# Can't seem to rid the green water



## chk (Apr 17, 2014)

Good evening all,

I am seemly having an issue with my tank's water turning green, and progressively getting worse as time goes on. Trying to dip my head into the planted tank scene I started with buying a ball of java moss from a local store. The light I was using is a Marineland LED from one of the big box stores. I can't recall the wattage, but it was big enough to cover the top of my tank, and fit just right. Oh, by the way the tank I believe is between 25-30 gallons. I bought it awhile ago, and recently set it back up again a couple months ago. I had the java moss attached to a piece of wood, in the center of the tank. Being a novice, it didn't do anything. The light didn't do squat, and the moss continued to deteriorate being peacefully dying. :help: My friend gave me his light to try, which is a Coralife 65w freshwater aquatics light. The moss was already beyond dead, so he told me to just take it out though I was hoping it would be revived under the new light. The green water in the tank started a couple days before taking out the moss. A couple days after, the light bulb stopped working, and I have replaced it with the old fixture while I buy a new light bulb from online. The green water persists. 

So far I have only done 2 water changes. I did one about a week and a half ago, and I did one this afternoon. I wouldn't say I have been trying very hard to get rid of it, but now I have focused and am ready to combat it. My friend has said maybe doing water changes more frequently would rid it. Like either every day, or every other day. I have also heard of covering it with a bag for 72 hours to shut out any light, and didn't know if I did need to go to that extreme. As they say, pictures are worth a 1000 words, so below I have attached some before and after pictures to give people an idea of what is going on. I might also note that everything else in the tank is fake, plant wise. 

Thanks in advance for taking a look, and offering any advice! 

-chk


----------



## jrman83 (Nov 22, 2010)

Blackout for about 5 days works really well. A small UV will take care of it. Does the tank get a lot of natural light?


----------



## greaser84 (Feb 2, 2014)

You should do daily water changes/cleanings, cut your photo period down and raise or dim the light.


----------



## Lab_Man (Dec 7, 2012)

I just got done battling green water. From experience you will not get rid of green water by water changes. I finally got rid of green water by buying a UV sterilizer by coral life.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...tid=10824&ref=6135&subref=NA&cmpid=PPC-G-6135

I bought the 6x 18 watt version.


----------



## DSP (Apr 8, 2014)

A decent uv will take care of it in a matter of days, Another trick I learned was using the cushions out of a couch as filter media, It catches anything that passes through it and helps clear up green water pretty quick.


----------



## Lab_Man (Dec 7, 2012)

Oh, and welcome to the planted tank forum. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here.


----------



## chk (Apr 17, 2014)

*Thanks for all the input!*



jrman83 said:


> Blackout for about 5 days works really well. A small UV will take care of it. Does the tank get a lot of natural light?


I think ultimately I am going to have to just do a blackout like most have suggested. When you talk about UV, do you mean running the UV on normal cycle while doing the blackout? I assume not since than it won't be a blackout! :hihi: Also, the tank doesn't get a lot of natural light, it is in the back corner of my one windowed bedroom. 



greaser84 said:


> You should do daily water changes/cleanings, cut your photo period down and raise or dim the light.


I plan on doing daily water changes and seeing how that goes as well. It will definitely help a bit I think. My friend suggested just leaving the light off period, so that is what I think I will be doing for the time remaining. The light that was given to me, with the correct bulb and such didn't have a stand, so it was just laying directly on top of the tank, maybe a couple inches from the water. I am assuming being so close to the water has it's effects, supposedly enhancing the growth of the algae. For the first week or so with the plant, and the good light I really didn't notice a change, and than bam the green water just popped up out of no where. 



Lab_Man said:


> I just got done battling green water. From experience you will not get rid of green water by water changes. I finally got rid of green water by buying a UV sterilizer by coral life.
> 
> http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produ...tid=10824&ref=6135&subref=NA&cmpid=PPC-G-6135
> 
> I bought the 6x 18 watt version.


I appreciate the link, I will definitely look into it since that is what a lot of folks are mentioning will help fight it off. From the after math of the first two water changes it doesn't seem to be going away, so I will totally agree with you on that matter! Congrats on battling your green water away! roud:



DSP said:


> A decent uv will take care of it in a matter of days, Another trick I learned was using the cushions out of a couch as filter media, It catches anything that passes through it and helps clear up green water pretty quick.


