Pinsara Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 information on how to address this problem in my planted tank would be highly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 green coloured water or like algea? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 lotsa daphnia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jo1 Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 Cover the tank with a blanket for 3 days (no light) and water change every 2-3 days. Is the tank located in a very light area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 If you have a lot of well established plants they will generally take the nutrient out of the water and the algae will not thrive. Unfortunately plant and algae pretty much like the same conditions. I have some tanks (without plant) which I encourage to go green and use the water as food for daphnia cultures. I was not kidding about my previous comment. I have established gold fish ponds, allowed them to go green, add lottsa daphnia and gold fish. The daphnia eat the algae, the fish eat the daphnia and all is well. Don't forget the fish probably like the green water (feel more secure) its only you that doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted February 3, 2006 Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 leave the light off it works i went on holiday for a week and my tank had quite a covering of algea on it when i came home from my holiday it was all gone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinsara Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 leave the light off it works i went on holiday for a week and my tank had quite a covering of algea on it when i came home from my holiday it was all gone wont it kill the plants? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinsara Posted February 3, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2006 If you have a lot of well established plants they will generally take the nutrient out of the water and the algae will not thrive. Unfortunately plant and algae pretty much like the same conditions. I have some tanks (without plant) which I encourage to go green and use the water as food for daphnia cultures. I was not kidding about my previous comment. I have established gold fish ponds, allowed them to go green, add lottsa daphnia and gold fish. The daphnia eat the algae, the fish eat the daphnia and all is well. Don't forget the fish probably like the green water (feel more secure) its only you that doesn't. Mine's a planted tank. So no fish to eat this daphne. What are they and where do I get them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted February 4, 2006 Report Share Posted February 4, 2006 Ask for some in the trade section. Hopefully a local will have a culture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishy_t Posted February 5, 2006 Report Share Posted February 5, 2006 I've also found that if you make sure you don't have the lights on for more than 10 hours a day, you don't get any algae build up at all but the plants do fine... Saying that I'm not an expert at aquatic plants but it does seem to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 Turning the lights off only masks the problem. You need to find out what is causing the algae. If you do not find the source then it will come back after the lights are turned back on. I run my lights 14 hours a day, 2 x 250W metal halides, - no algae problems. Phosphate is the most common cause of algae. Get your water tested for it or buy a test kit. The combination of phosphate and nitrate is the most common cause for algae outbreaks. You've probably added a large dose of phosphate to the tank recently. Maybe a waterchange? pH stabilisers are often phosphate based and should be avoided. Some fertilisers are way too rich in phosphate. Many solid fertiliser tablets are very rich in phosphate. This is fine if they are pushed deep into the gravel. If an undergravel filter is used the phosphate will wash out into the water however... There is always a cause for algae and it's nearly always not the lighting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantman Posted February 8, 2006 Report Share Posted February 8, 2006 Good advice from Warren. If your tank is expose to direct sun light, algae will also start to boom and you will have green water in your tank. try to position your tank away from direct sunlight. another sure way to go is to invest in UV treatment. it is costly but it guarantee to work. it is a cannester like device that the tank water is pump through the UV ray that will kill any green spores. thus back to clear water again. all the best :lol: :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinsara Posted February 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 But I think it could be due to a lack of fert, as before the green water outbreak, I had been dosing daily with Flourish Excel and Flourish. I was out of town for a while and I was unable to carry out the fert regimen which may have lead to the green water outbreak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Generally the algae bloom and the plants like the same condititions,but the plants will pull the nutrient from the water and starve the algae. Someone else may have more knowledge, but I understand the additive you were using does not contain phosphate/nitrate, it supplies more trace elements and makes them more readily available. I agree with the previous advice saying you can provide a lot of light to an established heavily planted tank without an algae bloom. I think you probably have an excess of phosphate or nitrate or both in solution (both are very soluble) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plantman Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 from what i gather, the water from the tap has some trace elements to keep any plants growing for a while. if you notice, algae grow faster than any plants. that mean they will absorb the nutrients in the water faster than any plants in general (i know some plant grow faster than others base on the characteristic of the plants.) therefore with strong sun light, trace element in the tap water and failing to compete with plant. algae will start booming. and thus green water. if you can supply CO2 and keep a good control, you can encourage your plant to grow stronger and thus compete better with the algaes. please correct me if i am wrong. i am a willing learner. All the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Green algae are microscopic plants and use CO2 in photosynthesis like plants. the difference is all algae nutrient is from the water but most plant can feed through the roots as well. Nutrient in the water will encourage algae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubbieBoy Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 I think it also depends on how heavily your tank is planted. In a sparsely planted tank, or a situation where the plants are not really thriving and actively growing, then phosphates and nitrates in the water column may promote algae and one should try and remove them. On the other hand, in a heavily planted tank with good growth, nitrates and phosphates in the water column are both necessary and desirable. In their absence, the plants become starved and growth slows down, allowing algae to come knocking, so they must actually be added in healthy amounts. Phosphorus is after all an essential plant nutrient just like Nitrogen and Potassium, a certain amount is essential. When the higher order plants are thriving, the algae are not. It may be that that the best way to eliminate algae is to add more ferts. So, IMHO, algae may be caused by either too much or too little phosphate, it depends on the other parameters too. This is a little counter-intuitive. It all depends on the individual setup and there are no hard and fast rules. It is incorrect to state that phosphate causes algae; phosphate causes algae in certain (perhaps even most?) situations, sure. There are different guidelines for 'planted' versus 'non-planted' or sparsely planted tanks. I believe the best way to completely eliminate algae is to address why the plants themselves are not doing well enough to prevent it, whether it be insufficient light, CO2, ferts, whatever. Manufacturers of aquarium products tend to try and reduce and eliminate phosphate from foods etc because of its association with algae, to the extent that planted tanks easily become starved of phosphate entirely. I know I have to throw it in raw quite regularly and it doesn't promote algae in my situation, my plants need it. As plantman says, get your plants to outcompete the algae; fast growing plants are the best algicide of all. Other remedies address the symptoms but not the cause, so it goes away for a while and then returns. Better to address the root (ha ha ) cause. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DubbieBoy Posted February 9, 2006 Report Share Posted February 9, 2006 Mine's a planted tank. So no fish to eat this daphne. What are they and where do I get them? Pinsara - are you saying you have no fish in there at all? In this case, its even more likely that its a nutrient deficiency rather than an excess. If everything was hunky-dorey while you were adding ferts regularly and then things went downhill when this was interrupted, it seems the algae might have gotten a chance to take hold. But once you start fertilising again, your bloom may well dissappear of its own accord. Flourish doesn't contain macronutrients (nitrates and phosphates - the plant equivalent to 'meat'n'veg'), its purely a trace elements supplement (more akin to chocolate and vitamins - essential, but in smaller amounts ). If your tank contains a reasonable amount of plant mass and very few, or no?, fish, then I'd suggest you look add dosing some macros. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinsara Posted February 17, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 Would any of the algae products in the market suit green water? Any thoughts would be welcome. I am thinking of using some as a short-term solution... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.