Planted tank/greenwater help

[Cobraxassassin]

Hello!

So I've been in the hobby for just over a year, made all the mistakes at the start and learned a LOT. I now have a nice healthy tank of fish,

I wanted real plants and have planted the tank got it balanced not too badly(or it wasn't balanced in the first place and it was just luck) but it was very little algae plants growing okay. Then I got a greenwater bloom for 3 weeks I couldn't get rid of it.

•It's 105 litres
•Moderately ish planted I think
•Ammonia is reading .25 (same as my tap water I'm pretty sure it's just my test kit as I've never had a 0 ammonia reading from it ever
•0 nitrite
•After 1 week the nitrate is about 20/30 I do weekly 25% changes
•It has a turbofilter500 with mini uv steriliser attached and a unifilter 750 at opposite end of tank(built in uvc led array)

I use easylife profito and easycarbo when I got the bloom and noticed the nitrates were almost 30 every week I stopped the profito and only dose easycarbo 2ml daily about an hour before the lights turn on. They are on a timer 7 hours a day.

I have the green water under control its now just a slight green tinge to the water but this Is needing 50% changes twice a week to maintain it a green tinge.

Can someone help me get the tank balance fixed before I lose my mind. Where am I going wrong and how am I best fixing it.

Oh and I feed once every 2nd day

 

[Colin_T]

What is easy carbo?

If you add fertilisers to the tank, you should do a huge (75%) water change before re-dosing the fertiliser to prevent any overdosing.

If you don't have any floating plants, that might help, otherwise do a big water change each day for a week and don't add any fertiliser during that time. Then start fertilising again. If it continues after that, reduce lighting a little bit more but not too much more.

 

[Essjay]

What is easy carbo?

Liquid CO2

Easy-Life EasyCarbo fluid co2 source - Easy-Life

EasyCarbo is an extremely powerful and effective carbon source for aquarium plants.

www.easylifeaquarium.co.uk

 

[Cobraxassassin]

What is easy carbo?

If you add fertilisers to the tank, you should do a huge (75%) water change before re-dosing the fertiliser to prevent any overdosing.

If you don't have any floating plants, that might help, otherwise do a big water change each day for a week and don't add any fertiliser during that time. Then start fertilising again. If it continues after that, reduce lighting a little bit more but not too much more.

Easycarbo is liquid co2, I have a floating plant covers about 10% of the water surface. I havnt added any fertiliser to the tank for 4 weeks now.

So you recon 50% water change daily for a week. Then start back with my schedule and if the greenw after returns cut back to less than 7 hours of lighting?

 

[Essjay]

I can't find what is in Easy Carbo but if it is glutarldehyde, this is chemical which has no place in a tank with fish or any other aquatic animal. It is a powerful disinfectant used, among other things, for disinfecting heat sensitive medical equipment and in embalming fluid. It's OK to use in a tank which has only plants.

 

[Cobraxassassin]

I can't find what is in Easy Carbo but if it is glutarldehyde, this is chemical which has no place in a tank with fish or any other aquatic animal. It is a powerful disinfectant used, among other things, for disinfecting heat sensitive medical equipment and in embalming fluid. It's OK to use in a tank which has only plants.

I will look into that, it came highly recommended form people that use it with fish in tank. But I will definitely find out

 

[Cobraxassassin]

Liquid CO2

Easy-Life EasyCarbo fluid co2 source - Easy-Life

EasyCarbo is an extremely powerful and effective carbon source for aquarium plants.

www.easylifeaquarium.co.uk

Would you say this is moderately planted?

 

[Byron]

I am basically on side with Colin here, but will expand a couple things.

First, the tank is sparsely planted. There are floating plants that look like Ceratopteris cornuta (Water Sprite), and this is one of the best aquarium plants. If it spreads [it produces daughter plants from alternate fronds (= leaves, termed fronds here as this is a true fern)] rapidly once it is settled and with good nutrition. The liquid comprehensive fertilizer will help it, so rather than eliminate this you should be using it, but moderately. See if you can get the plants to spread out across the surface...are they bunched on the left side because of filter currents--if yes, do something to fix this. I can assure you that a good number of this plant is the best water purifier among plants.

Stop the liquid carbon. There is no need for carbon here, and excess carbon will only encourage algae. The detriments to fish from this product is not worth any risk.

