# Green water



## kalalu (Jun 25, 2010)

I am currently having a real bad run of green water in my 20G planted tank lasting over more than a week now. After doing some research, I think the options that I have are quite limited. I can black it out for at least 4 days... I can UV it... which is expensive.... I can get a diatom filter... or I can use a flucculant...

My first choice is a diatom filter.... Given that I am going to use it once only...is there a way I can get a diatom filter inexpensively...? If that doesnt work...where is the cheapest place I can get a UV setup...?


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## kalalu (Jun 25, 2010)

Can polishing filter work?


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

Why dont u do a water change and black out for couple of days first? Might save u money


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## kalalu (Jun 25, 2010)

I am trying that right now... but I am not to hopeful on it....


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## Claudia (Apr 21, 2010)

What do u have in that tank? also is it close to a window by any chance?


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## lar (Apr 21, 2010)

You can use "Clear fast" by Laguna. I can give you some if you can pick up in Richmond. But that's not a permanent solution...like Claudia said avoid too much lighting and direct sun light


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## Kitsune (Jul 17, 2010)

I agree with Claudia, go with the blacking out and water changes everyday. Especially if you don't have plants you need to worry about.


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## Rastapus (Apr 21, 2010)

Green water with plants is not that common. Are you using any buffers? What is your hardness? Soft acidic water is a real motivator for green water. Also your lights may be on too long or not the right spectrum.


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## kalalu (Jun 25, 2010)

I have cherry shrimps and endlers in my tank right now... with lots of java moss, few stem plants, few flowing plants, some ferns and something other smaller plants...on sandy substrate... I have started the tank two months ago... cloudiness started two weeks ago when I slightly disturbed the substrate after a water change... 

Perhaps it is too much light... I have one of these corallife 24" light with new CF bulbs over the tank and on for 10 hours.... but that kind of setting did work before in my other tanks with no problem... 

Should I try to reduce it to eight first before attempting black out?

or is it true that once green water started.. I have to remove the algae before I can try to control it again?

Also... if I use those flucculants... would that impact the shrimps?

Thanks for everyone's help and comment...


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## bigfish (Oct 5, 2010)

doing water changes often should help, and keep the tank out of direct sunlight.


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## kalalu (Jun 25, 2010)

The tank is in the middle of the living and no where near any windows... 
I have some accu-clear... should I try?


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## FCS (Apr 22, 2010)

Try using Fluval Clearmax - phosphate remover.


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## justin (Apr 24, 2010)

u can use stuff called clarity witch makes any tank crystal clear but i dont now if it affects plants


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## Mferko (Jun 8, 2010)

purigen works great too


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## Jamit (Apr 21, 2010)

I remember that I have had the same issue with green water with a newly setup tank.

1. Water change as much as possible (50%) before blackout.
2. You have your lights ON for too long, I would set it ON for 4 hours, then OFF for 4 hours, then ON for 3 hours, then OFF.
3. Also, blackout the tank with whatever means for at least 4 days or more until it starts to turn clear.
4. Stop overfeeding your stocks. They should survive without food for 3 days.

It works for me in my first try. Once you get the balance of the water parameters and light requirements, everything will settle nicely.


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## denip (Nov 17, 2010)

I believe it was Tom Barr who found out that a disrupted Nitrogen cycle is the main cause
of green water. I had this problem after i did several water changes without adding water conditioner which possibly killed the nitro bacteria .


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

green water is caused by leach in ammonia/ammonium. Which is related to the nitrogen cycle.  If you overfeed, disturbed a dirty gravel bed, or use ammonia base fertilizer, there will be green water. ADA soil is pre-soaked with ammonium. If you tank is heavily inhabit with fish and the nitrogen cycle was damaged from water change, then green water will follow. 

The reason people use ammonia base fertilizer is 
A. cheap 
B. lower the pH to helps lower the soil alkalinity. 
C. Some plants prefer to have a small amount of ammonium.
D. control dosing will speed up the establishment of nitrogen cycle provided there is already the good bacteria and organism in the tank growing.


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## euroamg (Dec 14, 2010)

_I use a diatom filter to get rid of the green water. Its crystal clear after..._


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## discuspaul (Jul 2, 2010)

A UV Sterilizer will work like a charm in about 48 - 72 hours (and it's worth the money - you won't use it just one time - good to have around to clear up other water issues, as well as parasitic problems.)
PM summit (ken) - he recently got one for $79. - I'm sure he'd be happy to tell you where he got it & details of the unit.
Paul


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## tang daddy (Apr 21, 2010)

Yah I was so pissed off I just went out and bought one...especially if you use ada youre bound to have green water one time or another....


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## rescuepenguin (Apr 21, 2010)

I've seen daphnia clean up a green water tank in a matter of days. If you can keep the daphnia away from the endlers for a while, they'll clean up the tank, then when they are done, you have food for the endlers. Of course this only traets the symptom not the cause.

Steve


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