My green water progress

[Corbin]

my 55 had a major green water problem. then i brought a UV sterilizer from Danny (Chizzow). Thanks :D

here are the images of the progress

before the UV
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n224/ColorMe_01/IMAGE_00933-1.jpg

2 days later
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n224/ColorMe_01/IMAGE_00989.jpg

Right now
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n224/ColorMe_01/IMAGE_01080.jpg

[Melody]

Clearing up nicely! You can also use Willow Branches or any other fast growing tree/shrub. Works wonders.

[Corbin]

really? Willow Branches? never heard of that. cool.

[Melody]

Yup, just stick them in there so the leaves are above the water and they'll root in no time, then they suck the nutrients right outa there.

[Corbin]

wouldnt that starve the other plants?

[Melody]

Yes & no - you have too much so something has to uptake the extra. Once that's taken care of, you remove the branches and plant some trees :smile: . However, there are always reasons for algae blooms and if those aren't addressed then it will come back. If you can't address the source of the problem, such as the tank receiving direct sunlight, then a UV sterilizer is the only way to go.

[Edgezilla]

What kind of lighting do you have? Looks awfully bright for the amount of plants you have. A large echinodorus will suck the nutrients out of the water.

Java fern doesn't need a lot of light to grow or nutrients for that matter.

[Corbin]

:laugh::laugh::laugh:thats only half the light on the tank... the camera makes it look brighter actually, my phone just cant take the light. if i try to take a picture of any albino fish they look like big balls of light, there is only 2.8 wpg its 4 T5 39w bulbs.. but in those pictures its only 2 , witch is only 1.4 wpg :yes:

[Edgezilla]

Did you have 4 bulbs on when GW started appearing? place? 4x 39 watt HO T5 is almost the same as 220 watt PC.

Even 78 watt HO T5 is a lot for java fern. I am not a bit surprise if you can grow glossostigma under 78 watt HO T5 provided you have a finer substrate.

[Corbin]

there was other plants in there but i removed them. the reason for all that light is cuz its a Plant setup i brought from a LFS that was closing down. the plants grow good and the fish look great so whatever. but i dont think the light was the reason for GW cuz i had them on for 2 months before it started, and it never happen at the store ether.

[Edgezilla]

Did you fertilize the tank?

KH2PO4, K2SO4, KNO3?

I would definately try adding a small amount of K2SO4 and 1/8 tsp of KH2PO4.

[Corbin]

No, i have never used ferts, and have no reason to ?

[Edgezilla]

imbalance nutrients caused by lack of one or more nutrients can cause algae in a decently lid tank.

What I have come up with so far is Ammonia/ ammonium causes GW. I had GW for a while too. I increased the K and PO4 and gw slowly went away because the plants uptake were inhibit by lack of PO4 and K. What I was mess up on at start was adding too much NO3 at the same time which still leaves the excess N in the water column for algae to consume on. Your java fern will still help consume some of the N if K and PO4 are presence in the water column.

[Corbin]

i think the green water was cause by using used gravel from the old plant setup cuz it might have been filled with lots of ferts and such.. hopfuly thats not the case cuz im planing on adding some of it to another tank :mad:

[Edgezilla]

Unless you have been stirring up the gravel, I highly doubt green water is caused by fertilizer in the gravel. root tabs fertilizer rarely leach out nutrients from the gravel unless you have something porous like eco complete.

Algae is caused by fish waste and excess food; pretty much any organic matter. I have a crystal clear emersed setup that holds very high level of nutrients in the water column. The only algae I see in that tank is caused by decaying plant matter which is mostly on the pot and side of the glass where the leaf touches.

[Corbin]

the gravel was stirred up, cuz i wasnt planing on using gravel orginaly so then i did an i poured it in. and when i was this gravel there is lots of "dirt" and peices of plant and wood, but i think i got most of it out before i put it in.