Because of this.. i have to change the water... my aquarium size is 6 X 2 feet... is it because of the algae on the glass??? i always scrap the algae using the algae scraper..
does anyone know the solution for this??? like traditional methods perhaps.
Thanks!
2007-07-06 05:16:17 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Fish
The solution, like in all things in aquaria, is prevention. The algae on the glass has nothing to do with your green water, which is suspended algae.
1. Do you overfeed? This is the main reason why people end up with problems, they just don't understand how little fish need to eat, and how polluting uneaten food is on a tank. I won't tell you how much to feed since we don't know what kind of fish you have, but keep in mind they should eat everything you give them, and there is no need to stuff fish to the gills every time you feed them.
2. Are you overstocked? Heavily stocked tanks are much harder to keep clean then lighter. If your tank is crammed full of fish it's harder for you and the fish.
3. If you don't have plants, keep the lights off through the day and only turn them on while you are actually there to view the tank. Lighting has no affect on fish health. Also, direct sunlight will cause nightmare algae problems, so make sure the tank doesn't get any.
4. Weekly water changes should be part of your routine anyway if you want a tank to stay healthy and clean long term. Also part of this weekly maintenance you should be vacuuming the gravel - you may not see the waste sunk into it, but the accumulation of rotting waste leads to an excess of algae friendly nutrients in the water. Those who aren't willing to put weekly effort into the tank should reconsider the hobby altogether.
5. Algae eaters will help with surface algae, but will do nothing for green water. If anything, their large appetites and messy nature will only make your problems worse. Algae eaters are livestock to be bought if there is interest, they are not problem solvers and aquarium tools.
Agree fully with MM above, chemicals and bottled miracles are best avoided altogether, or at least approached skeptically. Prevention is the best cure for any aquarium problem, and adding junk to the water does not fix the problem at it's source, so you'd only run circles with the same problems.
2007-07-06 06:02:12 · answer #1 · answered by Ghapy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the cloudy water---if it's green then it is algae except that it's free floating algae which is why the water has a green coloration.
Algae is usually caused by 1)overfeeding and 2) too much light. Light and food are two things algae needs to grow.
to remedy this I would suggest that you cut down feeding the fish to one time a day and only feed a pinch of food. It's even ok to skip a day without feeding. Also don't turn on the lights for any unnecessary reasons. Only turn on the lights when you are viewing or interacting with the fish / fish tank. the only exception to this rule would be if there are live plants in the tank as it would then be necessary to keep the lights on for a minimum of 8-10 hours.
when you do the water changes it's important that you vacuum the gravel or bottom of the tank with a siphon hose as this will clean up a lot of uneaten food and fish waste.
Also try to keep the water changes to a 20%-25% maximum as too big and too frequent water changes will cause the tank to re-cycle which will cause a big headache.
i hope this information helps, at least a little bit.
2007-07-06 05:25:55 · answer #2 · answered by Celes 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Algae, whether free floating or attached, needs two things to grow. It needs light and nutrients from the water. Reducing either or both of those things will reduce the algae.
Try keeping the light on only when you are there to view the tank. The fish don't have to have a light in the tank and that shoudl reduce the algae over time.
Also increase the size of your weekly water changes for a few weeks. Try a 35-40% change and be sure to clean the gravel well as you go.
These two things will at least significantly reduce the algae growth but of coursse will not completely eliminate it nor will they work overnight to get rid of the algae, but they will help to keep it at a reasonable level given a little time.
Yes, there are algae killing compounds available in stores, but I would strongly recommend you not use those. They will only cause additional problems over the long term.
MM
2007-07-06 05:27:10 · answer #3 · answered by magicman116 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hm... well, goldfish tend to be very messy fish and will dirty up your tank in an instant. That could be why your tank is getting cloudy first. Regarding the green water it does sound like algae, even though it is not on the side of the tank. Acrylic tanks grow algae more because they scratch easier (making a nice home for the algae to grow). I got a glass tank and don't have near as much trouble. You could try an algae killing liquid but make sure you have no invertebraes, I believe it can hurt them. The most important thing is... keep your tank out of direct sunlight! That will cause excessive algae growth. Hope this helps!
2016-05-19 22:30:46 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In a tank that size you should have at least two algae eaters. Both very large fish and goldfish will make any tank filthy in no time. Also, you should rarely change ALL the water, just 5 gallons at a time.
2007-07-06 06:45:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How long are you leaving your light on? I would only leave it on for 4-6 hours a day or less if your algae growth is that significant. Cutting down on the time you leave the light on should help your problem.
2007-07-06 05:19:49 · answer #6 · answered by AnswerGiver 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i believe its either your leaving your hood light on to long
or some where in your house natural sunlight is hitting your tank directly and its reacting if the algae and any live plants you may be in your tank
not so much light and get rid of live plants if you have any
2007-07-06 05:24:44 · answer #7 · answered by hopeless_romantic33z 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you have a pleco in the tank? If not you really ought to go get one. As big as your tank is a common pleco would do very well in cleaning the tank up. Do not, however, buy a bigger one thinking you have a big tank and need it, it will grow fast enough just by cleaning your tank. snails work pretty good too, but try to get the type that don't multiply.
2007-07-06 05:26:00 · answer #8 · answered by laurie aka petsrus6 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Do you have a pump and a filter in it?
What type of fish? Goldfish are very diry and can make the water green very quickly even if you have a filter in. They need a super filter.
Also, try getting algi eaters.
2007-07-06 05:24:40 · answer #9 · answered by ATLgirl 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
MM and ghapy sources
2007-07-06 06:42:48 · answer #10 · answered by magma14 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