Green water

[Vaudeville]

Hey Gang
My nephews have two 10 gals set up (same kits)
They sit side by side
One has two blue rams and some coris and is fine
The other has 3 bettas (1M and 2 F) and some coris and has to be broken down every two weeks.
There is no alge on the glass but the water turns a green (think green tea) that is not effecting the fish but looks crummy.
both tanks are not being hit with direct sun
Temp is the same etc
Any ideas????

[Narwhal72]

The tank is contaminated with green water algae. The simplest solution is an algicide such as AlgaeFix or similar. It's not always effective the first time and may take multiple doses.

The more expensive but also more effective solution is a couple of days with a UV sterilizer on the tank.

The natural solution is to turn off the lights and throw a half dozen freshwater clams in the tank.

Andy

[slimbolen99]

Throw in some barbs or danios in the green tank, with some java moss, and you'll have 100's of them in no time.

I've had those outbreaks as well and it seems to be new tank syndrome type deal, or when I don't do a water change for a really long time. Heavy, frequent water changes seems to clear it up after a bit.

[pitdogg2]

If I was a betting man I'd bet that even though you say it's not getting direct sunlight it may be getting 25-30 min. or more of indirect sunlight during the day. Sometimes that is just enough to make green water. If by chance this is in a basement with NO possible way of ANY sunlight then maybe a light is being left on for many many hours. Either way just make sure all lighting is left of for 3-4 days it will clear up. One day many yrs ago I was fighting the same thing it took a day of work sick to notice that in the winter I had a good 2hrs of indirect sunlight sneaking in wasn't much more than a 3" band that was just hitting the corner of my tank and that was the culprit.

[Mattman]

UV sterilizers work incredibly well and if they are left in long enough, it can get rid of the green water completely. I have used algae fix but for me it only kept the problem under control. With the algae fix, I also have rapped a piece of a white t-shirt around the filter for a day or so to help with getting all the algae particles out.

[chc]

X2 on the UV sterilizer; they work stupendously well..... but still search for the root cause.

[hicks_fish]

An approach that worked for me recently was to put a few daphnia in a small mesh sided 'critter keeper' from the dollar store. I weighted it down with rocks and put it in the tank. Within 2 weeks the green water was all gone, and the tank hasn't been a problem since.

[Akykyshka]

thats Great thanks