Green water - Help

Crystal Clear isn't an algae killer. It coagulates the fine particles into larger "chunks" that are large enough to be filtered out mechanically. The problem is that the particles of algae are too small and they go right through the filter. CC makes them clump together. It wont harm and plants/animals. It's like $2.50/bottle to treat 400 gallons. Once the algae is gone you can dose 1/week until you get everything balanced......I had to for 3 weeks.

NPK= Nitrogen Phostphates and Potassium, the three essential nutrients for the plants also known as macronutrients. These need to be supplemetnted with micronutrients in the form of Flourish or Flourish Excel

PS. I may have the Micro/Macro flip-flopped, I've been away for a while, someone correct me if I'm wrong ;)
 
ckeck said:
Does Crystal Clear hurt snails and shrimp. I noticed that some of the algae killers you can't use with invertebrae fish.

I have a phosphate filter pad I can add. Will that help?

All my fish are schoolers, so if I get rid of some I have to get rid of a pack of them. :sad

How long until the Algae will get under control? Should it take a long time?

:thud:

Thanks again for your input.
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I wouldn't use the Phosphate pad. I bought one of them when I started out and it did no good. The plants need that stuff. I also had a Nitrate pad too and found that everything was healthier without them in there. Go figure. Helps keep everything balanced. I'll put it like this, I have a 55g tank, moderately planted with a moderate fishload. I check all of my N02/N03/ammonia levels bi-weekly. I haven't changed any water (except 3-4g a week to top off) in 6 weeks. Ammonia at <.1, Nitrites = 0, Nitrate = 15ppm. I couldn't tell you the last time I vac'd the gravel. Haven't lost a fish since September and all my plants and fish are healthy. It took me 3 months to get everything balanced properly and I contemplated quitting a few times but once I got it right it almost takes care of itself.

BTW, don't get rid of any fish yet, as long as your Amm/n02/n03 is low, you're fine. Get some oxygenating bunch plants to help keep the water clean and you'll be fine.
 
I am going out on a limb here and thinking that you really should add more plants. You have the light, ferts and CO2. If plants aren't using it up (you have very few and low maintenance plants) then algae will. So, unless you want to cut back on light, ferts and CO2, I'd really try more plants again. Sometimes plants will bring in a little algae. You can always do the bleach dip to clean them. NPK is nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. Fertilizer, basically. Ever seen fertilizers that have 3 sets of numbers after the name? Scotts Turf Builder 15-5-10 or Flourish 0.7-0.01-0.37 for instance? That tells you those three numbers, N, P, and K. Flourish also contains trace elements. (I think that's what he was going for with micro) that include things like copper, iron, sodium, manganese etc. Plants use these to grow. Flourish is an excellent aquarium safe, aquarium-balanced fertilizer. I use it myself.

Anyway, what with excellent lighting, fertilization, maintenance and the addition of CO2, I really would think plants could get rid of the algae.
 
Plants

What are some good plants to get? I don't mind trimming as I like taking care of the aquarium. It is my hobby and I am learning a lot as I go.

How long does it normally take to get the initial green out of the water before you begin your maintenance until things get balanced?

Cool, the fish and all the bottom feeders and snails are very healthy and I would hate to break them up, plus I have no where to put them. I would either have to give them back to a LFS or give them away.

I will get some CC today and I do have Flouish Iron, but was told by someone to use the Red Sea products. They seemed to do well and are the iron plus macro and micro nutrients.

Thanks for your help and will look forward to answers about the plants.

;)
 
Debate continues... ;)

I'm always opposed to using additional products to help and get rid of something. Have never used crystal clear and would never used it. Just looked it up and it's supposed to clear cloudy water and not green water. Wrong product for the job. Water changes will correct the problem - one week or two and it should be gone.

I would reduce your lights to 10 hours a day as well. What CO2 system are you using? I assume it's the hagen system with the ladder. How many bubbles per second or minute are you getting? Since you have a high bioload, I would cut back on the ferts. For one, you're getting most of your nutrients from the fish waste. I would just dose once a week at w/c. On my 20g with 65w and hagen co2 I never dose as I have high bioload as well.(ok, maybe a bit of traces once in a while).

Algea eaters and bottom feeders won't prevent green water. It just happens - usually too much of something. In your case probably lights in relation to other things. Some say that by just doing w/c you won't completely get rid of green water. I remember long time ago I had haze/green water in my 120g. It went away within a couple of weeks by continuing to do my regular routine. If you want to get rid of green water fast and reduce other algea, if you have any, I would do a complete blackout for four days. Do a 50% w/c, take your lights off by turning off the switch and cover the tank with some blankets or bed sheets. Make sure it's enough so there is no light peaking through. I would put your aerator on and boost it up a bit. Don't feed the fish at any time as you're going into the blackout. After four days, do another 50% w/c and feed the fish. Some other algea will be reduced and should disappear within a couple of weeks.

You have a lot of options. Again, think twice before using any "fixer uper" products. I like to go the natural and cheap way. :-)
 
Also, on the light. You mention that your light is blue and white. Is it one of those 50/50 lights? You should be using freshwater bulbs, 5400k, 6700k and the like.

As far as plants, crypts are nice. Cork screw vals would be nice as well and they grow fast. Red Tiger Lotus grows nice too and it would add color as well. You can try some stem plants as well.

Try this page and setup.

20g plant setup
 
Since there seems to be an abundance of nutrients (I mean, something is feeding the algae!) then why not a plant known to use up excess nutrients? I am talking about the easy to care for, grows great in just about any light, nutrient using: Hornwort. It's a great background plant and it could help the algae, or rather, help you be rid of your algae.
 
Crystal Clear worked PERFECT for getting rid of my GREEN WATER so it is the right product for the job and it was used in conjunction with water changes.
 
Wrench said:
Crystal Clear worked PERFECT for getting rid of my GREEN WATER so it is the right product for the job and it was used in conjunction with water changes.
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Just because you have had that experience doesn't mean it is the right product for the job.
 
I'm not the only one that uses it for that. It's what the LFS told me to use. Who cares what it's supposed to be for? If it works and will solve this guys problem with no adverse affects, then I guess it IS the right thing for the job. Granted, he's got some things to sort out so the algae doesn't come back, but this will get rid of the stuff thats already there.
 
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