Bad Freshwater problem

[morales67]

Hi everyone. I have been having a pretty ugly problem in my freshwater aquarium. The problem is that my water LITERALLY turns clowdy and green withinonly a week after I change ALL of the water. This first started a month ago when I was doing a regular 2 week 30%water change. After 3 days of this water change the water became very clowdy and soon yellow then green. I had done absolutely nothing or added any thing that could have caused this, everything was the same. so I did a 50% water change and cleaned the filter This kinda helped, but then it started to darken so I did a 100% waterchange(my fish were in a 10gal for a few days while I let the water age) After I added the fish, the water was pretty clearafter about 4 days the water was again clowdy and yellow green. Another 100%water change, and same thing happens, only this time I buy this "water clarifier" at petsmart:this doesnt semm to wor and now the 4th time I do a complete water change, this time I cleaned the entire filter. The water is getting just as bad. Here is what I have:
5 angelfish
2 regular small plecostomous
30gal eclipse
New filter
Ive taken out most of the decorations and all plants(fake) If you were to look at the water closely, you can see the particle of the cloudiness as if it were like green smoke in the aquarium. I'll post levels later if needed because havent tested. The aquarium currently looks like thiscellphone pictures)

 

[feelingfishy]

Gets some fresh black carbon, Uv Starilizer and better filtration!

 

[feelingfishy]

UV STERILIZER THERE AROUND 100$ BUT WELL WORTH THE MONEY!! Oww and is your tank close to an window if soo move it.

 

[0828dawn]

Make sure the tank isn't near any light source...If it is and it can't be moved elsewhere, then cover all sides but the front with background covering.
Next I would completely strip apart your filter (upgrade may be called for) and clean it and refill with fresh media and premium charcoal such as Marine Land Black Diamond.
Finally, I would test your water and make sure your readings are within the norm.
Also, be aware certain gravels (especially the colored ones) can give off a waxy substance...I think it's the coloring used...(experienced it first hand years ago) and it looks like you have the colored gravel. Rinse the crap outta that stuff and make sure when its in the bucket (prior to putting in new tank) that your water looks nice and clear there too BEFORE it goes into the tank!
Also, a cheap way to substrate a tank is pea gravel...looks nice and natural and is cheap as all heck. Can get huge bags at Walmart for under $5.00
And if your really really desperate to get it clean, you may want to start it out with ro/di water, distilled water, or drinking water since it's only a 30 gallon it shouldn't cost that much.
Good Luck!

 

[jonthefishguy]

Lets start from the begining. I am going to tell you the proper way to setup that tank so that you don't have any problems. Here goes: When setting up a fresh water tank make sure everything is rinsed out/off including decor, gravel and tank and arranged everthing in the tank before adding water. Second, make sure that you provide an adequate size filter for the tank. Heater and thermometer is needed and then the water. Add the water. It is best to use drinking water (R/O), but if none is around tap water will do just fine. Make sure you condition the water with a chlorine remover such as ZIP DROPS or AMQUEL. Once your tank is filled with water and everything is plugged in, working and temp is right, you can add livestock. Now the next step there are 3 ways of getting the same result but each have a different time frame. So far there is no bacteria in the water. No fish waste or anything dead or dying. Once you add livestock, your aquarium's water chemistry is going to change. This is where the 3 ways start. 1, you can start your tank off with hardier fish that can handle a cycle (which is what we call it when your aquarium water changes its chemistry and builds up enough bacteria to self maintain waste that will be produced from your livestock). Fish for this process are generally mollies or guppies. The wait for the entire cycle naturally (no additives to speed up the process is roughly 30 days). 2, you can add additives like CYCLE and speed up the process up by roughly two weeks. Or 3, the easiest way.....when adding the fish, add a package of BIO SPIRA (cultured living bacteria) at the same time. This process will generally cycle a tank in less than 24 to 36 hours. HUGE TIMEFRAME difference from the other two, but all have them same result. The last option will allow you to add the fish you want and not have to use fish just to cycle and then not know what to do when its done. Now to address your cloudiness. When a FW tank is cycling, the ammonia level will make the water a cloudy white. While your tank is cycle, DO NOT do any water changes. Allow it to finish. If the tank is cloudy green, then that is an algae bloom which means the lights are on too long (only 8 hrs is needed) or/and that it is getting light from somewhere else as well like a window, other lights that shine on the glass. If you want the tank light on when you are home, place it on a timer and have it off when no one is there. This step will controll your green soupy color in the water. Since you already have the green soup, you can use a product called PRO CLEAR. This agent gets filtered through your system and clumps the particals together and settle them at the bottom and then you removes them when you syphon doing a water change. Feeding is something needs to be controlled....I will continue a new.post...

