# Green Water Question



## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

Ben Belton said:


> I have been fighting green water for months. I know a UV sterilizer and blackouts will take care of it, but that doesn't take care of the cause really. I am determined to go all Tom Barr on it and keep playing with light, CO2, water testing, and ferts until I get rid of it. I have a couple more things to try before I admit defeat and come back for help, but I had one quick question.
> 
> My green water is almost gone in the mornings before the lights come on, but by late afternoon after they have been on awhile, it is back in full force. Is this normal? Seems like the water would be green and cloudy all the time.


I don't think fixing the cause is the issue once you have it. Green water is a single celled algae its phytoplankton same kind but different species used in saltwater to feed planktonic animals and can switch from autotroph during the lighting period to heterothroph at night. If it can't photosynthesis it will turn clear until there is enough light. I used these to feed my amano shrimp zoes. I will be following this if you don't mind posting your findings. Its extremely efficient at using nutrients so I'm not sure how you will get rid of it without UV, diatoms filter or blackout.

Maybe oxygen starvation? but that will kill your BB

Added: NVM that won't work in a planted tank

Dan


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## Ben Belton (Dec 12, 2008)

Thanks for the thoughts. Someone elsewhere has suggested something that somewhat works with what you have said. Maybe I have fixed the cause already. If I just kill the stuff, it won't come back. This seems reasonable given the water seems more cloudy and only a little more green during the day. 

I have tried a lot of tweaks. Going to try a couple more before I go UV. I'll let you know.


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

I know they have used Iron to induce algae blooms... Did you start adding iron when this occurred?

Dan


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## Ben Belton (Dec 12, 2008)

Dman911 said:


> I know they have used Iron to induce algae blooms... Did you start adding iron when this occurred?


No, I have been adding traces since the tank was set up. This occurred about 2 months after.


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

Have you done anything to rectify this problem yet? I have an idea that might be worth a go if conditions allow.

Dan


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## Ben Belton (Dec 12, 2008)

I'm giving the last couple things I tried a few days. Water didn't seem to get more cloudy last night. Also I have a NH3 kit coming tonight.


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

Ben Belton said:


> I'm giving the last couple things I tried a few days. Water didn't seem to get more cloudy last night. Also I have a NH3 kit coming tonight.


I was doing some digging around on the idea of salinity and was thinking if you took the fish out and raised the salinity with aquarium salt for a few days it may disrupt the algae enough to kill it since freshwater phytoplankton and saltwater phytoplankton are different species but in the end I found an study done that would suggest this would not work. So what I was thinking probably would not be successful.

Dan


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## Ben Belton (Dec 12, 2008)

Ha! That would have been interesting to try though. 

Someone on the AGA page on FB suggested that since it didn't look too thickly green that it might be a bacterial bloom. My reply was that considering all I had done to fix it, that made a lot of sense. Also it seems more yellow than green. I received several good suggestions including just to get over myself, buy the UV, nuke it, and it would probably never come back. Probably what I should have done months ago. My determination is wearing thin though. I'm about to hit "buy" for that UV.


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

Ben Belton said:


> Ha! That would have been interesting to try though.
> 
> Someone on the AGA page on FB suggested that since it didn't look too thickly green that it might be a bacterial bloom. My reply was that considering all I had done to fix it, that made a lot of sense. Also it seems more yellow than green. I received several good suggestions including just to get over myself, buy the UV, nuke it, and it would probably never come back. Probably what I should have done months ago. My determination is wearing thin though. I'm about to hit "buy" for that UV.


Its possible there are bacteria that photosynthesis as well. The simple addition of antibacterial medication like erythromycin may provide an answer to that but I cannot comment if this would have an effect on BB.

I get where you are coming from I too like to not accept answers and prove things to myself. Its a great trait at times and not so great at others 

Dan


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## Ben Belton (Dec 12, 2008)

Dman911 said:


> Its a great trait at times and not so great at others


Yes, sometime stubborn determination puts you on top. Other times you are just causing yourself needless headache. There is a small chance I completely missed when I crossed the line from one to the other. :wink2:


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## Doppelgaenger (Jul 20, 2015)

I'd suggest getting some freshwater clams, they'll filter the water for you.


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## dpeco33 (Apr 15, 2017)

What is wrong with the uv filter? Not a bad thing if it works.. You don't have to run them all the time, however any free floating ich or parasites will usually die from it to do it is not a bag protection no?

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

*bad protection

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk


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## Dman911 (Nov 24, 2016)

dpeco33 said:


> What is wrong with the uv filter? Not a bad thing if it works.. You don't have to run them all the time, however any free floating ich or parasites will usually die from it to do it is not a bag protection no?
> 
> Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk


Nothing wrong with UV and it definitely works. I think what @Ben Belton was trying to do is test for alternative treatments since he already has green water. There are several known treatments but there may possibly be more that have not been tested and may turn out to be more cost/time effective. Personally I am one of these people that would do the same to an extent just for curiosity and learning purposes. It's the foundation of advancement in the hobby.

Dan


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## Ben Belton (Dec 12, 2008)

dpeco33 said:


> What is wrong with the uv filter? Not a bad thing if it works..


I never said it was a bad thing. I was just approaching the problem from a different angle.


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## Kehy (Feb 5, 2012)

Apparently rooting willow branches in your tank can help dramatically... in some cases

Fighting green water. Simple cheap method. - Algae - Aquatic Plant Central


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## Ben Belton (Dec 12, 2008)

I actually tried this a couple months back. I didn't work. It might not have been because it doesn't work. It just didn't work for me. I might have used too small a branch to draw up enough ammonia and/or I'm not sure the branch was getting enough light. 

I am still fine tuning a couple things I have tired. It is 90% better.


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## Ben Belton (Dec 12, 2008)

So just to close this out here. I tried a few things and the answer in the end was just reducing my light. I cut the LEDs down to 80% and the green water slowly faded away over a few days and the plants are fine.

Now, I have one other algae that was causing me trouble that I can't get rid of. About to make a post.

Never had so much trouble with algae.


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