Green tank water

[Horn]

I used my powerhead to blow the rocks off. Sand got kicked up and my tank started to cycle. This happened a week ago. My ammonia and nitrites are 0 and nitrates are 20. My issue is my tank wager has been green for the last few days. Other then not being able to see anything in the tank it doesn't bother me.

Will it go away on it's own?
Are there any negatives to leaving it green?

 

[sonnus]

You are experiencing an algae bloom from the excess nutrients now available in your tank. This is the same thing that happens in the ocean when conditions are just right (typically abundant nutrients being available).

Given enough time many times these blooms will go away on their own but if you have corals in your tank the diminished light penetration might stress them out too much. I have wet skimmed algae blooms away before but it may take removing 20-30 % of the water volume (through skimmate). Just remember to replace the water removed from the skimmer with saltwater, not freshwater.

Also, I've had success using Algaefix from API but with a product like this you are not removing the nutrients so the algae bloom is likely to come back.

UV sterilizers will also work but I doubt its worth installing fof theis one algae bloom. UV is typically how pond keeper maintain clear water.

 

[Horn]

I don't have any coral. I was thinking of buying coral or feather dusters to eat the phytoplankton, any suggestions?

 

[Harold Green]

A diatom filter will remove the green from the water. A hundred micron filter sock may remove some of it. I feed my tank green water daily and once I turn the return pump back on the filter socks clear the tank in a couple of hours but they're only dealing with a half cup of very green water. A water change will help to reduce the nitrates.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How old is this tank?

 

[Horn]

I set it up in the first week of May and added fish the 2nd week of June.

 

[Harold Green]

I've never seen an indoor tank turn green. If you don't mind tell us the tank size, filtration, lighting and fish load.

 

[Harold Green]

I also should have asked your water source.

 

[sonnus]

I don't have any coral. I was thinking of buying coral or feather dusters to eat the phytoplankton, any suggestions?

That would might work eventually, maybe a clam too. But if the tank is new it's probably nota good idea to start it off this way. I would imagine it would be better to get the tank sorted out before adding any new inhabitants.

 

[Cherylpozz]

Do u have a uv filter? It happens quite a lot here in uk green water is normally a sign of a algae bloom over here we run Caron rowaphos uv and do water changes though the skimmer drain till its gone

 

[robert]

Do you get sunlight directly on the tank?

 

[Horn]

Tank is a 40 gallon tank, 2 t5 bulbs, wp25 Wave maker, aquaclear HOB filter, 30# of rock. Fish are a 2 clownfish, 2 clown gobies No UV. Sunlight does not hit my tank. The tank is in a windowless room in the basement.

 

[robert]

whats the spectrum on the bulbs?

 

[Horn]

There is no hair algae, turf algae or any other algae except what is floating in the water.

I am not sure of the bulb spectrum.

I am pretty sure the green is from blowing my sand up and crap off my rocks. The green water started right after that.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The green phytoplankton won't hurt anything, and will probably go away on its own.


If that is too slow, a UV, a diatom filter, or skimming will all help.

 

[robert]

I suspect the bulbs - general llighting bulbs - 2700k the ones you get at general hardware store give a nice warm light but are problems in aquariums...get a 10k or higher...

To get the green out - uv - or diatoms - I've never used an algaecide...

 

[Harold Green]

Let's get back to basics. If you have green water it's caused by excess nutrients plus lighting in wavelengths that support algae growth. Stirring up the tank probably did little beyond mixing nitrates and or phosphates in the substrate into the water column. You need to remove the nitrates and phosphates from the tank water and or change the amount/color of the lighting. Don't add excess food to the tank. Once the nitrates have been reduced the algae will disappear on their own within days. Are you using ro water in the tank? Was the live rock cured completely before you added fish if it was fresh live rock? Is your hob filter rated for at least twice your tank volume?

 

[Horn]

 

[Horn]

I did a 5 gallon water change and added carbon yesterday. It is starting to look better so I will just wait it out and feed a little less. I use tap water, the bulbs are red sea and my filter is rated for 5x my tank volume. It is a aquaclear 110. Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[Harold Green]

If you want to use tap water you should test it for phosphates and nitrates. It's so often the problem few reefers use it anymore. Most of the tap water across the country has some level of pesticides, heavy metals, drugs, phosphates and even if the levels aren't high they tend to accumulate in the tank over time. I think if you ask around you'll find most hobbyists consider an ro filter one of the most beneficial pieces of equipment for reefkeeping.