Green water is caused by unicellular algae that appears due to excess organics and good light. This is the only algae that is actually thwarted by UV, so that rather surprises me that it is not following things here. Keep the substrate well vacuumed (open areas at every water change, dig down), and keep the filter media spotlessly rinsed--all that brown gunk is organic matter you want to get rid of. The light may bee too intense, or on for too long a photoperiod, that should be looked into; the spectrum seems likely OK, from the photo colours, but do you know the Kelvin or CRI for the light?

Nitrate at 20-30 is high, and as this indicates organics, something to look into. Does the source (tap) water test positive for nitrate, and if so, what level? If nitrates are occurring solely from within the biological system (i.e., tap water is zero) then it is a case of organics. Water changes, substrate cleaning, filter rinsing, plus not overstocking (this doesn't seem an issue) and not overfeeding all contribute.

Water changes ironically do not really help with green water because the dissolved organics in the fresh tap water only feed it more. It would be better to get the tank cleaned (the water changes, substrate, filter issues), adjust the light if needed, and let the biological system settle.

 

[Cobraxassassin]

I am basically on side with Colin here, but will expand a couple things.

First, the tank is sparsely planted. There are floating plants that look like Ceratopteris cornuta (Water Sprite), and this is one of the best aquarium plants. If it spreads [it produces daughter plants from alternate fronds (= leaves, termed fronds here as this is a true fern)] rapidly once it is settled and with good nutrition. The liquid comprehensive fertilizer will help it, so rather than eliminate this you should be using it, but moderately. See if you can get the plants to spread out across the surface...are they bunched on the left side because of filter currents--if yes, do something to fix this. I can assure you that a good number of this plant is the best water purifier among plants.

Stop the liquid carbon. There is no need for carbon here, and excess carbon will only encourage algae. The detriments to fish from this product is not worth any risk.

Green water is caused by unicellular algae that appears due to excess organics and good light. This is the only algae that is actually thwarted by UV, so that rather surprises me that it is not following things here. Keep the substrate well vacuumed (open areas at every water change, dig down), and keep the filter media spotlessly rinsed--all that brown gunk is organic matter you want to get rid of. The light may bee too intense, or on for too long a photoperiod, that should be looked into; the spectrum seems likely OK, from the photo colours, but do you know the Kelvin or CRI for the light?

Nitrate at 20-30 is high, and as this indicates organics, something to look into. Does the source (tap) water test positive for nitrate, and if so, what level? If nitrates are occurring solely from within the biological system (i.e., tap water is zero) then it is a case of organics. Water changes, substrate cleaning, filter rinsing, plus not overstocking (this doesn't seem an issue) and not overfeeding all contribute.

Water changes ironically do not really help with green water because the dissolved organics in the fresh tap water only feed it more. It would be better to get the tank cleaned (the water changes, substrate, filter issues), adjust the light if needed, and let the biological system settle.

wow first of all thank you, that's probably the most informative answer I've had!

i will start dosing the fertilser for sparsly planted then I've probably been way over dosing causing the green water. i replaced my main filter for the unifilter 750 hoping it would clear up the green water but it hasn't really done anything(i think the output of the filter doesnt allow enough exposure time in the uv chamber tbh. but its a great filter. yes the plant is trapped in a current there is 4 separate ones i will try spread them out didn't know having them bunched up was bad!

the liquid carbon i was getting BBA! a couple weeks after dosing easycarbo its gone. i did stop and it came back. anything i can do for the BBA if I'm stopping the liquid carbon?

I've researched the green water a lot to try combat it, substrate is thoroughly vacuumed every 2nd water change and lightly vacuumed every water change. i do think the light the tank came with is too bright but theres no brightness control and cant find a replacement dont know much about lighting the tank is a leddy aquael 105 litre. do you know a replacement light with brightness control?

the nitrates are high i think because the biofolter is still establishing. i only recently added 3 swordtails and a betta so it will likely still be adjusting to that i dont have any measurable nitrate in my water whenever i have tested it. however theres a fair amount of dying plant leaves (im removing as much as i can the java fern in the middle was massive but i blacked out the tank for 6 days in my first attempt to get rid of the green water it worked but it came back within a week.

the substarte and filters are pretty clean you recon its just been shocked too much and needs time to settle?

 

[Byron]

i will start dosing the fertilser for sparsly planted then I've probably been way over dosing causing the green water. i replaced my main filter for the unifilter 750 hoping it would clear up the green water but it hasn't really done anything(i think the output of the filter doesnt allow enough exposure time in the uv chamber tbh. but its a great filter. yes the plant is trapped in a current there is 4 separate ones i will try spread them out didn't know having them bunched up was bad!