Most of the people have been saying a UV light, so I will definitely look into that option. The filter media I have in there now really doesn't do much justice at all, and I feel like it allows a lot of things through it. I do think though that buying one of those carbon pads, or whatever else they have to put in between the pads helps. I thought I remember my friends telling me you can't have the carbon pads with live plants though? I haven't had them in awhile though, much before I got the java moss. With the UV light, is there a certain cycle that you want to run it? 



Lab_Man said:


> Oh, and welcome to the planted tank forum. There are a lot of knowledgeable people here.


Thanks man! I greatly appreciate it. I am excited, and eager to explore the forums, and soak in all the knowledge that archived here. :hihi:


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

A UV sterilizer is what he's talking about. They basically pull water inside a small tube to expose it to UV light there, so don't light up a tank. 

My own green water treatment requires nothing but patience.

I do nothing.

Wait it out. Do a few water changes here and there if the plants start looking too light-starved, but otherwise, eventually the GW will burn through the available nutrients in the tank and die off all on its own.

It's not a popular way to go (When I'd post pictures of the pea green soup in my tank, I had people begging me to borrow their UV sterilizers hahaha), but it works. :hihi:


Also- is your tank getting sunlight? If so - that's probably your main trigger.


----------



## Raymond S. (Dec 29, 2012)

You can still see inside the tank ? Direct sunlight I have found to be involved in 80% of the threads where green water was there. Too long of a light perid is the other reason.
I liked the direct light for watching my fish and the true color it gave them so at first
I let it shine on my tank. During that period of time, the green water became dense
enough that you needed to put your hand closer than one inch from the glass inside the tank to see it. Do I need to say that since then I have regulated the light and
stopped the direct sunlight ? But it went away on it's own before I did these things.
I did them so it wouldn't come back. Till then, if anyone ask you...just say it's your science project for school...LOL...


----------



## chk (Apr 17, 2014)

*Thanks for clearing that up!*



lauraleellbp said:


> A UV sterilizer is what he's talking about. They basically pull water inside a small tube to expose it to UV light there, so don't light up a tank.
> 
> My own green water treatment requires nothing but patience.
> 
> ...


I will look into UV sterilizers, and keep doing water changes for the next couple of days, and than start a blackout if nothing happens. My tank doesn't get much sunlight at all, it's in the back corner of my bedroom.


----------



## chk (Apr 17, 2014)

Raymond S. said:


> You can still see inside the tank ? Direct sunlight I have found to be involved in 80% of the threads where green water was there. Too long of a light perid is the other reason.
> I liked the direct light for watching my fish and the true color it gave them so at first
> I let it shine on my tank. During that period of time, the green water became dense
> enough that you needed to put your hand closer than one inch from the glass inside the tank to see it. Do I need to say that since then I have regulated the light and
> ...


Yeah, I can see inside the tank. Water changes definitely help that though! This tank really doesn't get much natural light at all. Ultimately I think it was a matter of having the light too close to the water and/or tank, incorrect on/off cycle, and having a dead plant that, and no other plants to take up the light so it just gave it all to the algae, and they took over! Haha, yes it is totally my science project to those who question! :icon_cool


----------



## laconic (Oct 7, 2013)

I find that water changes do not help in the long term. Sure, it clears up the tank for a day or two until the algae bloom spreads into the new water.

The cause of the bloom needs to be corrected. Could be fertilizer amounts, amount of light, filtration deficiency, a new cycling tank or some other issue.

A UV sterilizer is the best (and sadly most expensive) way to go but they do work.


----------



## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

Do not get a UV light. Purchase a Diatom Filter! A UV light kills everything(beneficial bacteria). Vortex makes the best diatom filter IMO.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

I had the same problem. A diatom filter will clean that water in 2 hours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

dcutl002 said:


> Do not get a UV light. Purchase a Diatom Filter! A UV light kills everything(beneficial bacteria). Vortex makes the best diatom filter IMO.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk













Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## THE V (Nov 17, 2011)

When I was keeping goldfish greenwater was my friend. The old pond trick is to put some barley straw into the water. It works sometimes.


----------



## jrman83 (Nov 22, 2010)

A UK does not kill beneficial bacteria. There are many people on here that use them 24/7. I used to about 2yrs ago.

