Water Problems

djsimsimon · 01/10/2010, 04:52 PM

Hey. I have had my nano up and running for about 2 years. It is a 10 gallon tank. About three weeks ago the water just turned green. From my understanding this is just free floating algae. I have tried about everything to get rid of it. I have tried leaving the lights off, I have tried changing the water a lot more frequently, I have even used commercial algae killers (specifically Algone). Non of those solutions worked. I am hoping that someone can help me out by telling me some way to get rid of the algae. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks.

Agu · 01/10/2010, 06:18 PM

If you're having an algae bloom there are excess nutrients from something. I would check your water source and reevaluate your feeding habits.

In the short term I'd recommend getting a cheap hang on back filter and putting it on the front of the tank for a few days. Use some mechanical filtration (but clean/replace it often like three or four times/day), some carbon to remove organics (again use smaller amounts and replace it daily) and some polyfilter to remove any chemicals that might be in the tank. On a ten gallon tank that approach should clean it up in a couple of days.

In the longer term you need to figure out what caused the algae bloom and how to prevent future blooms.

djsimsimon · 01/17/2010, 03:42 PM

I have tried your suggestion but it hasn't worked. I even tried leaving the lights off, but nothing. The water is still green. It's a 10 gallon tank and I don't want to have to go overboard with buying uv sterilizers or protein skimmers. I mean how hard can it be to get rid of an algae problem in such a small tank? Do you have any other suggestions? Thanks for the help.

Fibinotchi · 01/17/2010, 04:00 PM

It is usually the result of an ammonia spike, disturbing the substrate, or something died and got missed, I have battled it before in freshwater tanks and was only successful with a UV sterilizer because I couldn't see to fix the problem without it. I have tried blackouts but it causes other problems, and I was never successful water-changing it away. I bought a 100 dollar uv sterilizer and a hydor pico pump to run it and it was well worth the expense. It is also beneficial if you run it at the right gph in fighting free floating parasites like ick although I have never had any disease in any of my tanks. GL

djsimsimon · 01/17/2010, 04:04 PM

What uv sterilizer did you buy?

Fibinotchi · 01/17/2010, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djsimsimon

What uv sterilizer did you buy?

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...99&pcatid=7999 with the 600 model of this http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...4&pcatid=21414

snip84 · 01/18/2010, 02:47 PM

hello,

I have the same damn problem. i tried filtering with syncmicro JBL, carbon etc. nothing worked. i tried blackout for 3 days. Worked a little...not much. Now i changed almost all the water made a good gravel vacuum and now i guess its going to be fine. Im going to buy a UVC anyway. It drives you mad...i dont even have much in there. I dont even feed anything! green anemones and a xenia. 1 hermit and 1 cleaner shrimp and lots of LR. Thats it.....anoying!

aukerda · 01/18/2010, 03:15 PM

What kind of filtration method do you currently use? what is the stock in your tank? what do you feed and how often? What is your water source? What tests are you running and what are your readings for each?

01/10/2010, 04:52 PM	#1
djsimsimon Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6	Water Problems Hey. I have had my nano up and running for about 2 years. It is a 10 gallon tank. About three weeks ago the water just turned green. From my understanding this is just free floating algae. I have tried about everything to get rid of it. I have tried leaving the lights off, I have tried changing the water a lot more frequently, I have even used commercial algae killers (specifically Algone). Non of those solutions worked. I am hoping that someone can help me out by telling me some way to get rid of the algae. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks.

01/10/2010, 06:18 PM	#2
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	If you're having an algae bloom there are excess nutrients from something. I would check your water source and reevaluate your feeding habits. In the short term I'd recommend getting a cheap hang on back filter and putting it on the front of the tank for a few days. Use some mechanical filtration (but clean/replace it often like three or four times/day), some carbon to remove organics (again use smaller amounts and replace it daily) and some polyfilter to remove any chemicals that might be in the tank. On a ten gallon tank that approach should clean it up in a couple of days. In the longer term you need to figure out what caused the algae bloom and how to prevent future blooms. __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

01/17/2010, 03:42 PM	#3
djsimsimon Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6	I have tried your suggestion but it hasn't worked. I even tried leaving the lights off, but nothing. The water is still green. It's a 10 gallon tank and I don't want to have to go overboard with buying uv sterilizers or protein skimmers. I mean how hard can it be to get rid of an algae problem in such a small tank? Do you have any other suggestions? Thanks for the help.

01/17/2010, 04:00 PM	#4
Fibinotchi Upstanding Citizen Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 650	It is usually the result of an ammonia spike, disturbing the substrate, or something died and got missed, I have battled it before in freshwater tanks and was only successful with a UV sterilizer because I couldn't see to fix the problem without it. I have tried blackouts but it causes other problems, and I was never successful water-changing it away. I bought a 100 dollar uv sterilizer and a hydor pico pump to run it and it was well worth the expense. It is also beneficial if you run it at the right gph in fighting free floating parasites like ick although I have never had any disease in any of my tanks. GL

01/17/2010, 04:04 PM	#5
djsimsimon Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 6	What uv sterilizer did you buy?

01/18/2010, 02:47 PM	#7
snip84 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4	hello, I have the same damn problem. i tried filtering with syncmicro JBL, carbon etc. nothing worked. i tried blackout for 3 days. Worked a little...not much. Now i changed almost all the water made a good gravel vacuum and now i guess its going to be fine. Im going to buy a UVC anyway. It drives you mad...i dont even have much in there. I dont even feed anything! green anemones and a xenia. 1 hermit and 1 cleaner shrimp and lots of LR. Thats it.....anoying!

01/18/2010, 03:15 PM	#8
aukerda Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Aurora, CO Posts: 51	What kind of filtration method do you currently use? what is the stock in your tank? what do you feed and how often? What is your water source? What tests are you running and what are your readings for each?