Green Cloudy water

[Fraise]

I'm having a serious outbreak of green/cloudy water to the point where i can't see more than a foot into the tank. Its a 120gallon planted with about 2.8wpg and pressurized co2 on a pinpoint controller. PH is 6.8-7.0, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, >5 nitrates.

The problems started about a week ago when i did a 50% water change and cleaned both of my canister filters. i didn't wash them with tap water, only drained the dirty water into the sink and then put a new polishing pad on top and refiled from the aquarium. i've been doing some 30% water changes every other day but it doesnt seem to be clearing up.

Any suggestions as to what to try next?

[Yboat]

sounds like you have a nasty case of green water. WC generally make them worse.


2 methods have worked really well for me in the past. 3 day black out with no light what so every fallowed by a massive WC. the other is a UV and/or a diatom filter.


Sounds like you had alot of die off when you cleaned the filters.

[Fraise]

I forgot to mention that i've turned the lighting down to a single blub (65W) for the past few days. When you say die off, are you referring to the beneficial bacteria? My cleaning procedure hasn't changed at all so i'm slightly puzzled by what happened this time.

[Wahter]

At times, some of my tanks would look like this (usually in the spring - no doubt there is some changes in the local water due to season runoff, etc...). I have since bought a UV sterilizer and that will clear up the water in a week's time.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40657&d=1232765387

I also have tried a diatom filter, but even though it seems to clear up the water, sometimes the green water returns in a week or so, so I just hook up the UV sterilizer and run that for a couple of weeks.

Hope that helps,



Walter

[Fraise]

What size UV do you use for what size tank?

[Wahter]

What size UV do you use for what size tank?

You'll need to check what the manufactures recommend regarding wattage per tank volume and the flow rate of water through the UV sterilizer.



Walter

[Dkarc@Aol.com]

A UV will definetly fix the problem. As for what UV to use, that depends on your current setup as well as how much money you are willing to spend. I would recommend a Gamma UV for your tank as #1 it's cheap, and #2 it has hose barb connections to make for easy hookup from the canisters. Im not at work so I dont have all the small detailed particulars about this UV, but it should work just fine for your tank. You have other options if you want to step up to something a bit higher performing, but that's up to you.

http://www.aquaticeco.com/subcategories/494/Gamma-UV-Sterilizers

-Ryan

[Spardas]

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40657&d=1232765387





Walter

Green Tea, anyone? :D

[Fraise]

I purchased an 18W sterilizer and another 2217. the plan is to hook the 2217 and 2215 in a primary secondary look with the UV on the 2215. I bought it because it was one hell of a deal from JL Aquatics.

Does anyone have any ideas what would cause something like this? It really did jsut happen out of the blue with no changes in maintenance or anything.

[Spardas]

I purchased an 18W sterilizer and another 2217. the plan is to hook the 2217 and 2215 in a primary secondary look with the UV on the 2215. I bought it because it was one hell of a deal from JL Aquatics.

Does anyone have any ideas what would cause something like this? It really did jsut happen out of the blue with no changes in maintenance or anything.

If that's the case, give your water company a call and see if there is anything new with the water supply.

[Fraise]

If that's the case, give your water company a call and see if there is anything new with the water supply.

The odd thing is that this isn't happening in my other tanks nor my GF's who lives very close to me and has the same water supply. What are the normal causes of green water?

[stephcps]

Didn't you say you cut your lights back by half? Because that is plenty enough to throw your tank out of wack...and that is all those little algae need!!

Happened that way to me. The UV will absolutely take care of it though.

[wesleydnunder]

Often green water is an indicator of ammonia. In a cycled tank with a fully functioning biofilter that's probably not the case. An abundance of light and nutrients, likely. Once you get it in check with the uv, you may want to look at getting the nutrients and lighting more in balance with your co2...possibly less light duration and fert? More co2?

[Fraise]

Didn't you say you cut your lights back by half? Because that is plenty enough to throw your tank out of wack...and that is all those little algae need!!

Happened that way to me. The UV will absolutely take care of it though.

I cut my lights back after this became a problem though. it looks like its clearing up slightly...i'll try a water change tonight, in the mean time the UV is on its way.

[srusso]

I had this last year... as everyone has already said it is green water, it happens more often in this time of year, spring... that said if you say nothing has changed then it came from the water company. All the reading I did when I had it this happen last year was that WCs make it worse, the fish will not be affected by it, some even say that the fish like it! It took the better part of 3 weeks to completely clear for me... fresh carbon in your filter may help. Don’t get chems... they all suck (yes all of them) reason being the chems used will also kill your plants... the green water and your decor are made of the same stuff. I got some good advice from a guy at a LFS, when I went to get some green water chems. He said that he wouldn’t even use half the recommended amount, he said use 1/4th does, if you must... the bottle said it was plant safe... I used the 1/4 as he said and it made most if not all my plants slowly die and turn yellow (we are talking about 1/4 of a teaspoon!) It did kill a lot of green water but at what price? Green water like a spring cold or flu... you just kind of wait it out... is really the best way to go. I still have the full bottle of green water stuff… never touched it again… yeah and do the 3 day "black out", that means none, NO light! Only once the green water starts to fade, no use doing it when it is at its prime you will just hurt your plants more...

[Fraise]

I finally got my coralife 18W UV in the mail and after 2 days of running it the water is clearer than i've ever seen. problem solved and i'm more than impressed with the results.