Algae bloom

[Jelandusn]

So, this is my freshwater tank but I’m hoping to get help from you guys anyway. My tank is so cloudy I can only see a few inches in. Any way to fix it? The ignore it until it gets better route isn’t working. I’m a master of algae. In my garden I’m a master weed grower and not the kind of weed that just became legal. If only I could grow coral, plants and vegetables even half as well.

 

[Chris A.]

What’s your source water? How old are your lights?
Try doing a large water change and cut back on your lights.

 

[Jelandusn]

I use tap water. I have an ro/di unit but it never worked well. Maybe I’ll replace the filters and try it one more time. I have to limit the water changes. Since the water here is super soft they treat it with sodium bicarbonate which changes the ph so it is off the charts high. My tank sits around 7.6 so I think a large water change will cause a ton of stress.
My nitrates are between 0-5 and everything else is 0.

 

[JohnK]

That is a free floating algae bloom. A UV sterilizer should clear it up nicely (if you consider getting a UV sterilizer be sure to run it at or below its recommended flow rate or it will be useless).

 

[mvallee]

I had this happen in one of my FW tanks and could not get it to clear, big water changes extra filters nothing, bought a UV sterilizer and it cleared up in a couple days.

 

[Shooter-McGavin]

Agree with the 2 prior.. UV sterilizer

 

[Jelandusn]

I use tap water. I have an ro/di unit but it never worked well. Maybe I’ll replace the filters and try it one more time. I have to limit the water changes. Since the water here is super soft they treat it with sodium bicarbonate

 

[dz6t]

Does the tank get sunlight?


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[dz6t]

If you keep goldfish, they will love the green water


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[tank o tang]

Dose some vibrant and should clear up but if your issue that caused it is not fixed it will be back.

 

[Jelandusn]

It is in a sunny room. It might get hit by sunlight some time throughout the day. I’ll keep and eye on it and see if that’s the case. I just have rasbaros in it. They don’t seem stressed by the cloudy water so I think I’m the only one bothered by it.

 

[Abrooks12376]

Had this happen to my fw tank years ago. Uv cleared it up.

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[aresangel]

Same. I got the green machine up sterilizer from petco. I think it was 100 bucks. The only other thing is the light as a brooks stated. Older bulbs have screwy spectrums that increase algae growth. Especially the t10 ? Style bulbs.


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[Jelandusn]

The lights are led.

 

[aresangel]

Then chemical nuking (not preferred) or UV is probably best.

Another way I cleared the water in my cichlids tank was to add bamboo in the filter section. Water clarity shot up. Is it a planted tank or all artificial?

If artificial try getting some tougher plants like bamboo shoots and toss them in your filter section. Worked for me and my brother in law. @Abrooks12376 do you agree plans can help filter and clear water?


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[Jelandusn]

It’s a planted tank. I’m covering I for a few days and I order new filters for my ro/di unit. Hoping I can get it to work. Maybe there’s some weirdness in my tap water. Hopefully the blackout and water change will work. I plan to add plants to the filter section but haven’t yet. If ro and blackout don’t work I’ll get it sterilizer.

 

[Aros]

Ask SMI he has a planted tank


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[CrypticLifeStyle]

What are you exactly looking to achieve with the RO, planted tank? Is your reasoning soley based on PH? I'm a little confused on it's intended role in this. PH 7.6 isn't terrible, that was my avg 7.4>7.6 when i was lived in Arlington Heights. The one word i tend to look for first in these scenarios has been mentioned, which is sunlight, high ambient light room. UV will be a instant success but it isn't coming up with the cause either. Large water changes, blackout the tank for 3 days minimum, don't feed the fish, may just do it for you without the financial investment into a UV. If PH is a lingering concern with the Rasboras check out seachem acid buffer. I use it for my chilli, and fire rasboras, scarlet badis. Works well.

 

[Abrooks12376]

You'll do more harm than good with ro. I tried that. Plants like consistency, sane as coral. Unless you get all chemist with your levels you'll great problems. Blackout fine. . Big wc.. ok?? Uv will 100% cure the problem. This tank looked like yours for a few days..

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[officeaquachuck]

looks to me like a green out. I've found a definite correlation to excessive water changes tied in with excessive light, both duration and intensity. UV is an ez solution, filter feeders like clams, bamboo shrimp love green water. if ur breeding, fry love it too. its ugly but not unhealthy. i'd shut the lights off for a week, even put a towel around tank to cut off light, then slowly ramp up lighting again until it seems in balance.