Green water

[Clancaster23]

I am having what I would guess is an algae bloom in my 14 gallon tank. After a fast cycle, I have had two clowns in it for a little over a month now. For about two weeks, my water has been on the greenish side. I let it go thinking it was just an algae bloom and it would clear up. I had lights off and it covered up part of the time but still green. So yesterday I changed probably ten of the 14 gallons and it looked ok after but not totally clear. Now just 24 hourrs later, it's back to it's usual green self. Is this an algae bloom and is there anything I can do to get it cleared up again? I will be testing my water again tonight but I tested just a week ago and everything was in good shape.

 

[bhigh]

I am having what I would guess is an algae bloom in my 14 gallon tank. After a fast cycle, I have had two clowns in it for a little over a month now. For about two weeks, my water has been on the greenish side. I let it go thinking it was just an algae bloom and it would clear up. I had lights off and it covered up part of the time but still green. So yesterday I changed probably ten of the 14 gallons and it looked ok after but not totally clear. Now just 24 hourrs later, it's back to it's usual green self. Is this an algae bloom and is there anything I can do to get it cleared up again? I will be testing my water again tonight but I tested just a week ago and everything was in good shape.

UV Sterilization will clear your problem up. Do you use RODI water?

 

[anbosu]

Or run carbon.

 

[critofer]

+1 on the Carbon

 

[Clancaster23]

Do you mean run a HoB filter with a carbon bag in it? I will do this as I have one ready to go. jsut wasn't sure I should do it.

 

[Clancaster23]

I have run a bag of carbon on a HoB filter for four days now and still see no improvement. I have left the lights off the whole time for fear that I am just feeding the algae when they are on. I am going to look into getting another filter and just pack it full of carbon bags and see what happens then. If it doesn't improve, would there be any harm in completely draining the water out and just starting new? Would this kill the algae bloom or would it just come right back?

 

[Greedo]

I have run a bag of carbon on a HoB filter for four days now and still see no improvement. I have left the lights off the whole time for fear that I am just feeding the algae when they are on. I am going to look into getting another filter and just pack it full of carbon bags and see what happens then. If it doesn't improve, would there be any harm in completely draining the water out and just starting new? Would this kill the algae bloom or would it just come right back?

The total drain and fill would be pretty hard on any sensitive critters unless you matched the water conditions perfectly. On top of that if it is algae or bacteria it sounds like an exponential multiplier, so unless you removed every cell it would only be a matter of time before you woke up one day and it was pea soup again. If you can get a positive ID on the organism (without access to a microbiology lab it will be tough) then you could wage chemical warfare on the buggers. You could still do this blindly but hit and miss dosing of chemicals could be downright dangerous to your system as well as your pockets. Or you could get a UV and let it kill off the population until said population is unsustainable and they are gone for good, and then enjoy the other perks of having a UV in your system.

 

[Clancaster23]

That's what I figured. I think the next thing on my buy list is a UV. I can use that for both my tanks as I have a little problem in that one also but not as severe. Thanks

 

[Clancaster23]

Well, something I did worked. I bought a pacl of three carbon bags and stuffed them into my little filter (it's a 20 gallon filter) and I also got a bottle of Caribsea Bio-Magnet Clarifier. I'm going to guess that more than likely it was the carbon that cleared it up as I can actually see through the back of the tank now. I know the carbon is doing something cause the bags are a greenish color. Either way, looks to be clearing up and now I can get me more rock in this thing.