Front glass covered in a green film????

jon'sreef1977 · 03/11/2007, 08:22 PM

The nitrates in our tank are pretty high (about 60ppm now after a couple of water changes over a 6 day period), but less than 24 hours after each water change, the front glass becomes covered in a very thin lime-green film. When we scrub it away, it comes right back within a few hours.

Does anyone know the direct cause of this, what it is, and what can be done about it other than getting our nitrates down?

Gundo5000 · 03/11/2007, 08:26 PM

Wow! 2 hrs is pretty fast.

does the tank in direct sunlight?

Randall_James · 03/11/2007, 08:40 PM

with excessive nitrates like that, you have plenty of fuel for algae and that is likely what is on the glass. I would consider letting that algae grow without disturbing it for a couple days. Turn off the pumps and vacuum the stuff out as you scrape it.

I would also stay on the water changes and find the source of the nitrates (if you plan on keeping corals for any time) I have never had a tank with nitrate issues and so know it is possible to have undetectable levels all the time. can you tell a bit more about the tank? size, stocking, rock etc...

03/11/2007, 08:22 PM	#1
jon'sreef1977 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 7	Front glass covered in a green film???? The nitrates in our tank are pretty high (about 60ppm now after a couple of water changes over a 6 day period), but less than 24 hours after each water change, the front glass becomes covered in a very thin lime-green film. When we scrub it away, it comes right back within a few hours. Does anyone know the direct cause of this, what it is, and what can be done about it other than getting our nitrates down?

03/11/2007, 08:26 PM	#2
Gundo5000 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Kansas Posts: 1,534	Wow! 2 hrs is pretty fast. does the tank in direct sunlight? __________________ GUNDO

03/11/2007, 08:40 PM	#3
Randall_James Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 6,727	with excessive nitrates like that, you have plenty of fuel for algae and that is likely what is on the glass. I would consider letting that algae grow without disturbing it for a couple days. Turn off the pumps and vacuum the stuff out as you scrape it. I would also stay on the water changes and find the source of the nitrates (if you plan on keeping corals for any time) I have never had a tank with nitrate issues and so know it is possible to have undetectable levels all the time. can you tell a bit more about the tank? size, stocking, rock etc... __________________ "It's a dog eat dog world and I feel like I am wearing milkbone underwear"