serious green water "needs fix"

[Reef Puffer]

so i have this really bad suspended algae bloom that i cant seem to get rid of. the water changes just dont cut it, im about to black out the tank (a real pita imo) but will that even fix it or will it come back with the lights on? a little history on the system: my lights were on a bit long (and maybe 1 bad bulb) but never really caused much issue. phosphates are 0 nitrates are 0 (witch i found a little odd?) nitrite 0 and my 3 different ammonia tests read 3 different levels so im not quite sure there? but everything seemed good (altho i hadnt done a water change since i moved my tank 2 months earlier). 30% water change = nasty green water the next day. lots of large or small water changes and alot less light seems to have done nothing to help the situation. has been over a week now and hoping black out will fix it? just seeing what others have done in the past and what truly might help. any ideas, thanx

[Aquarium_Medics]

Get a UV sterilizer. It will remove the suspended algae.

[Hiab422]

If you have a sump and room in it try building an algae scrubber easy to do and the results are fantastic.I have one running now for 2 weeks and i can,t beleive the effect it has had on my tank green hair disappearing and some red slime is now all gone.There is a thread started in the reef section have a look at it.
Cheers Larry.

[HaZRaTTy]

IMO - One of the most successful ways to remove an algae out break like you have explained would be to do a 30% WC - Black out for 3 days (Don't worry about feeding as your fish will be fine) and another 30% WC after that. You should be good to go.

I'm sure you already know the causes as you suggested the bad bulb, longated photo period, and possibly to much direct sunlight from a window etc.

This is just what I have done in the past and it has always been sucessful. UV sterilizers will work as well but if you have a larger tank a UV big enough to treat your water to the point you want it to would cost a nice chunk, when that money could be put back into your system for other things.

[Reef Puffer]

unfortunately uv isnt and option right now. and that scrubber basically does what my chaeto does if im correct? from what i have read tho, both great options. my cheato hasnt been getting as much flow to my system for the last couple weeks. could that maybe be the cause of the suspended algae bloom all of a sudden? will the chaeto out compete the bloom? i pulled the chaeto from my tank because i was gonna black it out. should i forget the black out, put the chaeto directly in my dt, and continue with water changes? my kids are complaining they cant see the fish anymore, last thing i wanna do is cover it up so we cant see anything at all.

[HaZRaTTy]

unfortunately uv isnt and option right now. and that scrubber basically does what my chaeto does if im correct? from what i have read tho, both great options. my cheato hasnt been getting as much flow to my system for the last couple weeks. could that maybe be the cause of the suspended algae bloom all of a sudden? will the chaeto out compete the bloom? i pulled the chaeto from my tank because i was gonna black it out. should i forget the black out, put the chaeto directly in my dt, and continue with water changes? my kids are complaining they cant see the fish anymore, last thing i wanna do is cover it up so we cant see anything at all.

It very well could be, you're very right the Chaeto in very simple terms is a fast growing plant that out competes the algae for nutrients meaning that the algae has nothing to "feed" or grow off of.

You could always increase the flow, i'm assuming the chaeto is in the fuge? More flow means more water movement but this would be a SUPER slow process.

The kids are complaining I would suggest you do the WC/BO/WC and you wouldn't be able to see the tank for 2-4 days BUT you can't see the tank right now anways :lol:

[Reef Puffer]

It very well could be, you're very right the Chaeto in very simple terms is a fast growing plant that out competes the algae for nutrients meaning that the algae has nothing to "feed" or grow off of.

You could always increase the flow, i'm assuming the chaeto is in the fuge? More flow means more water movement but this would be a SUPER slow process.

The kids are complaining I would suggest you do the WC/BO/WC and you wouldn't be able to see the tank for 2-4 days BUT you can't see the tank right now anways :lol:
yes the chaeto was in my sump/fuge (for about 8 months with no issues) untill i moved it to a slower flowing fuge a couple weeks back (then did my long overdue w/c last week). then BAM green water (and i mean GREEN, i cant see the fish till they r at the glass). the only fish bothered seems to b my little scooter blenny. i read about low oxygen during the algae bloom. is blasting air through a power head bad for the fish at all? should i just have an air stone, or is just the skimmer sufficient? i guess ill just prep for wc/bo/wc and put the chaeto back in a higher flow area when im done. other than a uv sterilizer i dont see any other fix. pretty sure its not gonna fix itself anytime soon... thanx

[HaZRaTTy]

yes the chaeto was in my sump/fuge (for about 8 months with no issues) untill i moved it to a slower flowing fuge a couple weeks back (then did my long overdue w/c last week). then BAM green water (and i mean GREEN, i cant see the fish till they r at the glass). the only fish bothered seems to b my little scooter blenny. i read about low oxygen during the algae bloom. is blasting air through a power head bad for the fish at all? should i just have an air stone, or is just the skimmer sufficient? i guess ill just prep for wc/bo/wc and put the chaeto back in a higher flow area when im done. other than a uv sterilizer i dont see any other fix. pretty sure its not gonna fix itself anytime soon... thanx

Instead of blasting air through your Powerhead you could always point through the surface for some agitation which would give you some extra O2 action!!

The low oxygen wouldn't be direct cause from the algae. I'm no biologist but it makes sense!

I sounds like your problems started when you moved the chaeto and did a WC. So why not try to go back to the old ways and If that doesn't work...........(which i'm quite certain it will) I give up!

You can also PM me if you need.

