Green water

Discussion in 'Algae' started by JetEngineMech, Apr 13, 2007.

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  1. JetEngineMech

    JetEngineMech Feather Duster

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    I had some algae building up on my tank walls and scraped it all off. After a few days the water still has a green tint to it. Is it just a matter of time for it to clear up or are water changes the only way to go? Also, is there a critter that filter-feeds off the algae?
     
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  3. geekdafied

    geekdafied 3reef Sponsor

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    Have you checked your parameters? Thats a sign your nitrates are high usually.
     
  4. djnzlab1

    djnzlab1 Aiptasia Anemone

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    Hi

    HI,
    I am newbie also , but I have found that that green color goes away if you have a skimmer. Skimmers help polish the water, without one your phos will be high feeding the algae and nitrite producing bacteria , Get good skimmer and then feed alittle less increase water changes to weekly try to remove any dead critters. feed only what the fish will eat in a couple mins . Avoid excess flake usage it adds a lot of phos.
    refugums with algae also help prevent excess algae,

    And it should clear up, has your tank completly cycled, many people add fish crabs, and other things before they have even cycled the tank completly it will cause more problems.
    Doug

    psps Saltwater tanks are very sensitive, excess feeding can really change the water for the bad. most fish will beg like puppy dogs. but your water can't take the waste it will produce.
     
  5. JetEngineMech

    JetEngineMech Feather Duster

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    The nitrites were a bit high so I changed out 6 gal of water and brought it down. I may do another one tomorrow or is that too soon? As far as skimming, my skimmer isn't picking up too much. Does increasing/decreasing the air change how much it removes?
     
  6. djnzlab1

    djnzlab1 Aiptasia Anemone

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    oh yea

    HI,
    Skimmer are all little quirky, some require you to push the water level to almost the I TRY to stop 1 in below the topbefore they start skiming, they don't so much otherwise,
    My two will bubble like heck but if the water level isn't almost to the overflow it don't skim.
    So tunning your skimmer is paramount
    Doug,
    here's one thats pretty high and blowing bubbles pretty good.

    [​IMG]
    psps many aren't worth the box they come in, i had a skillter , I changed to 68 gal and then a 220 gal coralife. the little skimmer on the right was a piece of junk and is in its box under a tank I believe its called an oddessa .. so they all have different capacity and some just don't work well.

    Very pleased with the last one the larger skimmer is so efficient the little one rarely skims even when dialed up,,
    .
     
    Last edited: Apr 16, 2007
  7. JetEngineMech

    JetEngineMech Feather Duster

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    Well I got my nitrites back down to zero and changed out the carbon (all four) in my filter. I also change out 5 gal of water today but this green water doesn't seem to be fading away. Is it just a matter of time now?
     
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  9. JetEngineMech

    JetEngineMech Feather Duster

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    I've read on some other sites to cover the tank and turn off all lights for three days and that should kill off the algae. What about my zoanthid, will it be OK for 3 days without light?
     
  10. Tangster

    Tangster 3reef Sponsor

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    I have watched this thread and waited to see what was going to be posted... Seems there are notakers :) What are you feeding this tank ? and how often as for the Nitrates just get a de-nitrater coil and be done with that problem. about 69.00 dollars and no more nitrates. As for the phyto bloom its being fed into the tank some how and as for the corals with no light for a few days not a problem. People seem to for get that huge storms rage for days sometimes a week and the sun is not seen but the corals live on. :) But thats a cure now to find the cause.
     
  11. inwall75

    inwall75 Giant Squid

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    :thumb_up:
     
  12. mattgeezer

    mattgeezer Montipora Capricornis

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