Hello everyone
I have just joined this site and wanted to thank everyone for the wealth of information that you have given me. A quick background before my question. I use to have a 40 gallon tank about 15 years ago and had to give it up coz we had to move. I was living in Hong Kong then. I moved to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 1997 and have been here since. I never went back to the hobby till this month.
Going to the LFS’s I found there are limited varieties of fish in the sense that if I wanted Rainbow fish I can’t get it here, unless I order and pay through my nose. Also would you believe plants are banned from being imported, I am still asking around why but no fish keeper can answer me correctly. BUT plants are sneaked in and we have limited variety, your usual basic stuff. I cannot get Amazon Sword if I paid double the money. So I had to make do with what I could get after going around 10 shops.
I have set up a fresh water tank, it is small 29”L x 13”W x 17”H minus 4 inches light area in height. I think it holds net 24 gallons. Light is a Sera 18W Plant Care, 4,900K. It’s on for about 10 to 12 hours a day, the tank is AWAY from sunlight.
I have about 20 to 25 plants. No CO2 system yet as you can’t get them here, but Sera has an agent and he is ordering it, I have to wait till mid June. And probably have to pay for a bomb. I have about 22 fishes including a couple of scavengers and one catfish. The rest are your basic fishes.
Please excuse my ignorance as I still have to go and get all the test kits to measure stuff. I do have the PH kit and that reads on the boarder of 7.5
I will get the hardness, CO2, NO2/3 kits soon and give you the results. Now the tank is about 16 days old, at first the water was slightly cloudy, but that cleared, then I noticed the tank did not have the correct clarity, it looked a bit green tinted so I changed 1/3rd of the water, when I threw this water away I saw that it was green, the change helped just a little. I have a Fluval No 3. I then added another internal filter to see if that helped, just a little it did. So I came to this forum and read up the posts on Green water, from the photos I learned that it’s not green water that I am suffering from as nothing in my tank has turned green. After further reading, I am suspecting Plant Dye! My wife said plants do give out color, and I am starting to believe it’s that. So can someone tell me if I am correct and how I can get my tank to become crystal clear? Once I install a C02 system will that help? Also since I am waiting for the system to arrive, can I start with the DIY system and does it really help?
I am so sorry this is so long, but I have a habit of explaining things too much. I would appreciate any help I can get. Thanks in advance.
If you are sure that it is not green water, then there is something wrong with the plants.
This is the first time I am seeing that plants are leeching colour into the water. Are they true aquatic plants to start with?
The second problem I see is that your lights is insufficient. You will nee another 1 or 2 18W tubes to provide sufficient lights for proper plant growth. Shoot for at least 2W per US gal.
BC
First of all from all the photos I have seen of Green Water, hey are usually murky and fishes are not visiable clearly. Mine is extremely clear water as such, only thing is here is a slight tint, as you were wearing light greenish/brown sun glasses.
I am not 100% sure this particular species are true aquatic plants but they were bought from a proper aquarium shop and I have seen this variety in most shops, I am look for the name of this plant, but they have broad roundish leaves, medium green color leaves. I'll go to the shop later and ask them the name. I have about 12 to 14 of them in there, rest are Cabomba, basic plant.
As for the light I agree I am short, been reading and now realize they are not enough and thanks for reminding me again, I will go and get another tube or two. Thanks again.
Do you have any driftwood in this tank? It could just be due to tanins staining the water based on your description ("slight tint, as you were wearing light greenish/brown sun glasses").
Even if someone did use dyes on plants, I would expect them to be of colours other than green much like how some traders inject dyes into glass catfishes.
ThEoDoRe
Hello Theodore
Yes I do have 2 medium sized diftwood, they are sold at the LFS and are imported from Malaysia. You really think that might be it?
But so many people use driftwood and I have not seen this problem. Is there a way to treat the wood? I might as well take it out and do another water change and see if it clears.
Arshad
Arshad, you might want to take a sample of your tank water by using a clear glass and then hold it against good lighting. What kind of colour do you get? If its green water, it should be some sort of green.....(I kind of doubt you will get green water unless you add loads of light plus lots of critters for a start).
Regards
Peter Gwee
Dear Peter
When I did the 1st water change last week, I emptied the bucket into my pure white wash basin and I saw clearly that the water was tinted green. Now if I am right, proper "Greenwater" is mirky? The clarity in my tank is great, it's just not crystal clear as you see in many of the tanks displayed in this site.