[whatcaneyedo]

Its sounds like the skimmer is insufficient if you're having this problem. It might be time for an upgrade. What is your current skimmer and how large is your system? Blasting air bubbles into the tank shouldn't hurt the fish but trapped air bubbles around the tissue of coral could kill them if you have any.



The low oxygen would be direct cause from the algae using it for photosynthesis. I'm no biologist but it makes sense!



Photosynthesis in plants and algae produces oxygen. Respiration in animals and fish uses it up and produces carbon dioxide.

[HaZRaTTy]

Its sounds like the skimmer is insufficient if you're having this problem. It might be time for an upgrade. What is your current skimmer and how large is your system? Blasting air bubbles into the tank shouldn't hurt the fish but trapped air bubbles around the tissue of coral could kill them if you have any.



Photosynthesis in plants and algae produces oxygen. Respiration in animals and fish uses it up and produces carbon dioxide.

reading my post now, that is what I was trying to get out I guess I posted the direct opposite of what was supposed to be implied, but with that being said..

- If the algae doesn't produce enough oxygen in the water during the day it is possible for your oxygen content to deplete during the night. The dying organic matter and algae do use up oxygen at night along with fish. If I remember that correctly, its more relevent for a pond and algae blooms but I would assume there is some relevence to aquarium life. I guess that's where your Skimmer would come in to remove the dead oragnic matter.

[Reef Puffer]

Instead of blasting air through your Powerhead you could always point through the surface for some agitation which would give you some extra O2 action!!

The low oxygen would be direct cause from the algae using it for photosynthesis. I'm no biologist but it makes sense!

I sounds like your problems started when you moved the chaeto and did a WC. So why not try to go back to the old ways and If that doesn't work...........(which i'm quite certain it will) I give up!

You can also PM me if you need.
it started when i did the water change. puting the chaeto back could work eventually, but ill go for the black out and see if the problem returns. assuming the black out clears the water (which im sure it will).

[whatcaneyedo]

You were half right. At night the system reverses and oxygen is used up which can lead to the die off of phytoplankton and the consumption of even more oxygen as the algae decays.

[HaZRaTTy]

You were half right. At night the system reverses and oxygen is used up which can lead to the die off of phytoplankton and the consumption of even more oxygen as the algae decays.

Thanks for the clarfication and correct to my post. I'm going to have to read and refresh my biology.

[Reef Puffer]

Its sounds like the skimmer is insufficient if you're having this problem. It might be time for an upgrade. What is your current skimmer and how large is your system? Blasting air bubbles into the tank shouldn't hurt the fish but trapped air bubbles around the tissue of coral could kill them if you have any.



Photosynthesis in plants and algae produces oxygen. Respiration in animals and fish uses it up and produces carbon dioxide.
from what i got, during the day it makes oxygen and at night it robs the oxygen. with a blackout it will b "night" for 2-4 days (anybody know how long exactly?) this is when i worry about the lack of oxygen. as for the corrals, a couple leathers and some acans i moved to a new home a couple days ago (they didnt look happy (havnt for sometime now) and didnt want them in the blackout?). originally i thought it was one of the leathers dying and mirking up the water.

[Reef Puffer]

You were half right. At night the system reverses and oxygen is used up which can lead to the die off of phytoplankton and the consumption of even more oxygen as the algae decays.
exactly. u beet me to it... apparently u type alot quicker than i!

[hillegom]

So the green algae happened after a water change. What kind of water are you using? If its tap water, whats the TDS?
If RO/DI then no problems.

[Reef Puffer]

So the green algae happened after a water change. What kind of water are you using? If its tap water, whats the TDS?
If RO/DI then no problems.
i go down to the 24hr water thing and plunk my coins in for the 7 stage ro uv blah bla blah.... filtered water. have no tds meter so really no idea how well the water actually is. i tell myself the water "should" be good?

[hillegom]

Its all you can hope for, water should be good.
As another poster said, UV would get rid of the algae. But it is feeding off of nutrients in your water, so you must control those first.

[Reef Puffer]

Its all you can hope for, water should be good.
As another poster said, UV would get rid of the algae. But it is feeding off of nutrients in your water, so you must control those first.
which again, i cant find? i laid right off on the feedings for months now and dont have huge pile of crap laying around? all in all the tank is pretty clean. the system is almost a year old so ive had one algae after another but this is the only one i havnt been able to control. i used to go all day then turn the lights on after work (so including natural light and my lights there was light for about 15+ hrs a day. also have 1 old bulb (who knows how big a deal that is?)

[hillegom]

Well, if you had a lot of nitrates and phosphates before, then changed the water, the nutrients could now be leaching out of your LR. So another WC is warranted.
Any dead fish/snail? Hidden? Kids feeding tank when you aren't looking?

[Reef Puffer]

Well, if you had a lot of nitrates and phosphates before, then changed the water, the nutrients could now be leaching out of your LR. So another WC is warranted.
Any dead fish/snail? Hidden? Kids feeding tank when you aren't looking?
no3 and po4 read zero. po4 always has. no3 was never higher than 15 and that was when i cut back the food 5 months ago and has read zero ever since. the chaeto grows pretty fast tho and could b why readings are zero? as for the kids, they know not to touch it. something dead maybe, nothing that i can see (altho i havnt seen in my tank for a week). maybe a very small hitchhiker mushroom? or a small duster worm? nothing i dont think my system couldnt handle?