# Green water..again



## rrogan (Nov 7, 2007)

Hey so I just fought off some green water with a 2 day blackout, which worked. But now 3 days later the green water looks like it's coming back. I recently got a pressurized co2 system for my 55g, and my tank and fairly heavily planted. I started dosing ferts after the blackout and this is my schedule:
.3-.4g phosphate Sun Tues Fri
2-3g KNO3 Sun Tues Fri
.3-.4g plantex Mon Wed Sat
fri/sat water change

I have an ahsupply 2x55w with 2 9328k bulbs, and a 2x40w shoplight with 6500k bulbs. I took the 2x40w light off now since it's coming back, so maybe that will help. I don't really want to do another blackout either. I'm trying to find a way to fight it off but I can't seem to find anything. What kind of stuff has helped you, or what do you think could be causing it? Tank is about 2 months old, and this problem has only started since I got the co2 about 2 weeks ago. Could it be the plants aren't adjusted enough yet, so they don't out grow the algae? Should I just leave the 2x55 light on for a while and see what happens?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Luckly, I've never had to deal with green water. This link will help you out with the causes and give you several ways to deal with it... http://www.aquariaplants.com/cloudygreenwater.htm


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## Missy B (Jul 8, 2007)

A UV sterilizer most always gets rid of green water if you have one lying around


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## rrogan (Nov 7, 2007)

Unfortunately, I don't. If I am going to pick something up it will prolly be a magnum 350. But do you know what a good phosphate test kit is. I don't have one, and I'm thinking thats probably the problem. I'm gonna stop dosing phosphates for now and do a few small water changes.


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## rrogan (Nov 7, 2007)

I might be looking at the HOT 250 too, but I have a few questions. I have pressurized co2, so does this filter cause surface agitation? Also would it be good enough just to work as a diatom filter for my 55g?


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

Seachem makes a good phosphate test kit however phosphates are not the cause of green water. Greenwater is caused by a spike in ammonia. An ammonia spike could be caused by several things such as stirring up the substrate, a dead fish decomposing somewhere in the tank, an unstable bio-filter or a few other less likely causes. Personally, I recommend a UV over a diatom filter. I've used both. The benefits of a UV outweight the diatom IME. People will argue the opposite and can have just as valid points as I do. I will never set up another tank without a UV unit. That's how much I believe in them.


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## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

From my own experiences, Mike is spot on in his analysis on green water algae.

It's also more of a problem in newly set up tanks - any 6 - 9 months or younger. It takes a while to get a great balance going. I had three GW episodes when I started my 75g as a planted tank. Most always it came on the heels of my doing a ton of rearranging of the plants. When my tank was young, it seemed even with a good water change, if I did massive uprooting coupled with a lot of prunning I would get GW.

Now that my tank is going on almost 2+ years I 've not had any greenwater in the last 18 months. Except once, recently. As it had been quite a while since having GW, and I had not done any pruning/planting, I went searching thru the massive jungle. Yes, I found the dead body of one of my Checkerboard Cichlids. I did a waterchange and hooked up my portable UV sterilizer. Ran the UV for three days. Problem solved.

I agree that a UV works best to conquer GW. I first purchased the Magnum 250, it worked. BUT it was A LOT of *work*! Don't get me wrong, I do think the Magnum is a nice filter. I also use it when setting up a new tank to help clear the water of substrate dust. However, to clear GW you need to charge the micron pleated cartridge w/ D.E. powder....a little tricky. Then, if you have a good size tank it may take several cleanings w/ recharging before the GW is totally cleared. After fighting my third GW attack I broke down and purchased a UV sterilizer. So glad I did! Especially, now having a bad case of MTS (multi-tank syndrome) I've had additional occasions to use it.


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## Jeff.:P:. (Nov 20, 2007)

> A UV sterilizer most always gets rid of green water if you have one lying around


2ND THAT. I battled green water for 2 months, everything from reducing food, no fertilizers, turning off lights for 5 days at a time. Nothing worked, then I got a UV sterilizer it cleared up within a day.


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## rrogan (Nov 7, 2007)

well what kind of uv sterilizer would you recommend for a 55g?


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

rrogan said:


> well what kind of uv sterilizer would you recommend for a 55g?


The UV size is also dependent upon the flow rate of your filter but either the Turbo Twist 9W or 18W will work just fine for you. I have the 9W on a 30 gal running through an xp3.

Coralife Turbo Twist UV


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## rrogan (Nov 7, 2007)

Well I just decided to give the magnum 350 a shot first, because I can always use the extra filter. Got the filter from petco, with price matching big als of course and picked up some diatom powder. An hour after setting it up on the tank, the water is the clearest I've ever seen it, and the micron filter in the magnum is nice and green.


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## Jeff.:P:. (Nov 20, 2007)

18 watt turbotwist..


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## rrogan (Nov 7, 2007)

maybe i'll ask for one for christmas, but for now this seems to work for a little less


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