# Bacteria bloom..?



## jgmbosnia1 (Oct 18, 2010)

The second to last pic looks more like an algae bloom, otherwise known as "Green Water". There are tons of ways to get rid of it. Just do a search and you will see. I have had tanks clear up by themselves. I have also had to use Algaefix and a UV sterilizer. As far as the surface scum...You may want to use some surface agitation at night. It helps to break up the film so the filter can do its job.
You said you changed the lighting. Did you go up in wattage or change the spectrum? If you went a step up in your lighting, this could also be the reason behind your bloom. If the light in the picture is a twin T5HO setup then the light is too close to the surface of the water.


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## h2oaggie (Feb 28, 2011)

I had a DIY CFL fixture before upgrading to the T5HO fixture a few days ago. The bloom began way before the change in light. My DIY fixture was 4 23W 6500K CFL bulbs, but it appeared that they were losing their brightness, and were actually emitting light much lower in the spectrum (very yellow). The T5HO is an Odyssea with a barely adequate parabolic reflector, so I might have a little too much light but not as much as you might expect. 

That second to last picture is showing the surface film. The green you can see is the simply the plants below, not the best picture.

I have a canister filter coming with a surface skimmer, so the film will be taken care of shortly.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

You should at least have a cheap ammonia test kit to determine if your biofilter is working properly. Any ammonia detectable?

The AC filter sponges can eventually clog with bacterial buildup in the middle, which a quick rinse won't remove.

Take a look at the filter basket. Near the top there's a set of holes in the side. If the media clogs, water bypasses the media and goes through the holes instead, unfiltered. This has caused cloudy water for me if I don't have a second filter taking up the slack.

Temporarily mount the sponge high enough to block those holes (the little spikes in the sides of the basket will hold it in place). Then run the filter and look at the water level in the left impeller chamber relative to the media chamber.

If it's at the same level or just a hair higher, the sponge is ok.

If it's noticeably higher, the sponge is partially clogged, enough to cause bypass in normal operation.

If it's so high that some water actually comes out of the filter from around the intake tube, the sponge is _really_ clogged.

In case of clogging, you'll need to deep clean the sponge. This will of course destroy much, or even all biofilter bacteria in it. And this is why you should have multiple pieces of filter media, or even multiple filters; so that you can replace or clean any one piece without wiping out your biofilter.

The most thorough cleaning is the washing machine. Set to longest normal cycle, hottest water and lowest water level. Add a bit of color safe bleach (non-chlorine). When it's done, repeat the cycle but with no bleach; just to make sure every trace of chemicals are removed.


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## h2oaggie (Feb 28, 2011)

Darkcobra, I just checked the filter and it does appear that water is bypassing the sponges.



> If it's so high that some water actually comes out of the filter from around the intake tube, the sponge is really clogged.


That is exactly what appears to be happening. I will clean the crap out of one of the sponges and see how that works. Hopefully my canister filter gets here soon. 

Thanks so much for telling me to check it out!!


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

You're welcome!

Put it in a bucket with some tank water. Squeeze and slosh the crap out of it.  That'll temporarily restore enough flow to get you by, without disrupting the biofilter too much. It will usually clog again in a few weeks unless deep cleaned (washing machine or high pressure water jet), but you can always repeat the process if your canister hasn't arrived or isn't yet fully seeded.


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## Higher Thinking (Mar 16, 2011)

jgmbosnia1 said:


> The second to last pic looks more like an algae bloom, otherwise known as "Green Water". There are tons of ways to get rid of it. Just do a search and you will see. I have had tanks clear up by themselves. I have also had to use Algaefix and a UV sterilizer.


Although there are other methods aside from chemical treatment, if you choose this route there is something worth noting. First, you want to do 1/2 doses of algae-fix every twelve hours instead of one dose every 24. This stuff sucks the oxygen out of the water which leads to the next point that you need to increase surface agitation as well. I have used this product with success but you will likely see fishing sucking air at the surface due to lack of oxygen. Keep in mind that even though algae-fix cures the green water blooms, if you cannot locate the cause it will likely return.


