11 days of blackout...green water still coming back.

[jec0995]

Hi everyone,

I've posted about this in the general freshwater but thought I might get better results over here in the planted forum. :)

Anyway, i've been battling green water since Jan 1st. Here's what I've done:

50% water change followed by a 7 day blackout and another 50% water change. Water looked crystal clear for 2 days and then it started getting green again. :mad:

So, another 50% water change, 4 day blackout and another 50% water change. Tank was crystal clear again. 2 days later...green water coming back slightly again. :rant2:

It's a 75 gallon established planted tank.

Specs: 3.2 wpg, dose with Excel daily and flourish once per week. NO CO2.

4 clown loaches
1 Synodontis eupterus
5 Australian rainbows
1 dwarf neon rainbow
2 pearl gouramis
1 SAE

Plants:
Green Cabomba
Wisteria
Crypt wendtii
Crypt spp. (?)

All the plants were healthy and growing before the blackouts. Now the crypts are melting and the cabomba has lost some of its color. They appear to be bouncing back now that the lights are back on 10 hours per day.

So, what do you guys suggest? I'd really like to find the root of the problem rather than getting a UV or diatom filter.

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Phosphate: had it tested but don't remember the number. It's fairly high though.

My other tank is doing just fine. No algae problems. Do you think that injecting CO2 would help things? Should I keep dosing Excel and flourish while battling the algae or will they just help the algae more? I'm not sure what I should be doing. I don't want to use any algae destroyer because of the clown loaches. I'd really appreciate some help with this. Thanks in advance. :)

Oh yeah, I have a phosphate remover in the filter to try to combat the algae during blackouts. I still have it in the filter now. But...the algae is still coming back.

Jimmy

[Quartermain]

I've read that Daphnia (water flea) is very effcient at removing free-floating algae, if you can find a supplier. Otherwise all I can suggest is the UV Sterilizer or Diatom filter. They are expensive, but they'll do the job. These are methods successfully employed by members on thekrib.com

[djlen]

Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 10
Phosphate: had it tested but don't remember the number. It's fairly high though.

This is the '.....root of the problem....'

The tank needs to have a balance between light, plant mass, and nutrients. Rather than removing phosphates, you probably should be adding them in the proper ratio to your nitrates. The idea that phosphates per se cause algae issues is old hat and untrue.
With 3.2 wpg in a 75, you are in need of tons of plants and CO2 injection would aid your cause immensely.
How much nutrient supplementation would be necessary depends on your plant load. If you could supply an over all picture of the tank it would go a long way toward our ability to help. For sure, you need to balance the tank, however.
Get a P test kit, and find out what your water's level is both in the tank and out of the tap. With your wattage, you can't be guessing at N and P values, IMO. You need to know them.
Black outs will do the job today.....tomorrow the algae will be back with a vengeance unless you get the plants growing.

Len