Any good freshwater forum?

[Mihai]

Hi there, do you know of any similar (as good) forum for freshwater aquariums? I have a nasty problem with a freswater tank. Some of you might know the answer anyway, so here it is:


I started a planted freswater tank at the end of August, it went through a hair algae bloom and then it got clouded in the beginning of September. It's being cloudy ever since. After I did a 30-40% water change it got better for a couple of days, then back cloudy again... is this normal? I'm not about to put any chemicals in it to clean it up. The setup is a 30gal with sand and latherite on the bottom and a bunch of plants (Valisneria + Echino??? + cabomba), 7 neons, 4 ottocinclus, 6 ghost shrimps... I have a 65W light on top, feeding it lightly. There is a small HOB filter (makes a water turnover of about 100gph)

I think that it's a bit long for it to be the initialy cycle of the tank, but I might be wrong...

Thanks,
Mihai

 

[Len]

We have a new FW off-topic forum here; I am not a FW guy myself, so unfortunately I've got no recommendations (there's gotta be some good ones out there!). I've moved this thread to our FW forum.

 

[Mihai]

Great, thanks,
M.

 

[Anonymous]

Here's a nice one:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/

 

[fishfanatic2]

What color is the cloudiness? If it's green or yellow-green then it is an algal bloom that can be quickly taken care of by turning the lights off for 12-24 hours and doing a fairly large water change. This won't hurt your plants or fish. If it's brownish, blackish, burnt orangish, or yellow-brown, it could be the result of any bogwood or driftwood in the tank. Possibly the sand isnt settling or you still have a lot of dust in the tank from the substrate. Try running carbon and see if it clears up. HTH

 

[Mihai]

What color is the cloudiness? If it's green or yellow-green then it is an algal bloom that can be quickly taken care of by turning the lights off for 12-24 hours and doing a fairly large water change. This won't hurt your plants or fish. If it's brownish, blackish, burnt orangish, or yellow-brown, it could be the result of any bogwood or driftwood in the tank. Possibly the sand isnt settling or you still have a lot of dust in the tank from the substrate. Try running carbon and see if it clears up. HTH

It's really whitish, maybe with a tint of green (but mostly whitish, if any, very, very little green). The substrate is not an option: the tank was cristal clear for one week (maybe two), then it bloomed like that in about 3-4 days at the same time with the hair algae bloom. The algae bloom went away, the cloudiness is still there. And the cloudiness formed while I was running fresh carbon...

To me it seems like I have some bacteria that nobody wants to eat, so they stay around. I have no idea how to get rid of them though...

Any other ideas?
Thanks,
M.

 

[Mihai]

Here's a nice one:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/

Nice one indeed.
Thanks,
M.

 

[MikeDeL]

UV sterilizers should kill off free floating algae. Maybe you already have one for your reef tank you can borrow for a day or two.


HTH,
Mike

 

[Mihai]

I DO have one... I'm not even using it for the reef. Hmmm I'll give it a try, thanks.
M.

 

[gpodio]

Have you tested ammonia? That usually gives a whitish cloudiness. Running some of the water through a clean coffee filter helps determine the color of the particles. As fishfanatic pointed out a blackout will kill an algae bloom if that's what it is. Bacterial or diatom bloom should turn out to be brownish in color and is quite normal during early stages. You also have a lot of light there, something that could easily feed an algae bloom if nutrient levels were not correct. Test what you can and let us know, that should help get a better picture of what's going on.

Some other great FW forums are:
www.aquaticplantcentral.com
www.uniquaria.com
http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x


Hope that helps
Giancarlo

 

[Mihai]

OK, I tested the water at Petsmart and it came out as follows:

Ammonia/Nitrite/Nitrate: 0/0/0
Hardness: 2.5ppm, Alkalinity 80ppm, pH 6.8

Looking closer at the water it looks somewhat golden-brownish, so it might be an algae bloom.

The one thing the guy advised me was to reduce the photoperiod from 12h to 8h or less permanently. I never gave it much though - I just put it on 12 hour like for the reef tank - is that wrong?

For now I suspended the lights tomorrow (and probably the day after tomorrow to see what happens).

Thanks,
Mihai

 

[gpodio]

8-12 hours is normal for planted tanks. Being brownish it could be a diatom or bacterial bloom. Are you getting any brown deposit on plants or decorations? Keep up with water changes and it will likely go away on it's own.

Hope that helps
Giancarlo

 

[LCGoldman]

www.aquariumfish.com has quite a few freshwater forums

 

[Mihai]

8-12 hours is normal for planted tanks. Being brownish it could be a diatom or bacterial bloom. Are you getting any brown deposit on plants or decorations? Keep up with water changes and it will likely go away on it's own.

Hope that helps
Giancarlo

Nope, no deposit. So it's OK to be more than 8 hours... I'll try to keep it at 8 after tomorrow. Today and tomorrow the dawn was suspended .

M.

 

[gpodio]

It's fine, all my tanks run 12 hours however considering the amount of light you have you're probably best to stay in the 8-10 range without CO2.

Giancarlo

 

[JeffB]

Any Bogwood?


This can turn your water a tanic IE yellowish. If so it maybe the wood in combo with a suspended bacterial bloom



Jeff


Oops your running carbon never mind

 

[Reef Guy11]

Hello, I had the same problem with My tank and it got Worse. I use a UV Sterilizer from a friend. And in two days it was clear now it is Crystal Clear I also add more plant to Out compete the The Algea, Wow what a diiferents now. I did the light thing frist and a huge water change heavy Carbon and Not a damn thing it kept coming back. Now with the UV it is a lot better. Here is a picture after the UV.

 

[Mihai]

Any Bogwood?
Oops your running carbon never mind

Nope, no wood whatsoever.
M.

 

[Mihai]

Hello, I had the same problem with My tank and it got Worse. I use a UV Sterilizer from a friend. And in two days it was clear now it is Crystal Clear I also add more plant to Out compete the The Algea, Wow what a diiferents now. I did the light thing frist and a huge water change heavy Carbon and Not a damn thing it kept coming back. Now with the UV it is a lot better. Here is a picture after the UV.

I see... and I don't like it. I don't want to have an UV stuck in my tank. If it's just temporary to correct it and then I can take it away... OK. But I don't want it there forever...

Thanks, I'll try it.
M.

 

[Reef Guy11]

Yeah you don't have to have it on forever But it help and then just do a water change and a filter clean out and then you should be okay. but use the UV for at lease a week you will be surprise how clear your tank will be.