# Bacterial vs algae bloom



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

I do not know what I have, the tank has been cloudy for 3 weeks now. Some have told me algae blooms do not have to come in green water, it'll look like a bacterial bloom. I recently have added .25 ml to my 1.75 ml of nitrogen every week so I add 2 ml of nitrogen on sunday, wednesday, saturday. Sunday water change. I also recently changed half of my filter media. Anyone know how to tell which bloom I have? What are some easy cures to this? One cherry shrimp has died on the third week, so I'm leaning towards bacteria and other shrimps are molting a lot.

Thanks,
John


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

No one knows? I bought clarity and hagen's quick filter to help but nothing seems to be working.


----------



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

I seem to have a similar problem :-D

--Nikolay


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

I have use clarite, and it does not work, the quick filter also has no effect, now I'm planning to let itself work out.


----------



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

I guess massive water changes are the way to go.

In my case I have a 35 gal tank with that gw and possible bacteria problem. I hooked up the biggest diatom filter available (Vortex XL), an HOB Magnum with a micron cartridge and diatom powder, a 9 watt spiral UV sterilizer - all at the same time. Also I treated 3 times with flocculant in the course of 16 hours.

The water cleared somewhat only after shutting the lights for a day. The color is light green with a murky tint. Today I will start the big water changes.

--Nikolay


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

my water is a little murky after a 50% change today, are you still dosing your ferts?


----------



## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

turtlehead said:


> I do not know what I have, the tank has been cloudy for 3 weeks now. Some have told me algae blooms do not have to come in green water, it'll look like a bacterial bloom. I recently have added .25 ml to my 1.75 ml of nitrogen every week so I add 2 ml of nitrogen on sunday, wednesday, saturday. Sunday water change. I also recently changed half of my filter media. Anyone know how to tell which bloom I have? What are some easy cures to this? One cherry shrimp has died on the third week, so I'm leaning towards bacteria and other shrimps are molting a lot.
> 
> Thanks,
> John


You can rule it out quickly by doing a couple of things, dose well for the plants, if it clears up, it's likely bacterial, if it gets green, GW.
Either way, doinjg large water changes will help if it's an estbalished tank, healthy plant biomass and good favorable plant conditions will clear a tank up fast.

Regards, 
Tom Barr
3rd annual Plant Fest July 8-14th 2005!
[email protected] Get connected
www.BarrReport.com Get the information


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Ok tom thanks for your input on this I was getting worried. And what do you mean by favorable conditions?


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Niko how many percent are you changing everyday? And this is during a blackout right?


----------



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Turtlehead,

I did a single 80% water change and added a little ferts after that. Tank is clean today but not completely sparkling. I ran the UV sterilizer too. Lights were on all day today.

--Nikolay


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

The 50% change I did took away some cloudiness but it comes back at the end of the week. Tell me how your method goes. I'm planning a blackout.


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Will my plants be affected by a four day blackout? And is four days enough?First 50% WC then cover the tank glass with some black paper not allowing light and for four days I just feed fish? Do I leave co2 on? The plants I have are mosses riccia glooso marsilea and hairgrass. At the end of four days uncover tank and 50% WC is this correct?


----------



## turtlehead (Nov 27, 2004)

Update! Success! Finall after 4 days of blackout my tank is crystal clear! Here's what I did:

1st day: 50% water change covered tank with all black paper no lights
2nd day: underdosed seachem clarity
3rd day: 20% water change ran aquaclear powerhead with quick filter for 10 hours
4th day: underdosed seachem clarity 50% water change uncovered tank

Success! Hope this helps all of you, turns out I had a bacterial bloom then because of the a ammonia I had green water, which wasn't green, just milky.

John


----------

