Green algae won't go away...

Ignore my post there, if you have green water try using a algae away product. I had that happen to me once in my 55 with south americans and used this stuff and haven't had a problem since. Just be careful what you put into the tank if you have scaleless fish as I've heard horror storries about fish and medicine in the water...
 
ToeJam said:
I think I may have overloaded my post. We are in the same boat when it comes to algae. I may be reef tank with plants...you are FW with plants. The algae still is fought the same ways. Just mine are more extreme levels of management.

Solution I provided was to take 50% of the water out. Replace it with RO/DI water or machine water from like walmart that is RO/DI (Not mineral water though ever)water.

The purpose here is to have a immediate impact on the current green fog water. Algae thrives on Light, Nitrate, and phosphate. So you can attack it with two steps.

1. Deprive it of light by shortening photo times.
2. Stripping down Nitrates and phosphates by big water change if RO/DI water.

This way you starve it...You will see a faster recovery. The water roughly is .50 cents a gallon.

Well water I suspect is rich in nutrients. Use your liquid test kits. If you happen to have Phosphate test kit to.

I am curious to myself to see what your well water has in it.
Click to expand...



I have a master api test kit, but it doesn't have phosphate.
When I do 30-50gallon water changes, I do see a difference in clarity.
What am I testing for?
 
Lillyan said:
I have a master api test kit, but it doesn't have phosphate.
When I do 30-50gallon water changes, I do see a difference in clarity.
What am I testing for?
Click to expand...


Nitrate and Phosphate if you could. Phosphate is pretty big factor in algae growth explosions.

Nitrate = food
Phosphate = steroids for plant life

Lillyan said:
Anyone have any free Daphnia?
I have a large pleco and an oto cat, but these 'algae eaters' do not eat algae like people believe they do.
Click to expand...

LOL tell me about it..I used to be FW guy with 55 gallon Pleco zoo. Many species to. I had green back wall all the time. Pleco's were fat and lazy and just pooped a lot.
 
Another solution is to get some Algone - www.algone.com - I am not sure what it is, but it is not an algaecide. Some sort of nutrient absorber. Safe for inverts, etc.

I doubt you have test kits for silica and phosphate, Lilyan - the very basic water chemistry and quality kits your master test kit has won't tell you anything. Nitrates are notoriously low (between 0-5 ppm usually) during green water because the unicellular algae is absorbing it. So in this case, a nitrate test won't help.
 
If you do some reading on the subject, you can collect some daphnia from any of your local bodies of water - the trick is you're going to need to inspect your catch thoroughly since you're likely to bring in all sorts of other things you don't want. I have had several insects in my house due to introducing pond life into aquariums.
 
platytudes said:
Another solution is to get some Algone - www.algone.com - I am not sure what it is, but it is not an algaecide. Some sort of nutrient absorber. Safe for inverts, etc.

I doubt you have test kits for silica and phosphate, Lilyan - the very basic water chemistry and quality kits your master test kit has won't tell you anything. Nitrates are notoriously low (between 0-5 ppm usually) during green water because the unicellular algae is absorbing it. So in this case, a nitrate test won't help.
Click to expand...

I agree. You will have false readings with nitrate and phosphate BUT it will give you a ballpark figure. So lets say 5ppm reading with green water...it more than likely is 20 for example.

@Lillyan
Still the test I am asking you to do is not on the tank...but the water source you use. IF that has a 20ppm nitrate level...and phosphate level. that could be the reason you are not seeing this go away.

Simply removing 50% tank water but putting in water just as rich in nitrates and phosphates isn't helping. To determine this is the source you should test your water source for the tank.
 
Last edited:
Most algae removing stuff is bad for plants and fish. And the only one I found in stores was a tiny expensive bottle.
I don't see why the other tanks wouldn't be having similar issues.
 
Lillyan said:
Most algae removing stuff is bad for plants and fish. And the only one I found in stores was a tiny expensive bottle.
I don't see why the other tanks wouldn't be having similar issues.
Click to expand...

Each tank has a differ bio load ,lighting, and maintenance.

Just happens the green koolaid tank you have has enough nutrients build up to allow a algae explosion. 75 watts of usable UV light is actually pretty high. YOu could get some soft corals going if you were in salt water land. :grinyes:

It is very possible that you have several Nitrate and phosphate sources. Water source, Feeding, and Bio loads.

You are in my boat for sure. Because we use lighting to encourage feeding and growth in our Plants(corals for me). It is a perfect environment for algae to take off flying. The thing is for you planted folks ...having to balance things so that your plants thrive and eat enough , and at the same time not having too much of it to where the algae takes over.

Not fun....I think its very fascinating with you FW Planted folks....Sounds like its a water chemistry challenge like it is for Reef Tanks.

Solution for that green koolaid tank (love my nickname for it lol)...is to drive down what encourages the growth. Then Identify how exactly did it get that way.

It leads to testing your water source first and foremost. Then changing your water out with RO water (there is a thread about RO water you can check out to here)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom