September 10, 200917 yr comment_328676 :-? :-? :-? i can't do a water change as I have run out of Aqua plus So will it be OK till tomorrow.? Report
September 10, 200917 yr comment_328677 :-? :-? :-? i can't do a water change as I have run out of Aqua plus So will it be OK till tomorrow.? Generally a few days either side of a water change will make no difference - but I think there might be some information missing from your post! Are you saying the water in your tank has turned green? Because this would generally indicate an imbalance of nutrient and light in the tank and will not be affected by a one-day-late water change. Please elaborate on the problem! Report
September 10, 200917 yr Author comment_328678 Generally a few days either side of a water change will make no difference - but I think there might be some information missing from your post! Are you saying the water in your tank has turned green? Because this would generally indicate an imbalance of nutrient and light in the tank and will not be affected by a one-day-late water change. Please elaborate on the problem! Over the last two days the tank water as been looking green I put it down to the background but took the background of and the water still look's the same. The fish are happy and so is the BN'S Report
September 10, 200917 yr comment_328679 Over the last two days the tank water as been looking green I put it down to the background but took the background of and the water still look's the same. The fish are happy and so is the BN'S Oh...Yeah, fish don't care what color the water is. Assuming the water quality is otherwise ok. In fact, I suspect many would prefer it. Report
September 10, 200917 yr comment_328744 take some out in a glass and have a look at it so you can see what colour it really is green water in itself may not be a problem Report
September 10, 200917 yr Author comment_328897 take some out in a glass and have a look at it so you can see what colour it really is green water in itself may not be a problem Yip it is a slight green. So what would I be best to do.? Going to the petstore today to get a testing kit and also some Aqua plus But if there is anything better to use then let me know so I can write it down. Report
September 10, 200917 yr comment_328899 make sure you don't buy algae clear. ask for the phosphate levels to be tested, and then the nitrate levels. further, block some light out of your tank Report
September 10, 200917 yr Author comment_328901 make sure you don't buy algae clear. ask for the phosphate levels to be tested, and then the nitrate levels. further, block some light out of your tank can't I do the testing myself with a testing kit tho.? Report
September 10, 200917 yr Author comment_328905 sure you can! Ok well sounds like it's gonna be a fun trip 8) Test kit and Aqua plus on the list. I remember someone saying there was something better then the aqua plus.? Report
September 10, 200917 yr comment_328911 make sure you don't buy algae clear. What is the issue with algae clear?? Report
September 10, 200917 yr Author comment_328912 What is the issue with algae clear?? My baby BNS maybe.? Report
September 10, 200917 yr Author comment_328914 Sorry should be calling them by their names Silly and larry. Report
September 10, 200917 yr comment_328929 What is the issue with algae clear?? or is is algae rid. lots of cases where people have had their fish die overnight. in one case this guy lost over $2000 over night in livestock. there are plenty other ways to get rid of algae Report
September 11, 200917 yr comment_328932 or is is algae rid. lots of cases where people have had their fish die overnight. in one case this guy lost over $2000 over night in livestock. there are plenty other ways to get rid of algae Oh so this issue is with USING it not BUYING it? Understand. I dont really like adding anything to my tanks other than fish, plants, food and water - you just don't know what in some stuff. Hell even plants and fish are a risk at times! Report
September 11, 200917 yr comment_328940 I was just going to post here about my experience with the product called 'AlgaeFix' but I have decided to start a different topic to discuss it, as I think it is an important subject to draw people's attention to... Report
September 15, 200917 yr comment_329950 Green water is pretty normal in spring and/or in new tanks. It won't hurt anything unless it is really bad (ie at saturation point so that it suddenly all dies). To be dangerous it would be so green that you can't see into the tank at all. Causes are possibly nitrate or phosphate as above, but in new tanks it's just a sign that the tank is still immature and the plant balance is not yet established. In the well established tank the plants outgrow the algae. The algae needs a certain light level to thrive, so if you cut the light back in the tank you will hinder its growth. But you will also hold back the plants. They need light to grow well, and they need more light to grow well than the algae does. So if you increase the light to get the plants growing, you will also increase the algae at first, but after a while the plants will win. It's annoying/heartbreaking when you have green water that won't go away, but so wonderful when one day you realise the tank has started clearing all by itself. In the meantime, the question is how often to do water changes. Sometimes a water change just seems to stimulate it more, but other times, the water change lets more light through to let the plants grow. Most of what I do comes from the Walstad book "Ecology of the planted aquarium" and so far I have tried to follow her advice and found that it works. She also says to be wary of anti-algae products. 1. They are usually poisons such as copper or simazine and the balance between safety and toxicity for the fish is very fine and easy to get wrong, or 2. The dead algae can rot the water quickly and kill the fish, or 3. They are a flocculents which are positively charged to make the particles of algae cling together and fall to the bottom, but they also upset the balance of the fishes' gills and clog them up too. I have three tanks, all of which had huge green water problems in the first year but seem pretty stable now. They are beside windows and have lights on 13-14 hours a day. I use a lot of indian fern, Amazon swords, tiger lotus, hygrophila, etc. Plants that grow well, including up to and above the surface to help with oxygen exchange and/or have roots dangling in the water to help with nutrient absorption. There is algae in my tanks, but at a level that I find acceptable - just gives it a natural look - and the water is now clear. Report
September 15, 200917 yr Author comment_330005 Hi Sorry I should of come back here and told you guys I have been doing a 10 percent water change once a day and have also cut back on the lighting and the water has cleared now Also I put some more plants more in the tank 8) Looking at getting some Christmas Moss and I have also brought some ZEBRA DANIOS since I have a empty tank now all the platies and the Guppies are in the 60LT like a big nice happy family Report
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