Vortex diatom filter?

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fishorama

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LOL, dougall! My fingers are crossed too for less green water soon...& I promise not to whack my husband with DE or anything else...unless his "magic" diatom filter doesn't pan out...no promises then...You know I've heard this diatom filter mantra for many long years...it's his panacea...

I'm pretty much over most stem plants with a just couple exceptions...(sigh)...But if someone brings some to the club meet, yeah, I may try them again...
 
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dougall

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you just want something fast growing that will take nutrients from the water, not from its roots. I really don't do stem plants either, but they do keep algae at bay to an extent too

you can have something that grows emergent from the water too, like pothos, or lucky bamboo, or if you are on the cutting edge of the internets, maybe a sweet potato.

personally I think these aquarium methods from the 1900s are for the birds.!
 

fishorama

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Yeah, I hear you on the pothos, etc...& maybe on the other old methods too. I'm not a fan of either but, happy husband, happy life...not quite the saying but...well, you know how that goes...

Sweet potato is a new 1 for me, kinda cute outdoors...maybe not inside (eye roll), I'm not cutting edge in anyway...again, you know :D
 

dougall

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Sweet potatoes became a YouTube and Facebook dad a couple of years ago.

No idea why ?

Just having a potato in my aquarium seems unappealing to me, because it's a potato!

Any which way I am sure you will solve the problem.
 

fishorama

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Is that because Father's Day is coming up? Or a dad bod/sweet potato kinda thing? You know I confuse easily, lol...I think you need better typing skills my friend...HA!
 

dougall

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Ugh autocorrect.. but fad.. :/

I'm giving up ?
 

fishorama

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I knew. I'm going to ask my clubbers about sweet potato. Maybe at the "high window" end of the tank. I think that's the root of the problem...but without climbing a tall ladder to block it or draping that end of the tank...neither is an attractive long term answer. I did try wandering jew (tradescantia?) in another tank just for fun...but soon is was a PITA; ugly roots into the HOB sponge + tank surface. It did like going under the tank light...& blocked it from plants in the tank...the leaves got cooked, died & fell in the tank...& on the floor. Ugh!
 

dougall

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I am absolutely with you, the only thing I want to see coming out of the top of my aquarium is going to be hardscape.

Unfortunately, if you cannot control the light, the only option will be to increase plant mass and/or to add faster growing plants along with injecting supplemental CO2. Or if your water is hard enough, choosing plants to add that will use carbonate as their source of carbon (like Valisneria)

If it's only green water, I am not confident a polishing filter will be. A UV filter should work, but would need to run constantly and you need to make sure that your water isn't pumped through it too quickly and it is big enough for the job; normally they are far underpowered
 

fishorama

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Yeah. I hear you on all of those issues. I do (for now) have some "jungle" vals but they're a little to "happy" & will go the the plant club Sat. (nano newbs beware, lol, or compost...I don't care). I had thought the high window thing was only seasonal...but now I think maybe not...

I'm still working on the UV thing...sort of...co2 we know I'm not ready for yet...& I don't think it'll "fix" the high window light problem much...Why did I let myself get pressured into setting up this tank? Gah! More PITA than pretty as yet, but easy to ignore as I don't see it too much...but when I do...it's not what I'd hoped for...

I do love a paludarium (sp?) But not ready for that either...
 

dougall

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I think you are ready for a paludarium or CO2. Neither are too difficult and I'm pretty sure you can find someone to help in any way needed.

The issue is that everything needs to be balanced, right now there is more light than needed. You can either add CO2 and possibly plant nutrients and then maybe more plants that feed from the water not substrate (say stem plants vs crypts) and it should take care of what is feeding the green water and it will die off.

The other option would be to try to put a shade over the (I think if I remember) skylight that is letting in the sunlight to reduce that instead.

Or maybe a big enough UV (being sure to change the lightbulb if necessary)
 
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