Too many fish?

[Yesevil123]

What is going on??? I did a water change last night because my water was green, and it's STILL green. Like worse. Weirdly enough, I just got a clownfish to go with my other one and it happened to be around the same time that my water turned green, maybe like 3-4 days ago. Do I have too many fish? I have a 20 gallon hexagon tall tank and it has 4 fish, a pistol shrimp, maybe like 8-10 hermits, a conch, anenome, and about 6 snails... am I over loading my tank??

 

[Jasonak]

How old is the tank what type of filter system do you have on it ?
Ive never seen green water before, so kinda at a loss there.

 

[Yesevil123]

I use the coralife HOB 20 to 30 gallon filter with built in skimmer, and I use fluval filter floss in with my filter.

My filter wasn't working like 3 days ago so I took it out and apart and it wad clogged with the chaeto I put in it. Should I take that out? Is it causing an alge bloom

 

[Yesevil123]

I use the coralife HOB 20 to 30 gallon filter with built in skimmer, and I use fluval filter floss in with my filter.

My filter wasn't working like 3 days ago so I took it out and apart and it wad clogged with the chaeto I put in it. Should I take that out? Is it causing an alge bloom

Tank is like maybe a month old. But this had never happened to me before, even with my previous tank that was 13 gallons, now i upgraded to 20 and I'm having a hard time. Unlike before at least.

 

[ScottJ]

You could try a UV sterilizer, it's an algae bloom. A small Green Killing Machine https://www.aa-aquarium.com/gkm is pretty reasonably priced. You just run it as you need it.

 

[Tamberav]

4 nano sized fish is fine

It is a green algae bloom and difficult to get rid of with water changes. You can add a UV or it should clear up in time. Make sure you have lots of surface agitation, it can remove oxygen and suffocate your fish.

 

[Lavey29]

It's an algae bloom which is common in new tanks. Turn off lights for few days. You need surface agitation in a marine tank. I see none in your picture

 

[Poseidon03]

A small UV will definitely clear that up quickly

 

[vetteguy53081]

What is going on??? I did a water change last night because my water was green, and it's STILL green. Like worse. Weirdly enough, I just got a clownfish to go with my other one and it happened to be around the same time that my water turned green, maybe like 3-4 days ago. Do I have too many fish? I have a 20 gallon hexagon tall tank and it has 4 fish, a pistol shrimp, maybe like 8-10 hermits, a conch, anenome, and about 6 snails... am I over loading my tank??

is this tank at or near a window?
This filter is in essence a power filter and likely insufficient for this tank despite rating for gallons. The issue is the Corallife unit is a mechanical filter and you want to have mechanical , biological and chemical to manage proper water quality. The corallife will polish water and trap particles via the cartridge.
Chemical is what traps and breaks down chemical compounds such as feces and uneaten food often accomplished with use of carbon and GFO as examples
Biological is what utilizes the natural process of biological filtration such as use of ceramic nuggets, bio blocks, and microscopic bacteria surfaces as examples. Best it to add or use a hang on refugium such as Reef octopus or AquaMaxx unit and even add a hang on skimmer such as ice cap K1- or K2 100 as the built in skimmer is quite small.
Reduce number of hours of white light intensity.
Water: Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ? Also what is your phosphate level?

 

[Yesevil123]

is this tank at or near a window?
This filter is in essence a power filter and likely insufficient for this tank despite rating for gallons. The issue is the Corallife unit is a mechanical filter and you want to have mechanical , biological and chemical to manage proper water quality. The corallife will polish water and trap particles via the cartridge.
Chemical is what traps and breaks down chemical compounds such as feces and uneaten food often accomplished with use of carbon and GFO as examples
Biological is what utilizes the natural process of biological filtration such as use of ceramic nuggets, bio blocks, and microscopic bacteria surfaces as examples. Best it to add or use a hang on refugium such as Reef octopus or AquaMaxx unit and even add a hang on skimmer such as ice cap K1- or K2 100 as the built in skimmer is quite small.
Reduce number of hours of white light intensity.
Water: Are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ? Also what is your phosphate level?

