# Green Water Solution



## mayleesun (Jan 9, 2019)

We finally figured out a solution to the big green water bloom in the tank. 

A week ago I decided to start dosing excel but it messed up my tank parameters and bam, giant green algae bloom. I stopped dosing and started doing water changes but it didn't work well. Thankfully, my grandpa has dealt with this issue before and helped me.

We directed the water outflow to go over a bunch of paper towels / extra water polishing pads (supported by poles) that I had, and it has improved considerably since 2 nights ago. You can see it, it's the white thing on the left. I had put some water polishing pads in the filter but I think the water flow was too fast and the polishing pad too small. With our method, the water travels over a larger surface area with slower flow so more algae be caught. 

Hoping it will continue to improve in the future so it'll be crystal clear again! I think this is a pretty cheap and simple solution compared to buying a UV filter or doing a 3 day blackout.
















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## Grobbins48 (Oct 16, 2017)

How long has the tank been setup and running (does it have a mature biofilter)? What size tank is it? How much excel did you add?

In the past I accidently overdosed glut(excel) and hit my beneficial bacteria pretty hard (biofilter) causing an algae/bacterial type bloom. I wonder if that is what happened to you and it is just taking time for the beneficial bacteria to recolonise in the tank.


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## mayleesun (Jan 9, 2019)

I think it's been running for around 3 months. It's a 40 gallon but probably around 35 accounting for hardscape and plants. I added 3 ml once a day. 
I tested the water when algae started to form - ammonia and nitrite 0 and nitrate is around 20ppm. Green water can be caused by an ammonia spike, so maybe I missed it or it wasn't detected by my test. I've never heard of excel causing algae so I was super confused. Whatever the reason, it just doesn't work in my tank I suppose.

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## moogoo (Dec 7, 2007)

easiest green water solution is a UV sterilizer. you can get an in-tank submersible one for about $40-50

otherwise it's just testing and trying to balance things.


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## mayleesun (Jan 9, 2019)

moogoo said:


> easiest green water solution is a UV sterilizer. you can get an in-tank submersible one for about $40-50
> 
> 
> 
> otherwise it's just testing and trying to balance things.


I just wanted to see if I could mechanically filtrate out the green algae. I get that a uv sterilizer works, but 40 dollars in my opinion is expensive and because it kills all living things in the water won't it also kill beneficial bacteria? Lastly, won't all that dead unicellular organisms rot and create high ammonia levels?

This is the most recent photo. It cleared up super dramatically in just 4 hours.









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## moogoo (Dec 7, 2007)

a proper UV sterilizer setup will kill any free floating bacteria, parasites, and algae spores. it's a quick and easy way to get rid of free floating algae that causes the green water. seems like filtering is working for you so that's great. but unless you get every last one and find that balance, it will come back. there is a lot of beneficial bacteria in your tank in the substrate, rocks, plants, and filter media. none of those will be killed by a UV filter. 

I had one set up on my 75P when I had it. It was on 24/7 and I never had issues with ammonia levels using it. What you're doing seems to be working and i hope you can return to crystal clear again. I'm sure there are other ways to fix green water. I always just went with UV cause i'm impatient  Crystal clear water is the best. it's like the fish are floating in air..


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## Surf (Jun 13, 2017)

The only time I had green water I found I simply had to dim my lights a little bit. Since then I have not seen it.


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## mayleesun (Jan 9, 2019)

moogoo said:


> a proper UV sterilizer setup will kill any free floating bacteria, parasites, and algae spores. it's a quick and easy way to get rid of free floating algae that causes the green water. seems like filtering is working for you so that's great. but unless you get every last one and find that balance, it will come back. there is a lot of beneficial bacteria in your tank in the substrate, rocks, plants, and filter media. none of those will be killed by a UV filter.
> 
> 
> 
> I had one set up on my 75P when I had it. It was on 24/7 and I never had issues with ammonia levels using it. What you're doing seems to be working and i hope you can return to crystal clear again. I'm sure there are other ways to fix green water. I always just went with UV cause i'm impatient  Crystal clear water is the best. it's like the fish are floating in air..


Yes I've been doing water changes so I hope that the excel will be mostly out of the tank and the green water won't come back. Hahha well I learned my lesson- less ferts and little excel. 

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mayleesun said:


> its not letting me delete this so just ignore this post hah
> 
> I just wanted to see if I could mechanically filtrate out the green algae. I get that a uv sterilizer works, but 40 dollars in my opinion is expensive and because it kills all living things in the water won't it also kill beneficial bacteria? Lastly, won't all that dead unicellular organisms rot and create high ammonia levels?
> 
> ...





Surf said:


> The only time I had green water I found I simply had to dim my lights a little bit. Since then I have not seen it.


That's good, glad that worked for you!!!

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