Cloudy Aquarium Water/Algae Bloom issue....seeking advice

[Donewiththisplace]

Recently had an algae bloom that I cant seem to get rid of. It started approximately 2 weeks ago after cleaning the glass. (Pics attached)


Tank is approximately 4 years old, Lights are T5's (About a year old) and on for 6 hours a day. Tests of all parameters are not leading to a definitive cause...NO2, NO3, NH3, PO4 are all either zero or close to it.


What I've done so far is first did a 5 gallon water change. This had little to no effect. Second, I got my skimmer up and working on it, and it has been pulling a lot of crap from the water but really not helping anything...(pic attached). Third, I'm changing the filter floss almost daily. Fourth, as of today I've gone lights out in an attempt to starve out the algae. Fifth, I will be adding carbon to the filtration tomorrow.


I guess what I'm asking is has anyone seen an algae bloom last quite this long and what have you done to correct it that I may be missing here...?


Thanks for your help.

 

[carlpica]

You using RODI for saltwater and top off? You should run some GFO as well. Sometimes the Algae is using up the PO4, so it may not read high on a test kit. Bring your water to an LFS to double check tests. More Water changes is always a good idea as well.
No recent changes to maintenance, stirring of sand bed/rocks?

 

[homegrowncichlid]

get a live muscle or clam from the local seafood market. That will clear out your water in a week.

 

[Donewiththisplace]

Not using RODI but bottled spring water...same since the tanks inception.


Maintenance rituals have been the same the whole time, no disturbing the sand bed...just using a magfloat to clean the glass and a turkey baster for debris on the rocks.


Carbon is going in tomorrow..nano cubes pose such a challenge when trying to get a lot of equipment and materials in such a small filtration chamber. But some how gotta make it happen.

 

[bkstang]

Do you mean Spring Water or Distilled Water? If you use Spring water it's definitely the reason for algae outbreak and other problems. Even though you used it for a long time it doesn't mean you should do it. Spring water has too many additives that should not be in your tank. For example Poland Spring Water has TDS between 26 and 71 according to the producer, way too high for the tank.

 

[LongIslandAndy]

If the water is green a UV will get rid of it, is the tank getting sunlight?

 

[Mattl22]

It's a sm tank I'd get an rodi and change as much water as possible 100% if u can might have to do it few times !

 

[Tonyscoots84]

get a live muscle or clam from the local seafood market. That will clear out your water in a week.

do you have evidence or experience with this?

 

[Donewiththisplace]

Do you mean Spring Water or Distilled Water? If you use Spring water it's definitely the reason for algae outbreak and other problems. Even though you used it for a long time it doesn't mean you should do it. Spring water has too many additives that should not be in your tank. For example Poland Spring Water has TDS between 26 and 71 according to the producer, way too high for the tank.

Point taken....but the rapidness with which the bloom occurred leaves me to believe that there is some other reason behind it. I'm highly doubtful that after years of using the same water, suddenly it has become too much for the tank and it decides to take a c**p.


I tend to believe that although all parameters are testing within normally acceptable ranges, the PO4 reading is flawed because of the presence of all the algae. So until I can figure out what is driving it up, wait and see I guess.


Carbon went in this afternoon...

 

[Donewiththisplace]

If the water is green a UV will get rid of it, is the tank getting sunlight?

No direct sunlight...and yes I've considered a UV. Would still like to know the cause though...if for nothing more than personal experience/knowledge.


Thanks.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

I think and am pretty certain its because you have not used rodi water. There is plenty of garbage in bottled water that is not distilled. i would do a few huge water changes within a few weeks and you will/should be back to normal in time ....

On another note

-Lights are old and need to be replaced?
-do you have a skimmer?
-what is your water change schedule?
-are you running phosban reactors for carbon and phosban?

 

[homegrowncichlid]

do you have evidence or experience with this?

I stuck the clams in for fun, this was also back when I was starting up and cycling with dead rock/ sand. Later on a couple of times just did it to keep them fresh before I ate them later on in the week or to feed some new fish I got. One time I had a pound of the little necks, and out of ,1 3 little anemones popped out. The foxface ate them.