From what you said, I only have 18W's of light, which is 3 times less then it should be and I don't have any critters either.
I have read that a new tank has an outburst of algea, if my water was mirky and I see green every where on the rocks/wood/glass, I'd understand and tackle the problem. This seems different.
If we can't diagnose the problem here then I will have to first take out the said plants and/or the wood, change water and see what happens. I still believe there is an explanation for this.
I can even send you a photo of the tank if you would like. I suppose I could upload one to my profile?
Can you think of anything else?
Arshad
A picture would be nice plus the fact we can help you ID whether your plants are aquatic ones or not.
Regards
Peter Gwee
Peter, the pics have been uploaded to the My Tank section. Let me know what you think.
I now seriously think it's the driftwood, coz the color is close to the wood.
I will remove it for now and see what happens. In place I will put some Lava rocks and add a few more plants, after getting more light.
I will keep you updated here.
Arshad
Arshad, your tank is fine..no worries here. One side note, remove the terrestrial plant in the front with the purple leaves though. Meanwhile, you can consider DIY CO2 while waiting for the gas tank. Your plants will do better with the CO2.
Do you have source for nutrients in the form of KNO3, KH2PO4? Tap water parameters? Get the values from the local water company of your area. Ask for NO3 and PO4 values.
Regards
Peter Gwee
Peter, thanks.
The pics were taken about 4 days ago and the purple plant has been taken out completely. Actually my wife was being smart and said they survive underwater, I sson saw that they started melting after a few days, plus the scavangers loved it, lol. Anyway They are out already.
I was at about.com a few mins ago and read about driftwood problem of someone and he asked about treatment. The reply was that the driftwood needs to be boiled for a while and then scrubbed, coz it gives out a yellowish/brown/green tint which eventually turns the water into the looks of a tea pot!!! I think we have found the problem. Today the driftwood will bid goodbye for a while.
I am already working on the DIY CO2 ststem till the gas tank one arrives but knowing this dealer, he will fleece me. What does a basic system cost's on SG?
I do not have a source for the nutrients, not that I know of. I have ordered the Tetra test kit and am receiving it tonight, I should know the basic 5 values by tomorrow morning. I will post it here for you.
I am also getting rid of the rocks you see in my tank, I think they are limestones, which add to the high PH 7.5 in mine. I have bough some Lava Rocks, is that ok? I can't wait to get home
skyfish,
Since you need to get the co2 set from other place, does your LFS provide topping up of co2 gas?
Squall
Squall
yes I have spoken to a fire extinguisher company here and they will be glad to refill. Now all I have to do is get a resonabally cheap system.
Thanks
Arshad
Arshad,
While you wait for your CO2 till mid June, your plants may not wait, have you consider fermentation for CO2? Commonly known as DIY CO2. All you need is an empty 1.5~2 litres Coke bottle, cup of sugar, a pinch of yeast and water. I encourage everyone to have a go with it before going into pressurised cylinders. It's fun but tedious.
Yes Geoffery
As mentioned above I am already working on the DIY version. Making the formula seems easy, I am trying to work out the reactor part. Leaving an air stone at the bottom and losing the bubbles to the top is not logical, to defuse it before it reaches the top is far better. So I need to find a bellcap or a similar collection point.
I would love to try out a motorhead to smash the bubbles, but I need a diagram to see how it works.
Any links to a good diagram?
Arshad
Arshad,
PeterGwee will be able to help you on that. I think he uses that method to dissolve his CO2. And he told me it's very effective. He probably has a picture that he could show. Try PM him.
Thanks Geoffrey, I will PM him and ask.
I found a great article about a DIY system by John LeVasseur. I am sure you must have read it.
http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html#2
Not only does he layout a sensible system but explains the characteristics of various yeasts. I think one should understand the logic behind your basic sugar/yeast concoction, after reading his article, you understand why things happen and with a proper setup, a good and effective system can be made. He also explains various reactors and how they work. I think it’s a good system.
Thanks again.
Arshad
Problem SOLVED!!
It was the darn driftwood, I took it out, changed 50% of the water and walla!! we are back in business, I'll do a smaller water change after a week to rid of the color completely. Now my tank is slightly cloudy as it should be with such a water change.
Thank you everyone. Should I start a new topic?
I have added more plants now and some lava rocks.
Arshad
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