Also try cutting down on the amount of light the tank is exposed to. If the tank is getting a good amount of sunlight from a window you should close the blinds. Also, it wouldn't hurt to rinse the replacement filters before you put them into the filter.
what is going on with my tank?
- Thread starter meowfish
- Start date
The reason I like to add in the water changes and gravel vacuum is to make sure to reduce the amount of food for the algae. Algae needs 3 things: Food, Light and CO2. CO2 isn't easy to control so reducing the other two will certainly help.
I will try the black out idea as I think that will help and I will keep you posted. How much time should I have the light on in the tank I think right now its 11 hours. Probably too much I think. I will do the water change and it was been a battle because I did 30-40% last night and tonight......fog city still. Bought a python today thou so that should make it easier on me I hope, however lifting the buckets was giving me a great arm workout....lol. Thanks wish me luck.
Like Tcos said above vaccuuming the gravel should help a lot. As for the blackout situation... Turn off the lights unless you're viewing the tank. If the tank is getting a lot of light from windows in your home them try keeping the blinds closed as much as possible. To be honest, I only turn on the lights in my fresh water tanks in the evenings and turn them off before bed. Even once everything is nice and clear again you will still have to regulate how much light you allow into your tank. Try not to get frustrated, you'll get there soon enough. 
If it's FO tank, only use the lights when viewing, if it's planted, usually about 9-10 hours a day of light. during the 4 day blackout you want the tank as devoid of light as possible. Once The algea starts it can and will hang on even in a tank that only receives room light. I usually cover my tanks with construction paper or black plastic. the only time I let light in is during a water change which gives me 15 minutes to look at the fish. Feeding is better off to just wait until after the 4 day blackout as well.
Dave
Dave
sucess!!!!!
Hello and here is the update on the tank of gloom. I did as you all told me and put a heavy blanket over the tank for 4 days(all though I missed my fish) Anyway....I took the cover off today and CLEAR!!!!! :dance I can see this fish now and the other side of the tank too....lol. I would like to tank you all so much for all your help and I am so glad the support is on here for people like me who need it. Thanks again.
Hello and here is the update on the tank of gloom. I did as you all told me and put a heavy blanket over the tank for 4 days(all though I missed my fish) Anyway....I took the cover off today and CLEAR!!!!! :dance I can see this fish now and the other side of the tank too....lol. I would like to tank you all so much for all your help and I am so glad the support is on here for people like me who need it. Thanks again.
Just keep up on the changes, the blackout is a quick fix, the underlying cause will still need to be addressed. With FO tanks, I always found algea close to impossible to control at all times. The blackout trick was always part of my maintenance plan when needed to set things back to right. Snails are another good helper with algea, but depending on your fish they are sometimes inpossible to keep. I have had green water in more than one FO tank that was quite healthy otherwise. the first time, I did daily water changes for more than a month, before someone told me to black the tank out. Every day the algea would get thick by the time I came home from work, and then I'd thin it back down with a water change so it could grow again the next day. Lesson learned and then driven home years ago.
dave
dave
