Guest dmartins Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 my water has slowly started turning a wonderful emerald green over the last few days....however i did not do it on purpose. the tank does not receive direct sunlight and light is not kept on for extended periods. i have been getting black wall algae (never green stuff) but the overall hue of the water is turning green. also, i have been leaving the airstones on all day for about a week now. i checked the params today and they came in normal (pH: 7.6, A: 0ppm, Nitrite: 0 ppm, Nitrate: 15ppm). my tank is no longer overstocked due to two recent deaths and now two fish enjoy 26 gallons. the fish appear happy, eat well and never bottom sit. hopefully it lasts! i have considered getting one more fish (a ranchu) but i may hold off. is there anything i should watch out for? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Orandaa Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 My guess is it's algae. You could simply rinse off your ornaments/tank and change the water if you decide to get rid of it. But I know what you mean, it can look pretty cool. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member daryl Posted July 16, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted July 16, 2008 Once you get an "innoculation" of free floating green algae, it can bloom very quickly and be fairly difficult to get rid of. I would not add another fish in a 29 gallon tank. Keep in mind that a 30 gallon (or 29 or any other size) is not really 30 gallons - it is somewhat less...... Free floating green algae in the water can be "beautiful" to some - and unsightly to others. I prefer to NOT have green in my glass tanks. They are difficult to properly maintain green water - the emptying and scubbing that needs to be done every few days is far too difficult in a heavy glass tank - better saved for a smaller plastic tub. IF you wish to remove the green algae, the best way is with an UV unit - there are some around that are good units at a relatively small cost. REplacement of the bulbs is only necessary about once a year - with continuous use. The use of algae clearing herbacides is not recommended. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Erinaceus Posted July 16, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted July 16, 2008 It seems like indeed like it's green algae you got. All in all there's nothing wrong with having green algae. In fact, some people really try hard to get a 'green tank', because it generally healthy for your fish, as it serves as a constant yet not too abundand food supply for your gf, and the algae also consume part of the bioload (nitrate) which is also benificial for the goldies. The only 'danger' is that you could get a sudden die-off of algae, which would cause an instant really large peak in bioload, with not-so-nice results for the goldfish. But the chance of that happening is relatively small, and most goldfish keepers don't mind the green water. Also, it's rather hard to get rid of. You can only try to contain it somewhat with frequent large water changes and by scrubbing away all the algae. But even then it's only temporary. In short: don't worry about it, especially not if you like the look . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dmartins Posted July 16, 2008 Share Posted July 16, 2008 thanks everyone....i really do like the look and plus side is that its good for them. i will keep it up for now and keep checking the params 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member 32Bit_Fish Posted July 16, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted July 16, 2008 What type of lighting system do you have? How long do you leave it on everyday? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dmartins Posted July 17, 2008 Share Posted July 17, 2008 i actually have a marine setup with 10K acintic blue light....i like the look of it. Each bulb is 39 watts, so 78 watts for the fixture. at approx. 26 gallons, that is exactly 3 watts/gallon. i do not leave it on all day....probably a few hours at most. i think the increased heat, humidity and constant oxygen, coupled with the fact that the tank is no longer overstocked, is the reason why its green. i was looking at it yesterday and its BEAUTIFUL.....its getting thick though...LOL. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member Erinaceus Posted July 17, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted July 17, 2008 i was looking at it yesterday and its BEAUTIFUL.....its getting thick though...LOL. Then I'd venture your goldfish will soon follow . 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regular Member TetraLover Posted July 17, 2008 Regular Member Share Posted July 17, 2008 Hmm.....It seems that a green tank happens by accident and never by planning. I've got lights on mine and airstones, and the most green I get is a thin covering on the glass. lol. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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