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Green water in tank with filter being cycled

Joined
12 Nov 2008
Messages
426
Location
Kendal, Cumbria
Hi all,

I've got green water (not cloudy, just decidedly green-tinged) in my VERY young set-up - just three days old (journal here).

Tank specifications - 100x45x55cms high - heavily planted from outset into Aquasoil
Lighting - T5 2x24w, on for 6 hours, raised high, probably 20 inches above the water
CO2 - Pressurised, drop checker very bright green (no livestock in yet)
Filtration - Eheim 2180, 1700lph - this is a brand new filter with no mature media available to me
Fertilisation routine - EI. I've split the weekly amount in 7, adding a daily dose immediately after a daily 50% water change.

I'm assuming the Aquasoil ammonia spike is causing the green water, and that as long as I continue with the daily 50% water changes the green water will probably go once the filter has matured.

Am I right?
 
Its algae, yes probably caused by the soil that triggered it when it leached ammonia, if it is algae(stand by for further confirmation), if so you need to up your fert dosing, or lessen your lights, i would also perform a couple of water changes also.

good luck
 
Hi Paul,
If it is green water then, once triggered, water changes don't really seem to help. You might want to try either JamesC's willow branch method or a UV, which is the quickest way.

Cheers,
 
Thanks both.

I don't want to do the willow branch method, as I've only just planted up the tank and don't want to disturb anything by hoiking rooted willow branches out of the substrate after just a few days. And I don't want to spend on a UV unit in case I've completely misdiagnosed the green water! (I'm completely new to the hobby - not just to planted tanks).

Can I provide any more info to nail it definitively as green water?
 
Thanks, Spidey - I'll certainly get a picture up this evening. I just thought there might be something more precise than that. After all, I see the name "green water", look in my tank and see, well, green water! :D
 
OK, here's a shaky image of the tank this evening. The background is white card. Is this green water, or just a greenish cast caused by light reflecting off the plants?

dayfour.jpg
 
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