serious green water "needs fix"

[Reef Puffer]

Originally Posted by HaZRaTTy

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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

[Reef Puffer]

Originally Posted by 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.



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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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?