Sent with my Samsung S4 via Tapatalk


----------



## Aqguy (Oct 30, 2013)

DSP said:


> A decent uv will take care of it in a matter of days, Another trick I learned was using the cushions out of a couch as filter media, It catches anything that passes through it and helps clear up green water pretty quick.


So the tank looks good but you cant sit on the couch to watch it , sorry couldn't resist a wool mesh works great most likely very similar to the couch cushion , I buy it in bulk for just a couple bucks


----------



## chk (Apr 17, 2014)

*The battle continues on!*

Evenin' folks, 

I really appreciate all the input that I have been getting so far. I truly didn't expect such a response, so thanks! This place totally rocks! roud: I think I have a good grip on what I need to research, and different techniques to try an combat this beast that has infiltrated my waters. I will definitely keep everyone updated with how things turn out, and what happens along the way. So far I have done *two* water changes, 50% out, 50% in for *two *days straight. Below I have attached a picture of what it looks like tonight after doing a second one. I plan to do another one tomorrow evening after supper. 

Everyone have a safe, fun filled weekend, and we will talk some more tomorrow! 

-chk




laconic said:


> I find that water changes do not help in the long term. Sure, it clears up the tank for a day or two until the algae bloom spreads into the new water.
> 
> The cause of the bloom needs to be corrected. Could be fertilizer amounts, amount of light, filtration deficiency, a new cycling tank or some other issue.
> 
> A UV sterilizer is the best (and sadly most expensive) way to go but they do work.


I can totally understand your point about water changes ultimately not helping in the long term since you might have small particles still hanging around.

Currently I have zero live plants in the tank, and am just combating this algae. After doing water changes for two consecutive days, I have definitely noticed an increase in water clarity. But of course time will be the only decider in if it will stay this way, or come back. I am thinking that it will come back, especially if this filter isn't doing a very good job. Using the correct light, with only a pretty much dead java moss patch only allowed all the energy to be soaked up by the algae because it had no where else to go I am assuming. Thanks for mentioning all those points, they are definitely things I will be taking a look at. 



dcutl002 said:


> Do not get a UV light. Purchase a Diatom Filter! A UV light kills everything(beneficial bacteria). Vortex makes the best diatom filter IMO.
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk





dcutl002 said:


> I had the same problem. A diatom filter will clean that water in 2 hours.
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk





dcutl002 said:


> _"[Picture] See before please._"
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


I will look into what your suggesting. My friend told me that a UV light also might kill bacteria as well. But someone below stated that it didn't! So I will have to do my research, and see. Thanks for your suggestion man. 



THE V said:


> When I was keeping goldfish greenwater was my friend. The old pond trick is to put some barley straw into the water. It works sometimes.


Haha, why do you say the greenwater was your friend I must ask? Unfortunately it hasn't been much of a friend to me man! It's weird seeing the tank water this clear now, because I haven't been used to it!! :biggrin: I am loving the old trick.... now where do they sell barley straw? :confused1:



jrman83 said:


> A UK does not kill beneficial bacteria. There are many people on here that use them 24/7. I used to about 2yrs ago.
> 
> Sent with my Samsung S4 via Tapatalk


Hey man, thanks a lot for your advice. A lot of people first replied with suggesting a UV system, so it definitely is something worth looking into. But as finances come into play, I am going to try the more creative ways first. :icon_wink All with in sane limits, though these crafty water changes seem to be doing some solid help. 



Aqguy said:


> So the tank looks good but you cant sit on the couch to watch it , sorry couldn't resist a wool mesh works great most likely very similar to the couch cushion , I buy it in bulk for just a couple bucks


Haha I love it! I haven't ever considered using something other than what you pay for at the fish store as filter media. Where could one acquire wool mesh? And what other types of filter media have you conjured up?



*PS*: After having uploaded the pictures, and looked at the one from tonight versus the one from last night I can tell that the clarity is improving. Though like I say above, we shall see it is lasts!


----------



## Lab_Man (Dec 7, 2012)

chk said:


> Evenin'
> 
> *PS*: After having uploaded the pictures, and looked at the one from tonight versus the one from last night I can tell that the clarity is improving. Though like I say above, we shall see it is lasts!


Good luck, and enjoy your "cleared up tank", it will not last.


----------

