GREEN WATER

[pimpchev]

ok so i do water changes every week on my 3 tanks which include 120, 75, and a 50 gallon. after about 2 to 3 days after i do the water changes the water starts to turn green and i can figure out why. I have a good size pleco in each tank and a good amount of filtration on each tank so there should be know reason for the water to turn green. Here's the weird thing only the 75 and 50 gallon tanks are the one's that are turning green.

 

[ziggy2]

How much light are these tanks getting???

 

[WyldFya]

That would be a unicellular algae. Your nitrate levels are probably too high. I also would guess these tanks are getting more lighting (either in time, or intensity). Limit your feedings, and the lighting time, and you should be able to get it under control gradually.

 

[Ianab]

What Wyldfya said.

The algae is not usually harmfull to the fish, but it's a sign that the nutrient levels in the water are higher then ideal and/or you have too much light.

If the tanks are planted, more plants will remove the nutrients before the algae can. If they arent planted, reduce the light and increase the water changes.

I'm battling the same thing in a small tank thats near a window. It was fine for 6 months, but it's the start of summer now and it gets much more light. Could hardly see the fish for a while . I rigged up a little sunshade and did some big water changes. It takes a while to come right, but at least I can see the fish now.

A pleco wont to anything for free floating algae, they only eat the stuff thats stuck on the glass and rocks etc.

If nothing else works a UV filter will kill it off.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Dr Joe]

You say it happens after a W/C?

Have you checked the water coming from the tap for excessive phosphates?

The smaller tanks will react faster to this change than the large one, which also could depend on bio-loads and filtering.

Do you have soft water?

Dr Joe

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