green tank

13 posts • Page 1 of 2

Discuss all topics related to freshwater and planted tanks.


boylestd
 
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:42 am

green tank

by boylestd

So my tank finally cycled and cleared up. It turned unbearably green during the cycling process which i assume is normal. So now my tank has turned green yet again.... I have a 75 gallon tank, sand substrate, a 75 gallon filter (over the tank side type), T5 high output light, and two decent sized airstones. I also keep the water at 80 degrees on the dot. I have a glass top covering the tank. I do a 20 to 30 percent water change every week. Any clues as to why this is happening? Ive attached a pic. Thanks for the help!
a0205-Photo on 2011-03-12 at 20.53.jpg


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

Green water is an algae outbreak. Turn the lights off and leave them off until you get it under control. Tank prolly hasnt finished cycling. Do some water changes


djjai_h
 
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 6:00 pm

by djjai_h

50-60% water change every 2days. Until it is clear water.


djjai_h
 
Posts: 61
Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2011 6:00 pm

by djjai_h

Do u have any catfish or algae eaters in ur tank, u should put atleast 6 to 8 guppys.


tekneb
 
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:45 am

by tekneb

Brown algae is fairly common during the end of the cycling process. Green algae, especially in the quantity your tank has, is not. You have high powered lights but no plants that I can see and your tank just finished cycling, which means your nitrates are probably still way up there. That's like the perfect algae breeding ground right now. Alasse is dead on about turning off the lights to get rid of the problem. Buying some plants to help gobble up those nitrates might help too, and buying some algae eating fish as djjai suggested could definitely help clean things up.


boylestd
 
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:42 am

by boylestd

thanks for all the help guys. i might try to get some plants to help resolve this. I have two plecos right now. Any suggestions as to what type of plants will thrive in my sand substrate? I dont even know if that matters as i have yet to deal with live plants. And when i move my rocks around, can i move the plants as well? I have several JD's so I dont expect the plants to last too long. I like to switch the scenery up quite a bit to keep my fish from getting territorial.


yasherkoach
 
Posts: 1306
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 1:24 pm

by yasherkoach

Green unicellular algae will sometimes reproduce so rapidly that the water will turn green. This is commonly called an "algae bloom" and is usually caused by too much light like direct sunlight. An algae bloom can be removed by filtering with micron cartridges or diatom filters. UV sterilizers can prevent the bloom in the first place. Green water is very useful in the raising of daphnia and brine shrimp. Film algae Grows on the aquarium glass and forms a thin haze. Easily removed by wiping the glass. Considered normal with the higher light levels needed for good plant growth. ~~ aquaticscape.com

Buy several types of anubias NOW so the live plants will exhaust the algae in the tank - plants will out compete with the algae

feed less - you can even feed every other day...water change at least 50% of the water (possibly even 75-80%)

Siamese Algae Eater and Otocinclus will devour this type of algae

but for right now, water change 75% and turn the lighting on for about 2 hours a day unless you have live plants, then at first only about 6 hours a day, then as time goes on, up it to 8-10 hours per day

let us know how it goes


Alasse
 
Posts: 993
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 5:35 am
Location: QLD Australia

by Alasse

Respectfully disagree yasher *L*

Do not turn the lights on at all....do not add plants at this stage.

Far easier to treat it now by not adding plants/fish. Turning the lights off (and leaving the off), wrapping the tank, usually black garbage bags, to do a total blackout, will very quickly knock the green water off. It must have light to survive and multiply, cut this out and it will die no doubts.

Do bi-daily 50% WC, remembering to do a gravel clean to remove dead and dying algae.

Once it has cleared, by all means toss in as many anubias you can. Better still use a nutrient hog plant like wisteria, it will use nutrients in larger quantities outsourcung the algae, so it cant get that sort of hold again.

Slowly start the lighting cycle once you have plants in. I would split the lighting, 3 hours morning and 3 hours evening. There is no need for a tank to have continuous 10hour lighting unless it is heavily planted.

You tank looks to be a cichlid setup, so the split lighting will be a far better proposition for you.

I run a densely planted and it is on a split timer lighting. Plants are growing beautifully, and i am not having any algae problems


tekneb
 
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Apr 16, 2010 3:45 am

by tekneb

Oh, I should probably add on to yasher and Alasse's posts that Anubias are by far one of the hardiest plants out there. If any plant will withstand the punishment JD's doll out, it will be Anubias.


boylestd
 
Posts: 33
Joined: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:42 am

by boylestd

Thanks guys. I killed the light for about 2 days andthe algae cleared up super quick. Did a 30 to 40 percent water change yesterday to clear the water even more. Added two plants and a few fake ones for now. (just to add t the scenery). Plants are developing roots super quick. I believe the algae problem is dealt with. I only use my light a few hours before bed and rely on regular daylight the rest of the time. Here is a pic. Tell me what you guys think :)
29331-Photo_00003.jpg

green tank

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