Why does my water keep turning green?

[pauhn]

I have a 30 gallon Biocube with one Oranda and a Placy for the algea in there both fish are new, as I've only had them for a month. I have two plastic plants and a rock, and large polished stone gravel for the bedding, all items were purchased at Petco. I have to do 50% water changes 3 times a week just to keep the water somewhat attractive. If I do not do this, I have putrid smelling, pond-scum green water. I'm changing my filter about once every two weeks, and the label says they should last 4-6 weeks. I use chemicals that make tap-water safe for aquarium use.

What is happening and how do I fix this?

P.S. The fish show no signs of stress or agitation.

 

[Michwol42795]

A placy? Well is your tank in direct sunlight? The combination of the sunlight and large amounts of waste put off by the oranda would cause an algae bloom, turning the water green.

 

[Somervell]

The water changes are a good thing, especially with a goldfish in the tank. If you are completely changing out the filter and the tank has only been set up a month, I am guessing that your tank isn't completely cycled. I am unfamiliar with the Biocube system, but there has to be enough time to allow beneficial bacteria to grow on the gravel and on the filter to handle waste. Are you testing the water periodically to see where you are in the cycling process? It could be that due to changing the filter so often, a bacterial colony hasn't built up and you have a high level of nutrients encouraging the algae bloom, as well.

Not sure what a placy is. My guess is a Pleco or a Platy, but since you bought it for algae, I am going to go with "Pleco." --they aren't always as good as they are cracked up to be for algae removal.

 

[Michwol42795]

Somervell is right, I didn't even think of that. Changing the filter so much won't allow a bacterial colony to form.

 

[Rbishop]

How long are you running lights each day...?

 

[Sarr]

How long are you running lights each day...?

I'd like to add that since you don't have real plants, a high wattage light is not necessary for fish health. As stated, direct sunlight can very well be causing the bloom.

 

[FastFly67]

http://www.plantgeek.net/article_viewer.php?id=9
that has a small paragraph on green water

 

[pauhn]

It's not in direct sunlight but I generally kept the floureacent light on all day and switched to the purple uv light at night. The filter before the bio-balls was getting so dirty that water wasn't able to pass through it effeciently and my water pump would run dry. I can keep the light off during day-time but that makes for a boring tank. Yes, I meant pleco, typing on iPod...

 

[pauhn]

Sorry for the double post. Earlier today, I did a 50% water change. While the water has cleared up a bit, it's now very hazy, clear, not green, but very hazy

 

[Jspigs]

Sorry for the double post. Earlier today, I did a 50% water change. While the water has cleared up a bit, it's now very hazy, clear, not green, but very hazy

If it looks like a whitish mist then it is probably a bacterial bloom.