The right amount of nutrients keep your plants happy and looking their best. But too much of one nutrient and not enough of another is all it takes to throw your tank into chaos. You see, these nutrients are not just utilized by your plants but the algae too. Makes sense, right? I mean, algae is a plant after all.
So by using too much or in some cases too little of a nutrient, you could be accidentally encouraging your water to turn green. If you dose your tank with nutrients, the first thing you should do is check your water parameters. If you notice anything unusual, such as excessive levels of CO2 or phosphates, take steps to not only lower these levels but prevent them from happening again.
Whether you like it or not, regular maintenance is a big part of owning an aquarium. In fact, many of the problems that beginners face can be solved just be keeping a regular maintenance routine.
If you are not getting the basics right, like maintenance, then narrowing down the cause of your green aquarium water is going to be nearly impossible. Here are some quick tips you can use to get your tank back on track. Obviously, the best solution to getting rid of green water is prevention, which I outlined earlier in this guide. Below, I show you four solutions that are commonly used to treat green aquarium water.
Best of all, these products actually work! Check price. This is actually my favorite tool for ridding your aquarium of that awful green tint. Not only is a UV sterilizer safe for fish, invertebrates and plants, but it requires no effort on your part — simply turn it on and forget about it. As water flows through this device, it is exposed to UV light. This UV light kills any microscopic organisms that are floating in the water, such as bacterial blooms and phytoplankton.
In just a few days, the phytoplankton responsible for your green aquarium water will start to die off. The result? Crystal-clear aquarium water.
The phytoplankton that turn your water green are so small that your filter is unable to trap them. The tiny suckers keep slipping through. Fortunately, with a simple modification, your filter can turn into a green-water trapping machine — all you need is a polishing pad. A polishing pad is capable of filtering out even the tiniest particles from your aquarium water, leaving you with sparkling, crystal-clear water.
As you might have guessed, this makes a polishing pad the perfect tool for removing that green tint from your aquarium water. Remember that you need to replace the filter as it traps and removes the phytoplankton from your aquarium, so make sure you have a couple on hand and swap them out as they clog. If you are nodding your head, then get yourself some Daphnia.
This tiny creature will happily eat the phytoplankton that is turning your water green. Buy them live either online or at your local fish store. One hundred Daphnia can quickly make a dent in even the murkiest green water. Your fish will also thank you for adding Daphnia to the aquarium. Many fish, such as betta and tetra, find Daphnia a delicious treat! It is important that you correctly identify your green aquarium water as phytoplankton and not some similar algae… Daphnia do not eat other types of algae.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, in a way, it is. Using chemicals is my least favorite solution to green water. In fact, they work really well. The problem is that what I keep in my tank will be very different to what you keep in yours.
I would also add that in a rush to get rid of their green water, beginners tend to overdose with these chemical products. And this causes more problems than it solves. Given that the other solutions are much safer, and just as affordable, chemical treatment of your green water should be used as a last resort.
Yep, the phytoplankton that turn water green are a commonly used supplement for reef tanks and are eaten by corals. Now that you know what it is, what causes it and how to get it under control, green water should no longer be a problem in your aquarium. How did you get rid of the green water in your aquarium? Let me know in the comments below! I've been keeping fish for over 30 years and currently have 4 different aquariums — it's an addiction.
I'm here to teach you everything there is to know about fishkeeping. I also use this site as an excuse to spend lots of money on testing and reviewing different aquarium products! You can find my reviews here. Tank info 1. Temp Zero ammonia, nitrite; nitrate 4. Alot of fish really 6. HOB gph 2 powerheads for undergravel filter gph each 7. Changed 1 of two filter pads to keep some good bacteria in HOB 2. Used 10 gals of distilled water. Water just cleaned upped nicely that day very quickly.
Thanks for the update on your tank! Just to clarify, your nitrate levels were ppm? That is ridiculously high. The excess nitrate was possibly being used as a food source for algae that turned your water green. Thanks for weighing in. Hard to believe using a different tube was all it took. Thanks Ian—yes…. I have a 40 gallon. Something like this is the right size for a 20 gallon.
The next size down, a 3 watt would be too small. I had a problem with greenish water for over a month and was going to try a polishing pad as I did not want to use chemicals. Instead, I used an old thick terry cloth wash cloth and cut it up in squares and placed it between the foam insert and charcoal insert in my aquaclear.
