Greenwater lifespan?

[klumsyninja]

I have green water right now. I cant afford to go out and buy a GOOD uv sterilizer. I bought a 'green killing machine' uv sterilizer and it honestly hasn't made a dent ($50 garbage).

I'm worried about doing a blackout because the last time I did that a ton of my plants and a school of 50 rummy nose all died somehow within that three day span of darkness. (3 yrs ago, different tank) People attributed that to the lack of an air stone I didn't realize was needed

I'm doing small water changes every couple days and it clears up temporarily but by the end of the day is green again.

It's a low light tank without c02, I was dosing dry ferts EI method but less than suggested as it's not high light or co2 and was running my lights 9 hours a day (reduced to 8 a couple weeks ago).

Its been green for like a month, maybe a couple weeks more, and it's driving me nuts.

How long does green water usually last? What's its average life cycle?

[Zefrik]

I used that uv twice now and it really did a good job. I wonder why it is not working for you? If it is not working take it back.

[Cottagewitch]

When one of my tanks developed green water, I INCREASED the photo period. It speeds up the life cycle of the bloom.


Jenna

[ChadRamsey]

i just went through this. i reduced the photo period. cut my fert doses in half, did a water change and replanted the fine floss in my filter and it was gone in 48 hours.

[klumsyninja]

Originally Posted by Zefrik

I used that uv twice now and it really did a good job. I wonder why it is not working for you? If it is not working take it back.

You used the 'UV Killing Machine' uv sterilizer? Maybe the one I bought isnt working properly, I'll try returning it. hopefully I still have the box.



Chadramsey: I have no idea how you were able to do that.. I haven't tried replacing the filter floss but will do so tomorrow.

I've left the lights off for a couple days and the water just went brown, water change, and then when lights come on the (slightly brown) water turns green..

[discuspaul]

If the ferts, light, etc. balance stays out of whack, the green water can hang around for a long time. Just read that one person has been fighting it for 6 months.
I used a 9W JBJ Submariner UV sterilizer on green water in my 75 gal tank - it cleared it right up in 72 hrs., and I haven't had a recurrence.
Perhaps you can take your green killing machine back & exchange for a Submariner.

I now regularly use double-layered filter floss, chucked & replaced with new every 2 weeks, along with Purigen, pre-filter sponges on the filter intakes, and coupled with regular use of the UV, and I have crystal water clarity all the time in my low-tech tank.

[kevmo911]

Is it possible to remove the bulb and check to see if it was damaged in shipping? If the sterilizer has zero effect, it sounds like it's broken.

[discuspaul]

Originally Posted by kevmo911

Is it possible to remove the bulb and check to see if it was damaged in shipping? If the sterilizer has zero effect, it sounds like it's broken.

That could very well be the case.
Then the OP should be able to return it & exchange.

[klumsyninja]

its a sealed compartment as far as I can tell.

Yes I'm going to return it for sure, I'll poke around and see if they have a submariner there.

I'm for sure going to replace my filter floss. In fact like you Discuspaul I'm going to get in the habit of replacing it every couple weeks as well. I usually just rinse it out, but really, it's cheap.. I can replace it.

[discuspaul]

Yes, it's cheap, and even much cheaper if you buy it at a discount fabric store - you'll get 3 X the amount for 1/2 the price, vs. the price of a small bag @ a LFS.
I get a one meter X one meter piece @ Fabricland, or Fannie's Fabrics, for $5. - Lasts for months. Just make sure what you're buying is free of additives, any chemicals, or fire retardants.
It's usually called ' polyester quilt batting'.

[klumsyninja]

Ya I used to use it all the time in my cichlid tanks.. I've just been rinsing my eheim pads out of laziness I guess (rinse them in the water change water from the python into the tub during WC's).

[synaethetic]

Run an air-stone at night. Increase water flow. Decrease light intensity if possible, 8-10 hours is always ideal. Do not reduce fertilizing, dose as normal. Maintain good c02 levels while the lights are on.

In my experience with green water it was caused by an excess of light intensity, lack of oxygen, poor flow. My tank is moderately planted, and I didn't dose any less than usual, in fact I dosed more. Running an airstone every night and adding a powerhead really helped the most I think. I didn't do any crazy water changes, just once a week, drain the tank half way, and fill it with 100% RO water re-mineralized to 5gh, which I've been doing on this tank since the beginning.

With some patience the green water cleared up within a few weeks of improved conditions, no need to buy an expensive UV filter in the end. My water is crystal clear these days, and all the inhabitants within my tank seem to be thriving.

[klumsyninja]

Just a quick update, tried a 3 day blackout (with an airstone) and It didn't work.

I returned the green killing machine and he gave me a full credit exchange even though there technically wasn't anything 'wrong' with it (they just have weak bulbs and weak powerheads and are best suited to smaller tanks). So I bought a Coralife Turbo Twist 3X. Its day two now with the turbo twist running, the water is clearer, but its still green and seems like it has quite a bit to go before its clean.

The tank gets sun exposure every day, the whole room does and I'm sure that isn't helping anything.

I'll update again in a couple more days to keep the thread going (for search & research purposes)

My plants are almost all dead though.. all the valls died, a sword died, my dwarf sag is suffering, crypts are melting and almost all gone.. eff this green water. Luckily plants are 'cheap' and I can easily replant the tank once I trust that the light can penetrate the water

[asmith]

If you have someplace to move your fish just get some daphnia (or net some out of a local pond). They will multiply and clear the water within in a week.

[klumsyninja]

Originally Posted by asmith

If you have someplace to move your fish just get some daphnia (or net some out of a local pond). They will multiply and clear the water within in a week.

funny you should mention that.. because what I didn't mention i this thread is that I had used my water from the big tank to top up the water in my smaller moss tank (long while ago, at the beginning of this green fiasco) and it also has GW. I sought out a person supplying daphnia here in toronto and seeded that little tank and they're doing a very busy job of slowly clearing up that water, they've been in there three days and I have definitely noticed a difference

Unfortunately I don't have anywhere for the fish in my bigger tank..

The turbo twist I bought, I installed inline on my 2213, which already had a Hydor inline heater on it.. the flow was too slow and the greenwater was not getting turned over at a rapid enough rate. So, I bought a 2215 Friday night, hooked it up yesterday morning and we'll see how that goes.

(there's also a small AC30 on the tank that I have a skimmer attached to)