They are the cheapest filter feeder I could think of that's readily available. Go up the $ scale and the feather duster/sponges would work too, but in the end they'll die out once the water clears up, so for $2/lbs, it's not a bad solution. Just take them out before they die, because they really pollute. If the clams don't have sand to burrow into, the crabs and butterflies will eat them out. The mussels seem to last a while. I have a few little ones that's been in my tank for a few years.

 

[Mattl22]

U eat them after they where in ur tank ?? That's awesome

 

[bkstang]

I don't want to start a war nor I want to be impolite but there are people from time to time on forums that argue that using spring water or even tap water is harmless. It is a disaster waiting to happen. You have large enough tank to invest in RO/DI unit. Do it and you will have one problem less, and it's going to be cheaper.
You also mentioned PO4 is zero or close to zero. What is exactly the reading and what test kit do you use?

 

[Donewiththisplace]

Was a Red Sea kit and got a second opinion from an API..same results.

 

[Dan_P]

I see that you might have child in the house. Is it possible that one of those chairs I see in the background is being used as a step stool to reach the top of the tank to feed the fish? The mess you have and the sudden onset of it makes me wonder.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

OMG don't get me started on that, I had a house party once and one of my friends poured vodka into my 30 gal tank, saying "The fish need to drink too" MASSIVE bacterial bloom the next day, I was so mad while I was changing the water out the next day. Last thing I need to do while cleaning up cans and garbage is doing a water change. He still owes me 4 shrimps and that was over 10 years ago.

 

[Donewiththisplace]

I see that you might have child in the house. Is it possible that one of those chairs I see in the background is being used as a step stool to reach the top of the tank to feed the fish? The mess you have and the sudden onset of it makes me wonder.

Good point..to the best of my knowledge no. The food and supplements are kept tucked away..where if they did touch them I would have noticed they weren't put back.

 

[coralcruze]

I've been in the hobby for 16 years. A couple of things you should focus on. Tank is 4 years old. I think the gravel is a nitrate sponge. Alot of people don't realize that unless you have a true deep sand bed. +4-9" deep, it is likely that the sand/gravel bed has reached its fail point. I have had to switch my sand bed once every 4-5 years. took all of my rock and corals out and removed all sand and started over. Nitrate and phosphate is what is feeding your tanks algae right now. Looks also like the tank is getting alot of passive indirect natural light which is feeding the algae bloom. so here is my recomendation:

1. change the sand bed
2. do several 30% water changes a few weeks apart
3. use filter floss and change out regularly
4. stop all supplimentaion
5. slow or cut down photoperiod
6. slow feeding
7. set up refugium
8. run protein skimmer 24/7
9. as others have said >definatly< get yourself ro/di. many don't realise that although bottled water is ro its not di. deionized (di) water is not healthy to drink but is what you want to use in a tank. I have tested bottled water and the tds is off the charts with some/most brands out there.
10. clams and any bivalve is good but you would need alot on their own.
11. personally I have used Ozone as a water clarifier which has worked for me very very well. it hardly ever comes on now but when it does its intermittent. However I have heard many use UV quite successfully also. important to remember that UV and Ozone should not be overused as they both take out the good with the bad.
12. use of carbon and GFO for a month or longer would be a good thing in this case but try to limit those over time as they are very efficient in what they do and will strip your water too much over time.
13. ultimatlely focus on natural means to lower Po4 and No3 increase in your tank.
14. This type os problem is NOT/can NOT be fixed overnight. there is no magic pill. avoid additives that claim to get rid of algae however some sort of pro bio or carbon dosing over time may work well or a simple algae scrubber good too.


a combination of the above is what will get things under control for you but important to do so over time unless you have the luxury of setting up another tank and letting it cycle and starting over.

I would like to see the results for the following tests (indicate test kits used) befor I could offer more detailed advice.
1. no3
2. po4
3. ph
4. ammonia
5. nitrite
6. mg

lastly, if you can remove the corals and place in a freinds tank would be good.

 

[jhm5378]

first thing you got to do put carbon change your sucks and add a uv to it that will help you a lot