Eight to ten hours light is plenty.

Once you have green water you may find it hard to budge. Sometimes it'll go by itself otherwise a UV steriliser will be needed.

James

 

[Kevstir]

I battled green water for 3 weeks before i gave up and bought a 9 watt Fish are fun Uv steriliser from ebay, here's the results

here was my tank (17/11/06) when i added the UV Sterilizer

And here is a pic of the tank after (24/11/06)

Took a couple of days before i started to see a difference but after that i could see it getting better every day, took about a week to full clear, i would think the 24 watt version would have cleared it up quicker.

Here's where i got the Steriliser from

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/Internal-UV-Sterilis...0QQcmdZViewItem

Kev

 

[Themuleous]

If that aint an advert for UV then I don't know what is! Nice looking tank you got there too Kev

Sam

 

[lljdma06]

If that aint an advert for UV then I don't know what is! Nice looking tank you got there too Kev

Sam

I know, that tank does look great. I had to get rid of GW the old-fashioned ways, reduce light intensity, up CO2, larger water changes. I think it took about a month, but it does go away. I also have found that formalin at 1/2 the strength weakens it quite a bit without compromising the bacteria in the filter.

llj

 

[Kevstir]

cheers guys , just starting out , don't have any CO, only have 1 greenline PRO aqua PLANT FERTILIZER BAG and only 50 watts off lighting but the plants seem to be doing fine, i think replacing the crappy juwel lights with better ones helped lol

lljdma06 you must have some patience lol, i just couldn't wait any longer for it to clear ..

Hope your tank clears up soon m8

Kev