What water to use

ballpythonandragon · #1 (**permalink**) 02-06-2006, 07:10 PM

Hello awhile back i posted that everything in my tank was green and i leaned that it was from the water that im using. I need to clean my tank and get the green off the rock and everything my water level is low but i don't wanna keep adding this water that makes it green. I need some help on how to keep the green away do i need to get different water instead of this water out of my tap.

NicoleRussell · #2 (**permalink**) 02-06-2006, 07:12 PM

why is your water making everything green? What is the reason?

ozzyman778 · #3 (**permalink**) 02-06-2006, 07:22 PM

when I used to keep an aquarium..... Direct sunlight was what caused my algea growth.... I've never heard of certain water being more prone to algea than others.....

ballpythonandragon · #4 (**permalink**) 02-06-2006, 07:30 PM

Is this a long filimantous algae or a carpet like algae?

if its either of those, no catfish or pleco can help you.

those two are often caused by high levels of phosphates in the tank water.

Ratsicles · #5 (**permalink**) 02-07-2006, 05:00 AM

We do need a bit more info. What in your water is making it green? Is it high nitrates? High Phosphates? Low Phosphates? Too much light? You use well water? The guy at the fish store said you never needed to change your water and you listened to him?

Everything can be combated. However you will never have a fishtank fully free of algae, and it is actually beneficial to livebearers.

Bryan

Lfsabch · #6 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 04:40 AM

slap that fish store guy next time if they tell you not to do water changes, just think of yourself as living in the tank, your eating in it, pooping in it, and such, wheres it going, well being a closed system, nowhere. they are swimming in it. thus creating high nitrite and nitrate problems, BOOM algae, also if you had alot of phosphates it will only fuel the algae.

do gravel clean plus 25 percent water change and use your tap water or rain water
also if the wate ris still green pick up "accu-clear" or "P clear" dunno if you have it there but its the best stuff in canada

and cut back on lighting , number one cause of green water

Adrya · #7 (**permalink**) 02-08-2006, 04:42 AM

telefrag · #8 (**permalink**) 02-10-2006, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballpythonandragon

Is this a long filimantous algae or a carpet like algae?
if its either of those, no catfish or pleco can help you.
those two are often caused by high levels of phosphates in the tank water.

you can also have your water tested for that, which I would recommend before you decide that its phosphates.
It usually is (most tap water has pretty high phosphates) but nitrites/nitrates and bad lighting will help contribute to it as well.

Ratsicles · #9 (**permalink**) 02-10-2006, 09:57 PM

I had a case of hair algae due to low phosphates ... my plants were using too much ... so I started to add plant tabs (in combo with kents freshwater plant fert ... I had used the kents all along). Algae prob went bye-bye.

update us let us know what happened ...

Bryan

spike06 · #10 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 11:57 AM

if the problem was algae, i would recommoned goingto ur lfs and getting a common pleco. theyre are 5 dollars or so and they do a great job eating algae. but do some research on them before u buy one just so u know how to take care of it. (very simple to take care of) i have 1 common and 1 clown and my tank is algae free

Nonconformist · #11 (**permalink**) 09-10-2006, 04:04 AM

Nitrate bloom?

Water changes are a bit of a PITA, but necessary. Pleco's wont touch beard algae.

spike06 · #12 (**permalink**) 09-12-2006, 11:44 PM

i dont mean to sound rude, but plecos eat any kind of algae thats in a tank, both of my plecos are always either on the glass, driftwood, some fake plants, or a (fake) rock cave eating algae. their special under slung mouth has a special tooth used fo r picking the hardest of algae

Nonconformist · #13 (**permalink**) 09-13-2006, 01:15 AM

At the risk of getting off topic, plecostomus really don't eat beard algae. A siamese algae eater will though.

sanman · #14 (**permalink**) 10-05-2006, 03:47 PM

try getting rowa phosphate remover

Isis_Nebthet · #15 (**permalink**) 10-22-2006, 08:50 PM

For about the third time no pleco...(75 gal + tank for a common pleco really. I have one and he just eats leftovers/wafers since my tanks have no algae no thanks to said plec)...
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1) nitrite: if this high upgrade your filter system and change the water more often. This number should be kept as low as possible when tested.
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2)nitrate: Higher plants can keep algae at bay if this is too high but you need them to be able to outgrow the algae. Again, just changing the water helps too. Typical levels should be about 20 ppm at the highest
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These next three are the things that often result in algae problems:
1) Overstocking: Are you properly stocked? If you are overstocked reducing the population will help this problem.
2) Housekeeping: Check for excess mulm in the gravel bed. A clean gravel bed is pretty important. It doesn't have to be totally immaculate but should at the very least not overly cloud the water when stirred. Most tanks should have 20% waterchanges weekly some need more never less however.....
3)Overfeeding: this will add a lot of pollution to the tank and cause excess nutrients for algae.

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