My tank is in the living room next to. The tv, there is a LARGE window in that room, its probably like 10 feet from the window in the corner. Just started using ro/di water yesterday. I was using tap this whole time and never had an issue, but I moved to a different town in my state recently and I've just heard nothing good about the water my whole life here in this state so I plan on purchasing a filtration system for ro water. My phosphate level as of yesterday when I tested it. Was between like 8 and 8.2. Right now i do use the API master reef and saltwater tank tester kits and i know it's not ideal but its all I got right now.

 

[Fish Fan]

I use the coralife HOB 20 to 30 gallon filter with built in skimmer

Just to clarify, if you're new to saltwater tanks, your HOB filter has a "surface skimmer", but that's not the same as when you hear other reefers talk about a "skimmer". They are talking about a specific piece of gear called a "protein skimmer" or "foam fractionator" that helps to remove dissolved organics before they can break down and produce nitrate and phosphate. High nitrate and phosphate can lead to algae problems, like you're seeing now. A protein skimmer also adds a lot of oxygen to your system. A protein skimmer (if you decide to use one, I'm not saying you need one) would be run in addition to your Coralife HOB.

They do make HOB protein skimmers, and I think your tank may well benefit from one, but lots and lots of tanks run without one, so you can do your own reasearch there. I just wanted to make clear what we mean in this hobby when we say "skimmer".

This is just an example of what I'm talking about, but lots of other options here:

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/hob-1-5-hang-on-back-protein-skimmer-aquaready.html?ab_version=B&utm_term=&utm_campaign=EL+|+ACQ_Prospecting_PMax+|+ROAS+|+Open+Targets+|+Medium+Margin&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&hsa_acc=7373341438&hsa_cam=17740353356&hsa_grp=&hsa_ad=&hsa_src=x&hsa_tgt=&hsa_kw=&hsa_mt=&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjw-JG5BhBZEiwAt7JR69s0zc1YwjQqFGjv7tYHiScOr2q8J226UAMGx6747hG-GIX0-YWK0xoClmcQAvD_BwE

For your livestock, I'm going to suggest you are pretty much right at your maximum, I wouldn't add anymore. While your tank is 20 gallons in volume, those hex style tanks don't offer a lot of real estate for bottom dwellers or swimming room for fish.

Best of luck with your tank!

 

[FUNGI]

"ust to clarify, if you're new to saltwater tanks, your HOB filter has a "surface skimmer", ".....OP has skimmer/filter combo....HOB. Coralife if I remember.....

 

[Fish Fan]

"ust to clarify, if you're new to saltwater tanks, your HOB filter has a "surface skimmer", ".....OP has skimmer/filter combo....HOB. Coralife if I remember.....

Oh, I didn't know it really was both combined! I have definitely seen where new reefers confuse the surface skimming attachment on, for example, the Seachem Tidal HOB with true protein skimmers. Admittedly, I am unfamiliar with that Coralife filter. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[Yesevil123]

Oh, I didn't know it really was both combined! I have definitely seen where new reefers confuse the surface skimming attachment on, for example, the Seachem Tidal HOB with true protein skimmers. Admittedly, I am unfamiliar with that Coralife filter. Thanks for the clarification!

This is the exact one I have

 

[Tamberav]

Switching to RODI should help significantly.

 

[FUNGI]

Switching to RODI should help significantly.

Protein.....

 

[Fish Fan]

It is a surface skimmer but you don't need a skimmer on a 20g anywho.

Are you more or less commenting on the efficiency of that particular HOB with a built in , ahem, "skimmer"?

And again to be very clear, I was not suggesting that the OP needed a skimmer, I just wanted to make sure they understood what a protein skimmer was.

 

[FUNGI]

nope....just making a correction.

 

[Tamberav]

Are you more or less commenting on the efficiency of that particular HOB with a built in , ahem, "skimmer"?

And again to be very clear, I was not suggesting that the OP needed a skimmer, I just wanted to make sure they understood what a protein skimmer was.

Oh I misunderstood, I thought it was the seachem one at first glance and edited it fast but you are faster! I see it has a skimmer though I don't have faith in it.

My comment to not needing one wasn't directed to anyone's comment particularly :)

Just noticed she uses tap so that is probably the cause.

 

[FUNGI]

OP has several threads and already been stated that its not a very efficient skimmer