Greenish water

**bernie** · 13th Feb 2011, 08:55

Today is my second day of planted tank cycling. The water turns slightly greenish is this an algea bloom? Need to add more floating plants to absorb the nutrients?

**Shadow** · 13th Feb 2011, 15:21

possible. can you share your tank specification? such us tank size, light wattage, substrate, etc

you can add floating plants it will help absorb nutrients as well as block some light.

**bernie** · 13th Feb 2011, 15:52

My tank is 2ft by 1.5ft by 1.5ft. Amazonia 2 w power sand. 4x24w lightings.
I planted HC. About 20 stalks of stem plants. If reducing lighting, will it affect the HC growth ?

**evilfry** · 16th Feb 2011, 20:31

bro do you have alot of phosphate in your water column?

**Shadow** · 17th Feb 2011, 00:02

I did manage to grow carpet HC under 36W but my tank was 60x30x32cm. Your tank is bigger so maybe you want to try 2x24W or 3x24W.

Did you inject CO2?

**bernie** · 17th Feb 2011, 08:22

I don't know as I don't have any test kit expect ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and ph test kit from API.
What are the essential test kit to get for a planted tank?

**Shadow** · 17th Feb 2011, 09:32

essential? none

, never check mine. I only worry about Ammonia, but that only effect fauna. I give the filter plenty of cycle time (4 weeks), it should be mature by the time fauna in.

By the way, how long did you turn on your light? Normally what I do during initial stage, I only on for 6 hours a day.

**bernie** · 17th Feb 2011, 09:57

I inject DIY C02 with powerhead + reactor and turn on the lights 10-12hours a day with 3x24w because I worry my HC will perish.

**Shadow** · 17th Feb 2011, 10:35

reduce your ON time to 6 hrs a day, 10-12 hours too much for newly planted tank. Plants still trying to adapt to new environment, the only thing that benefit from long hours is algae. You can increase the ON time once you see plants start growing but still I wont recommend more than 10hrs a day.