Works like a charm. My only concern with repeating this would be the dyes and other chemicals that these can contain leaching into the aquarium, particularly in tanks containing sensitive fish.
Hi Ian, I thought about that. I used a white terry wash cloth washed in tank water and made sure to line dry it and never used dryer sheets on it. My tank is now crystal clear and the wash cloth is green. I love it. You have me intrigued now, and would love to experiment with how effective it is. I think this is may be a viable option for those who do not have affordable polishing pads available.
However, terry cloth would likely be easier to wash and reuse — my experience with fine polishing pads, especially those around 50 micron, is that they have to be disposed of once they clog. Have you tried washing and re-using your design yet?
Cost wise if you go to a dollar store and buy a wash cloth for a dollar or so it will probably be extremely cost effective. Hi Ian, I decided to change the first piece of wash cloth I placed in the filter pack. It was white when I started and a dark green when removed. I washed it out and placed it back in the filter pack. After a few days the tank had a very slight cloudy appearance. I think the problem with reusing the piece of original cloth was so it was saturated with algae that it became the problem.
The second piece I placed at the bottom of the filter pack and again it remove any existing algae. Thanks for following up with this. It seems that it faces a similar problem as filter floss in that due to the fine pores, they are neatly impossible to wash and re-use. Once again, thanks so much for sharing! I have gallon African cichlid tank I have never had a green algae bloom before the only thing I changed was my filtration.
I had two emperor four hundreds and a marine land canister. I switched to the fluval Fx6. The switch happened two months ago I am now plagued with green water. No changes on location of tank no changes on lighting Any thoughts? Unfortunately, this is a tricky one to diagnose, I would not expect the Fluval to be the cause, especially if it was two months ago.
If it keeps appearing, then it has a food source that needs to be cut back. I have a big tank so another 2 weeks went by. Still green. What do you recomend? Have you tested your water with an aquarium test kit first?
This will determine if there is an obvious imbalance that needs to be fixed — for instance, your tank might need to be cycled again. You might not need to buy a UV sterilizer if you can fix it manually — UV sterilizers are not exactly cheap. If everything looks normal and you still want to go the UV Sterilizer route, the AA Aquarium Green Killing Machine is the most reliable in terms of price and performance.
They have replacement bulbs sold separately and last for years. Hi there Ian. I am a small time aquarium operator compared to you guys but I hope you can help me. I have a 2. I have a biological filter that keeps all the N levels where they should be.
I got the snail to help with the algae dust the kind that sticks on surfaces and he does a good job with it. But the tank is overrun with floating green algae. I have added a scrubbing pad as you recommended to the filter area. Any more than that and you will get excess algae growth.
Keep nutrient levels low by doing lots of partial water changes to lower nitrate levels and add phosphate removing media to the filter. Ensure the plants have enough nutrients to be strong and healthy enough to fight algae naturally, so this time actually add nitrates and phosphates with a good brand of complete plant fertiliser. Change the water regularly, brush off and suck out as much algae as you can, and ensure there is good filter circulation and consistent levels of CO2.
Algae eating creatures can help in every sort of aquarium. Add algae eating fish, shrimp and snails to help you keep on top of algae growth. They will work tirelessly, 24 hours per day to help keep your tank looking clean and tidy.
There are lots of handy tools available to help physically remove algae from your fish tank. The forms of algae that occur in most aquariums are freshwater green algae. It is natural for aquariums to have some algae, and in fact, algae can provide food for snails and other aquatic creatures in your collection.
The problem comes when the bloom gets out of control and turns the water in your aquarium murky and opaque. The green color occurs because the number of microscopic algae becomes so high that it reduces the transparency of the water. In severe cases, the water may be so green that the fish are not even visible. Green water is usually due to either a significant excess of light particularly direct sunlight or a major water quality problem.
Water changes more frequently will reduce green water temporarily, but will not eliminate it or keep it from coming back, unless the underlying causes are addressed. The water aggregators sold in pet stores that profess to clump suspended algae and remove it are not effective against green water.
Also, the use of algaecides that kill the algae may cause a depletion in oxygen in the water due to decomposition of dead algae cells. As with any aquarium problem , keeping the aquarium clean and performing regular water changes is one of the best preventative measures. Prompt attention to sudden algae growth will prevent more serious problems in your tank.
Aquarium Fish FAQ. Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
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