The ingredients listed on the website seem OK, but reducing the amount used is likely helpful. The current should be fixed to allow the plants to spread out across the surface. This species once settled will amaze you with rapid growth, easily extending across the entire surface width from each plant, and half the length of the tank. But it will be thwarted by being cooped up in the corner! Once it obviously takes off, the daughter plants can be gently pulled away from the fronds as new plants, and the parent plants can be discarded as needed. I bought one of these plants in the 1990's and I toss out bits nearly every water change and have dozens of plants floating in my tanks.

the liquid carbon i was getting BBA! a couple weeks after dosing easycarbo its gone. i did stop and it came back. anything i can do for the BBA if I'm stopping the liquid carbon?

BBA is what I term a "problem" algae, very common, and due--here it comes--solely from excess nutrients and light. Once the light is balanced with the available nutrients to provide sufficient for the plants and not encourage algae, you will never see problem algae or green water (assuming the balance is maintained--a lot of little things can unbalance it).

The fact that the liquid carbon products do kill algae should sound warning bells, but many ignore them. These are simply not safe to use with fish present.

i do think the light the tank came with is too bright but theres no brightness control and cant find a replacement dont know much about lighting the tank is a leddy aquael 105 litre. do you know a replacement light with brightness control?

I'm not much help with LED light, but given the situation, duration, and getting those plants across the surface, may be all you need. If the floating plants begin rapidly growing, they are doing two things--reducing light getting down in the water and using considerable nutrients especially ammonia/ammonium (these floaters are termed "ammonia sinks" because of this); this means, real control of organics and problem algae/green water. How long is the tank light on each 24 hours?

 

[Cobraxassassin]

The ingredients listed on the website seem OK, but reducing the amount used is likely helpful. The current should be fixed to allow the plants to spread out across the surface. This species once settled will amaze you with rapid growth, easily extending across the entire surface width from each plant, and half the length of the tank. But it will be thwarted by being cooped up in the corner! Once it obviously takes off, the daughter plants can be gently pulled away from the fronds as new plants, and the parent plants can be discarded as needed. I bought one of these plants in the 1990's and I toss out bits nearly every water change and have dozens of plants floating in my tanks.



BBA is what I term a "problem" algae, very common, and due--here it comes--solely from excess nutrients and light. Once the light is balanced with the available nutrients to provide sufficient for the plants and not encourage algae, you will never see problem algae or green water (assuming the balance is maintained--a lot of little things can unbalance it).

The fact that the liquid carbon products do kill algae should sound warning bells, but many ignore them. These are simply not safe to use with fish present.



I'm not much help with LED light, but given the situation, duration, and getting those plants across the surface, may be all you need. If the floating plants begin rapidly growing, they are doing two things--reducing light getting down in the water and using considerable nutrients especially ammonia/ammonium (these floaters are termed "ammonia sinks" because of this); this means, real control of organics and problem algae/green water. How long is the tank light on each 24 hours?

the light is on for 7 hours every 24 hours roughly between 3.30pm and 10.30pm

 

[Cobraxassassin]

The ingredients listed on the website seem OK, but reducing the amount used is likely helpful. The current should be fixed to allow the plants to spread out across the surface. This species once settled will amaze you with rapid growth, easily extending across the entire surface width from each plant, and half the length of the tank. But it will be thwarted by being cooped up in the corner! Once it obviously takes off, the daughter plants can be gently pulled away from the fronds as new plants, and the parent plants can be discarded as needed. I bought one of these plants in the 1990's and I toss out bits nearly every water change and have dozens of plants floating in my tanks.



BBA is what I term a "problem" algae, very common, and due--here it comes--solely from excess nutrients and light. Once the light is balanced with the available nutrients to provide sufficient for the plants and not encourage algae, you will never see problem algae or green water (assuming the balance is maintained--a lot of little things can unbalance it).

The fact that the liquid carbon products do kill algae should sound warning bells, but many ignore them. These are simply not safe to use with fish present.



I'm not much help with LED light, but given the situation, duration, and getting those plants across the surface, may be all you need. If the floating plants begin rapidly growing, they are doing two things--reducing light getting down in the water and using considerable nutrients especially ammonia/ammonium (these floaters are termed "ammonia sinks" because of this); this means, real control of organics and problem algae/green water. How long is the tank light on each 24 hours?

I've spread out the floating plant, I've the feeding square, the heater and the filter power cables to stop the current taking them to one corner is that better?

 

[Byron]

I would try to reduce the flow from the filter if possible. Members have in other threads detailed methods to keep floating plants spread out, hopefully they will chime in.