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## sjuapseorn (Feb 17, 2011)

Ok this is the thread I need to be on.. I'm having some of the same problem, but mine is def green water. I don't get it though, I actually went DOWN on lighting when I started getting algae on the glass.. 

Frustrating!

CO2 is at 3bps, Dosing PFertz 3x a week, Plants are growing like weeds, just my water is Freakin GREEN!!!!!!!  It wasn't green on sunday when I did a 50% wC for the week. 30-45 m after the water change I noticed a marked cloudiness. Tonight it's so cloudy/green I can't see my background from 5 feet away.

It's becoming a Major PITA!!!


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## gordonrichards (Jun 20, 2009)

Try doing a couple water changes. Stop dosing with ferts. Something is out of balance.
Within time the green water will go away.


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## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

sjuapseorn said:


> Ok this is the thread I need to be on.. I'm having some of the same problem, but mine is def green water. I don't get it though, I actually went DOWN on lighting when I started getting algae on the glass..
> 
> Frustrating!
> 
> ...


What's your lighting and photoperiod?

Could you post a pic of the tank?


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## sjuapseorn (Feb 17, 2011)

Light is a 24 watt T5HO 5500K (1) on for 4 hrs in the morning, then off till the afternoon, then on again for 6 more hours. or something along those lines..

I'm totally confused though. I thought reducing light would cause algae to go down not up lol... I'll post some pics in a day or two. I'm totally bushed tonight. I just got in from my Phi Theta Kappa induction ceremony. 
They say I'm smart so.. 
WooHoo! 

Now why can't I figure out this issue? xD


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

sjuapseorn said:


> I'm totally confused though. I thought reducing light would cause algae to go down not up lol... I'll post some pics in a day or two.


Light is just one piece of the puzzle.

Slowing down plant growth by reducing light also reduces consumption of organic wastes. If you reach a point where they're not quickly consumed, or worse, allowed to build up; then the algae has its preferred food source and will thrive despite the light reduction.

Heavily stocked tanks, light planting, slow growers, nutrient limitations, and marginal filtration or flow are all factors that can cause this to happen.

Of course, if your light was too high to begin with, then reducing it is the proper course of action; but the other issues must be fixed as well.

And sometimes, the green water seems to be able to sustain itself, even when the underlying cause is corrected sufficiently that the bloom would never have occurred in the first place. The algae itself contains a lot of nutrients. That which dies off naturally or is killed, releases it in organic forms perfect for feeding new algae. Sometimes you have to resort to UV, diatom filters, H2O2, frequent/large water changes, extra filter cleaning, or (ugh) algaecides to break the cycle.



sjuapseorn said:


> I just got in from my Phi Theta Kappa induction ceremony.
> They say I'm smart so..
> WooHoo!


Congratulations!


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## sjuapseorn (Feb 17, 2011)

You know.. I did a scrape and wipe this morning. The junk on the glass isn't that soft gooey brown stuff that normally appears. this is very dark green dots but not like hair, just dots like . . . . . . . I can't explain it really but imagine a grid of dots

After I scraped and wiped, the "green" is a little less but now the water is super cloudy. 

As for the flow/filtration issue, I'm using an AC50 which seemed too strong at first but now I'm not so sure.. Media is the Big Sponge that comes with it, a Baggy of BioMax, and a baggy of Charcoal. I'm kind of disgusted with the baggy of charcoal since it hasn't cleared up much of anything and it's actually reducing my filter flow by a hefty amount.

I'm going to do another water change tonight when I get off of work, and dose with some H2O2 then do another water change in the morning after it sits for a while.

Hopefully I can get it back to pretty.. Man this tank was really exploding with plant growth before this junk happened.. 

Maybe I should go back to the High light and let the plants do their Nature thing??


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