GREEN WATER AARRGGHHH
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Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=23919
Printed Date: April 27 2024 at 6:24am
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Topic: GREEN WATER AARRGGHHH
Posted By: Aquaristnewbie
Subject: GREEN WATER AARRGGHHH
Date Posted: February 21 2008 at 11:22pm
| So I have been dealing with green water and lots of hair algae for the last two weeks. I finnally got it under control by controlling my lights and putting some rotifers in my tank and after a day of my normal lighting schedule.(on at nine am off at 7pm ish) the water is slightly green again. All parameters are good except of course nitrates are at 15. Any ideas? I feed twice a day. bit in the morning of the formula one pellets and frozen brine at night. I am positive I do not overfeed because I only feed a little I run two sponge power heads, HOB filter, and skimmer 24/7. It is pretty much a fish only tank with just flourescent lights. Oh and it is a 29 gal. Any help would be much appreciated. I tried to learn myself but it is just not working. Thanks |
Replies:
Posted By: cl2ysta1
Date Posted: February 21 2008 at 11:35pm
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how old is the tank? ------------- I <3 Boxers Achilles tang lover |
Posted By: MadReefer
Date Posted: February 21 2008 at 11:41pm
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I wish I had green water naturally. I have to grow it. I would expect it to fade and only be a good thing, unless it's yellow water and not from phyto.
I would feed something besides brine shrimp unless it's baby brine and in that case it's best to hatch them yourself. The yolk sac is good for fish.
Try mysis, same size food and more nutrient packed.
I should learn to quote my sources because I don't have much experience just passing on what I have read that makes sense to me.
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Posted By: Aquaristnewbie
Date Posted: February 21 2008 at 11:59pm
| It is about six months old |
Posted By: MadReefer
Date Posted: February 22 2008 at 12:03am
| If you added some macro that you could deal with you might have luck. But of course a full refugium would be better. |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: February 22 2008 at 3:03am
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I would try some Macro as well that leafy stuff looks good in a display IMHO Be patient and my elders will respond ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 22 2008 at 9:11am
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Greenwater is becoming more common as we learn to set up tanks with LR, LS and LW. There are many things that eat single celled green algae:
Clams
Feather Duster worms
Rotifers (fish eat the rotifers before they can eat the algae!)
various invertes on LR and in the LS
If you want to take care of it right away, borrow a large UV Sterilizer and place some kind of fine filter media in the system. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: Corey Price
Date Posted: February 22 2008 at 1:02pm
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Rotifers alone have not worked for my tank. I would try a multi-pronged approach:
Some or all of what Mark said, or some or all of the following:
UV
Ozone
Heavy skimming
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Posted By: Aquaristnewbie
Date Posted: February 22 2008 at 4:57pm
| Well I have a featherduster that is just loving the tank right now. Maybe I need a few more. What sort of inverts help with the water? Anyone have any extra inverts that help with the water or maybe a UV sterilizer I could borrow? |
Posted By: Debbles
Date Posted: February 22 2008 at 5:26pm
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When we set up our first tank we had green water so bad it looked like split pea soup. We tried everything. We finally had someone suggest a uv steralizer. Within a week we had a clear tank. We bought ours on ebay. I would check there.
Deb ------------- Yes Mikey...I still have fins!!! |
Posted By: Aquaristnewbie
Date Posted: February 22 2008 at 7:10pm
| Yeah I could buy a UV but I really like to do the natural approach. I think it is cool and all of the critters that help also make my small tank look a lot better. UV is kind of my last resort. |
Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: February 22 2008 at 10:59pm
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So would a water change help speed him along anyone? (I can respect the natural approach) ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: February 23 2008 at 10:56am
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water changes dilute the algae but also add nutrients back into the system so the algae returns to full population within days.
Notice that Clams is the first thing on my list. A large 9" clam did it for me. I have pics if you want to see them.
Also, turning off the lights and placing a blanket over the tank to create total darkness is a major aspect of stopping the growth of algae. The downside is that Zooxanthellae will also stop growing/reproducing, but 2 days of total darness and 1 day of light is a good balance. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: PDoug
Date Posted: February 24 2008 at 10:07pm
Cool thanks mark teach me to skim on subjects ------------- (307)679-7898 Phillip Douglass 75 Gallon Reef Tank |
Posted By: pa_reptileman_4
Date Posted: March 02 2008 at 4:49pm
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i too now have green water...i can scrap the sides and within 3 hours you can bearly see through them again.... ------------- pitiful guppy tank. shane |
Posted By: Danner
Date Posted: March 02 2008 at 5:00pm
| ya a clam will do you just fine just make sure that you ahve strong lighting. 90 percent of all clams need halide or equivelent. good luck Ryan |
Posted By: Aquaristnewbie
Date Posted: March 02 2008 at 7:29pm
| I have been doing less light and bought some feather dusters to help. It has cleared up a bit but you can see that it is still lingering. Hopefully It will be gone soon. Just trying to pretty much wait it out. But patience is not one of my strong points so rough times right now. |