cloudy water frustrations

FromLaredo · 10-07-2011, 01:58 PM

Hi All
I am looking for some help to determine why my tank continues to get cloudy.
The tank has been running for over 2 years, with almost no issues, it is a highlight, pressurized CO2 and well filtered with allot of plants (46 gallon)
In the past if i got cloudy water i would do a few extra water changes and maybe run the diatom filter and the problem would be solved. Lately the problem is recurring but if left alone, the water becomes green. I am frustrated and not sure what to do. My nitrate levels are low so i have been feeding more to try and raise them.. Any suggestions or comments will be greatly appreciated. thank you

jedimasterben · 10-07-2011, 03:23 PM

Could be a number of things, but if the water is turning green if left alone, then that's an algae problem (green water).

I would try a complete blackout. Turn off the lights & cover the entire tank with thick blankets so no light can get through, and leave it like this for ~3 days. Don't feed the fish or remove any of the blankets, just leave it alone. This will starve the algae of light and should kill it. After that, I would do a water change to remove a lot of the now dead algae cells, as they may cause an ammonia spike.

FromLaredo · 10-07-2011, 03:40 PM

right now there is no green water, it jut started to get cloudy (white tint) again, if i leave it alone it will become green so at this point i dont want to do a black out because of the plants. i really want to figure out what is causing this since it keeps repeating.

FromLaredo · 10-07-2011, 04:19 PM

just a thought for anyone reading, could it possible be the root tabs i put in about two weeks ago? they are the "total" formula from aquariumplants.com

Kathyy · 10-07-2011, 04:45 PM

Maybe review your fertilizing method. Perhaps something or another is low and with the plants not at their best the algae is taking advantage? I don't know why but my tank does better if I use GH booster even though my water isn't all that soft and I do large weekly water changes. Rinsing out all the sponges and vacuuming helps too.

Blackouts can be hard on some plants, myrio gets really sad. I let floaters build up and they will shade the tank enough to out compete GW. Or you can temporarily shade the tank with window screen material.

FromLaredo · 10-07-2011, 05:26 PM

what should my GH be at?

Kathyy · 10-07-2011, 06:32 PM

Mine seems plenty high at about 7GH but calcium=28, potassium=3 and magnesium=12 ppm in the tap water and apparently it isn't enough for the bright, CO2 enriched tank unless I dose GH booster as well as NPK+micros.

bsmith · 10-08-2011, 04:11 AM

Your problem is the root tabs if they contain nitrate/a nitrate source which is usually a form of ammonia. GW is cause by an ammonia spike. When the ammonia spikes you get a large spike in bacteria that eat the algae then this algae becomes photosynthetic which result in it turning green. IME the only thing that would get rid of GW was a UV sterilizer. I tried blackouts for as long as my plants could take it and they never id anything helpful.

If the root tabs do not have a nitrogen source then they are not the cause of the GW. But maybe when you put he tabs in the substrate you stirred up a bunch of organics that produced an ammonia spike which again, caused a GW outbreak.

If that wasn't it then perhaps you had a fish or something die and end up in an area that made it unnoticeable.

10-07-2011, 01:58 PM	#1
FromLaredo Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 105	cloudy water frustrations Hi All I am looking for some help to determine why my tank continues to get cloudy. The tank has been running for over 2 years, with almost no issues, it is a highlight, pressurized CO2 and well filtered with allot of plants (46 gallon) In the past if i got cloudy water i would do a few extra water changes and maybe run the diatom filter and the problem would be solved. Lately the problem is recurring but if left alone, the water becomes green. I am frustrated and not sure what to do. My nitrate levels are low so i have been feeding more to try and raise them.. Any suggestions or comments will be greatly appreciated. thank you

10-08-2011, 04:11 AM	#8
bsmith Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (278/99%) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: St.Louis, MO Posts: 9,058	Your problem is the root tabs if they contain nitrate/a nitrate source which is usually a form of ammonia. GW is cause by an ammonia spike. When the ammonia spikes you get a large spike in bacteria that eat the algae then this algae becomes photosynthetic which result in it turning green. IME the only thing that would get rid of GW was a UV sterilizer. I tried blackouts for as long as my plants could take it and they never id anything helpful. If the root tabs do not have a nitrogen source then they are not the cause of the GW. But maybe when you put he tabs in the substrate you stirred up a bunch of organics that produced an ammonia spike which again, caused a GW outbreak. If that wasn't it then perhaps you had a fish or something die and end up in an area that made it unnoticeable. __________________ L183's 60-p Crypt/CRS Playground Appalachian Allure S.Barbatus & Black C. Schultzei breeding tank

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10-07-2011, 03:40 PM	#3
FromLaredo Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 105	right now there is no green water, it jut started to get cloudy (white tint) again, if i leave it alone it will become green so at this point i dont want to do a black out because of the plants. i really want to figure out what is causing this since it keeps repeating.

10-07-2011, 04:19 PM	#4
FromLaredo Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 105	just a thought for anyone reading, could it possible be the root tabs i put in about two weeks ago? they are the "total" formula from aquariumplants.com

10-07-2011, 04:45 PM	#5
Kathyy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32/100%) Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Newbury Park, CA Posts: 2,991	Maybe review your fertilizing method. Perhaps something or another is low and with the plants not at their best the algae is taking advantage? I don't know why but my tank does better if I use GH booster even though my water isn't all that soft and I do large weekly water changes. Rinsing out all the sponges and vacuuming helps too. Blackouts can be hard on some plants, myrio gets really sad. I let floaters build up and they will shade the tank enough to out compete GW. Or you can temporarily shade the tank with window screen material.

10-07-2011, 05:26 PM	#6
FromLaredo Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: NJ Posts: 105	what should my GH be at?

10-07-2011, 06:32 PM	#7
Kathyy Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32/100%) Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Newbury Park, CA Posts: 2,991	Mine seems plenty high at about 7GH but calcium=28, potassium=3 and magnesium=12 ppm in the tap water and apparently it isn't enough for the bright, CO2 enriched tank unless I dose GH booster as well as NPK+micros.