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Is your tank placed near a window?
Does anyone know how i can fix this problem of greenish looking water in my tank?
Is there algae growing in my tank?
Is your tank placed near a window?
LIFE IS UNBEARABLE WITHOUT A FISH TANK!!!
not next to window, but i open the door of my house so it does get some light
That sounds strange. What light are you using, and how long do you have it on?
Normally if it is near a window green water will develope in about 2 weeks.
I am very interested in tackling the green water problem too. Other than using UV equipment, which is expensive to buy, there has to be other methods.
Incidentally, if theres such a thing as special UV equipment for rental, will you consider renting it? Just a thought, though at present there's no such thing.
Originally Posted by tetrakid
i don't have a tank light. the only light that my tank gets are the light on the ceiling.
i heard about the ocean free( green water) thing, do u think it will work well??
Hi,
I once have this problem. What works for me is to cover up the tank to keep it total darkness. Yup.. I did that plus more regular water change. As I can see there is nkt many plants in the tank. Darkness unlikely to affect fishes (correct me if I am wrong). Problem gone after about a week. In that week I change water every ther day.
Today I saw a external UV sterilizer selling at $35 from Seaview. I think it aqua zonic brand. Not sure if this is good. I use such equipment before, no green water but not sure if it is due to this equipment.
What I understand about green water is algae bacteria presence not those type tat clinched on plants on glass surface but floating in the water turning water green. So fine we can only see the green color and no physical form visible.
Hope you solve this soon.
Yours is an unusual case, since the tank is not near a window and you also do not use a tank light.
In fact if I can get my indoor tank's water to be that green, I'll be very happy, as green water means your tank water is healthy. I am sure the fish are happy with it. After all, suspended green water Algae is a plant cell.
I will not use any anti-Algae chemical to kill off the Algae. 20% water change should be enough to maintain the water visibility.
Sunlight, even just a bit , is enough for green water
the green water causing algae may come from plants you bought outside, i can be wrong.
Last time i had a serious case of green water in my planted tank, no amount of water changes helps and it was very smelly. I only got to solve it by using UV steriliser. It looks something like that http://www.theaquariumsolution.com/u...iser-39w-model. If you look around there are cheap made in china ones which does the same job, should cost about $30-$40. It will be easier if you are using external canister filter, if not you will have to get a pump to push the water throught the UV steriliser.
It solved my green water in about 1-2day after hooking it up to my filter.
You may wish to know that I have a few tanks with fish which are placed about 2 metres away from a big window, but yet I have been praying for green water for about a year. Still no green water but only a bit of brown algae on the glass.
I like slightly green water because it shows my water is healthy.
Sunlight, even just a bit , is enough for green water
Haha. Those are ranchu tanks?
You have not gotten the chemistry formula.
Uncontrolled light x low phosphate?
Learning the hardway, not the highway.
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"if he cant be bothered to take the time to write his question properly, why should I take the time to answer him."
I also have another tank which is placed at a bright window, but does not have direct sunlight. This tank is thick with green water after a while and I have to think of ways to reduce the green thickness.
Btw, why does green water indicate a healthy tank water?? Can someone explain this to me
You should consider yourself lucky that your tank has that beautiful green and transparent water, which is due to the green-water Algae suspended in the water. It would be bad if you have some types of bad Algae. If you have those bad a Algae, it will be a nightmare.
Green water Algae is a kind of healthy one-celled vegetable. They are like tiny aquarium plants. For plants to grow healthily in a tank, the environment has to be healthy. And the presence of the nice green water shows it is healthy, and which fish enjoy being in. It is only human beings who dislike the look of green water for 'aesthetic' reasons.
Btw, why does green water indicate a healthy tank water?? Can someone explain this to me
ohh, so there's actually no reason for me to try and solve it. I initially thought that it may be harmful for my fishes. Thanks alot for all the help!
Yes, for fish, there's really nothing better than healthy green water. But not too thick, as they will not be able to see clearly, and you too.
Though a clear Algae-free tank may be desirable, a slightly green tank is a sign of a healthy tank rather than a 'clinically sterile' one. You only need to control the green-ness by controlling the amount of light reaching the tank.
Any proven link?
So far as I know, algae is always in the water. Only some hobbyist and farms do cultivate green water.
http://vermilliongoldfishclub.com/greenwater-frame.htm
Algae itself does no harm to fish and other fauna but only unwanted in too large quantity as its a eyesore.
But the thing is WHY green water good? I got a few old friend also say green water is good for fish, but no proven references when I asked them.
Since you also support the idea it is good you might be able to provide a online reference with good documented why it is so good. It will serve us and my bookmarks.
Learning the hardway, not the highway.
Photo Blog - impervious-endeavors.blogspot.com
Semi-Active currently
"if he cant be bothered to take the time to write his question properly, why should I take the time to answer him."
Greenwater under controlled conditions are good for feeding some fish fries. But making fish actually live in greenwater is not always good.
Greenwater is a sign of eutrophication and in ecology, it is a bad thing. Not because we human find it unsightly as Tetrakid above mentioned, but because it means the balance of nutrient in the water is totally off and too much nutrient, mostly nitrate, is being released into the water.
Greenwater causes large swings in the dissolved oxygen content of the water. During the day, the algae photosynthesize and saturates the water with oxygen, most of it lost to the atmosphere.
At night, the algaes switches to normal respiration and now competes with all other plants, fishes and bacteria for the oxygen. The oxygen content rapidly crashes and many larger organisms actually suffocates. The decay of these dead organism further depletes oxygen at night and the vicious cycle slowly build up speed and cascade to the point where even the algaes starts dying and the water turns foul.
The only things still left are normally the worms and anaerobic bacteria that are living off the decaying matters.
In short, abit of green water is fine, but it can quickly turn into a problem.
Check the tank's nitrate levels. Since it's a bare tank with no other plants to compete with the algae, greenwater can quickly take over if one does not do enough waterchanges.
Just a noticeable tint of green water is superb. Too much of a good thing is defintely bad and unhealthy due to the side effects. Maintaining a constant low level of Algae needs some regular routine.
Green water will grow green fast when one overfeed the fish, causing more nutrients to be available to the Algae.
Additional aeration at night is a must to tackle the competing oxygen needs of fish and Algae.
2 metres is too far I think. Also, is your window facing east? Place your tank nearer to a east facing window. I can assure you, you will have your green water.
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