Green water in tank - cant get rid of it

[Jay]

Erik...stop futzing with the lights, the algae we are talking about here will grow under very low light conditions. A blackout to kill green algae, is just that, a 100% complete absence of light. You can cover the tank with heavy duty black vinyl lawn and garden bags. 72 hours is the key.

Again, you will need to deal with the phosphates! I am a planted tank guy and dose my tanks 2-4 ppm PO4, but in an tank with only a few plants that would be an invitation for an algae bloom. You might consider a RO filtration system for your tap water if you think scavenging chemicals are too expensive.

Losing the UGF is a good move, they can be nitrate factories.

Yes a 13 watt will do the same thing.

Again...

Lights...Compact Florescent equivalent no more than 140 watts 7-8 hours a day

Chemistry...PO4 at trace levels, NO3 as low as you can get it...10 ppm

Run a UV sterilizer or Diatom Filter.

Start the attack with a through filter cleaning and sanitizing...fifty % water change...72 hour complete light blackout - No Peeking NO light!!! ...another 50% water change.

The tank will be crystal clear after the blackout, but, the green guys will return if the other steps are not taken.

You might also want to consider a planted aquarium to take advantage of your water conditions. Sorry for the terrible picture, but you get the Idea

This tank eats nutrients quickly and has no algae issues.

[erik11]

I'm sure most everyone reading this post probably thinks...enough with the green water issue, but if you ever were in this predicament, you could relate. I am definitely much more knowledgeable about Phosphates, etc now.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice. My water is now crystal clear, mainly due to the UV sterilizer. I am much happier now and will be monitoring my nitrates, phosphates, etc much closer now.

Thanks for all your help.

Erik

[Jay]

I'm sure most everyone reading this post probably thinks...enough with the green water issue

Not at all! That is what this forum is all about. Ask, discuss, learn, contribute.

[fishtanker]

Does algae eater fish help ? is it advisable to keep at least one in a 10 gallon tank ?

[Judge]

IMO the algae eaters will help clean glass, decor, rocks, etc but will not do much for green water..the "green water" is getting it's growth from some source. Either too much light, wrong kind of light (direct sun)...

[Jack R]

Originally Posted by erik11

Its still green. I'm waiting for a UV filter/clarifier to come in to set that up and clear up this whole mess.

Our water has more phosphates in it than any other water where I have lived before and seems to grow green water real easy. I don't have the right spectrum of light bulbs and am getting fed up with the trial and error thing.

Once the UV filter is set up, I'll let you know how it goes.

Hi,

Read your green water problem, after installed in Ultra Violet ray, water from the incoming to the filter the water and water is very clean and green water is slowly diminishing. Patience for 2 weeks you will see the results.

Jack

[Jay]

R

ead your green water problem, after installed in Ultra Violet ray, water from the incoming to the filter the water and water is very clean and green water is slowly diminishing. Patience for 2 weeks you will see the results.

I am struggeling to understand what that means

Green water is not really an "algae problem" it is a single cell critter called a Euglena usually combined with forms of green algae. Euglena can live and reproduce at an astonishing rate even in very very low light conditions. Do a search here on green water...and find out what you are dealing with.

Four (4) absolute cures...don't do research and give up the hobby; A UV sterilizer; a diatom filter; a 100% 72 hour light blackout.

Jay

[jeremym]

I have the same problem. My friend told me that i have to many fish in my 10 gallon. I didn't think that was right. Eric I was just wondering how much the UV sterilizer costs if you don't mind me asking?

[Judge]

welcome to FTF but we can't really give an informed answer because we have no info. A 10 gallon tank. That's it. How many fish, etc.....

[DaveSimonH]

The worst my tank ever was, was when I stupidly didn't pre-soak some wood, I was like "Tannins....oops...". Wow, cloudy was an understatement. Thankfully it was at the start of the current tanks life so I only had a few fish in there to cycle it (some danios and neon tetras if I remember correctly). They were perfectly happy though, and I soon sorted it with carbon pads in the filter.

Have had a recent problem with hair algae, unsightly to say the least. Only positive thing about my hood light starters going recently is some time in the dark for the algae.

EDIT: Sorry, just realised how much of a thread bump this was.