 

[jonthefishguy]

When you feed, you need to limit the amount of food you serve. Overfeeding causes the fish to produce more waste in turn causes your water to deteriorate hence more work for you. A good rule to follow is that they only need to eat a tiny amount per day or every other day (better option) and it only needs to be roughly the size of their eye ball. This give you a scale of how much to feed ONCE A DAY. The fish that don't eat will eat the next feeding. Water changes should be done when needed but at least once per month and only 10 percent if everything is doing good. Roughly 3 fingers from the water line is 10 percent. To keep the green algae from re appearing in a tank that for some reason just won't go away, add LIVE plants. They will fight for nutrients with the other algae in the water and help deter green algae from forming on rock, gravel etc. You can also use carbon to remove any discoloration or smell in the water but it must be changes out monthly. UV sterilizers are NOT needed if you take the time to find out what's causing the issue and address it. Lastly, I would not add plecos to a tank. For one they get pretty big and two, once you have this all straightend out, they. May starve due to no food. You can feed them algae waffers or use the meat inside a zuchinni and feed them that. Don't forget to NOT leave it in there for ever. Just remove it and place it with a new piece every 2 days. (Remove one add a new piece 2 days later). Hope this helps.

 

[coral keeper]

IMO, you got WAY TOO MANY fish in there. 5 angel fish and 2 regular small plecostomous is too many in a 30 gall and the only filter you got is a HOB filter. I say, sell the 2 regular small plecostomous and switch them for 1-2 bristle nose plecostomous or 2 otos, the reason I'm saying to switch the 2 regular small plecostomous is because they will get WAY to big for a 30 gall. 5 angel fish is too many angel fish in one tank. Give back 3-4 angel fish and just keep 1or 2. Did you let it cycle? If you were making it into a heavily planted tank you wouldn't of needed to cycle the tank because the aquatic plants eat up the ammonia like candy. The reason you got cloudy water is because your feeding the fish and they are pooping and are making ammonia. Ammonia is making your water cloudy. When i set up my 25 gall freshwater, it was cloudy for a few days when there was nothing in there. Then when i added a TON of my plants the next day the water was crystal clear. Did you test your water? Go to the store or if you have a test kit and test your water.

 

[ophiura]

I second everything jonthefishguy said, even down to the eyeball comment which was advice I always gave.

Don't let them convince you they are super hungry - which they will (though goldfish are the worst at the begging puppy thing). Its like an all you can eat buffet...there is what you actually need to eat (probably half the first plate), and all the rest you shove down because its there and tasty.
I would also try the ProClear stuff at this point, so you can at least deal with the immediate frustration and come up with a good method for getting to the root of the problem.

 

[mie]

It is alage bloom and it is a pain to get rid of. I had it once and it was due to the fact that my tank was next to a window, once i moved the problem went away.

 

[michaeltx]

are you adding any buffers to the tank? I always had a problem with PH buffers in my tank interacting with something in the water supply and would have to let it clear on its own after a few days it also had a greenish tint to it.
Mike

 

[morales67]

Actually, my room is dark, even throughout the day. I did try proclear but wasn't very patient with it. I am tring it again tho. Reason I ended up with so many angels is cus they(except for the 5 one, couldn't resist) was that they were gifts from my grandparents. No Buffers. Ph is fine,Amonia is off,but I'm working on that, and thats all i've tested for so far. The angels are pretty good at begging, but I am slowly cutting back a little. I always do changes with drinking water(the big tubs), and whether I do or don't I always use water treatment(Usually the API or Jungle stuff) I've been keeping freshwater since i was 11(16 now) And this is the first time I seen this. I will admit that since this started happening, I have been moving too quick for my fish(didn't let it cycle well enough) This is the eclipse system 3, so the filter is in the hood.I did replace the cartridge and biowheel 3 weeks ago, and did clean and scrape the pipe and pump on the filter recently. Tank has only been running since August. Now I'm completly convinced that this is an algae/bacterial bloom(researched on internet) But have no Idea what to do.Tanks not close to a window so moving it wouldn't help. I'm, however using pretty bright lights for a very long time during the day.I'm going to start the tank over and the only thing I can think of doing differrently is greatly reducing amount of light this time, i'll put it on a timer since i go to school very early. I'll also feed less. I don't plan on keeping the plecos, I do know by experience how big they can get, and don't want 2 of those monsters in my tank. Any other advice?

 

[ophiura]

IMO, it comes down to the food. Don't fall for the begging.
A tank established 3+ months should not have ammonia in it, and the ammonia comes from waste - and the waste comes from the food.
IMO, don't slowly cut back on the food. Cut it back. Now. They do not need that amount of food. Most FW fish only need a few flakes each. Don't fall for the "as much as they can eat in 5 minutes" bit (lie, IMO).
They will not be hurt by it.
How long do you leave your lights on? I really doubt, fundamentally, that this is caused by the lights. It is just part of the equation, and the primary culprit is that you have a lot of nutrients for that algae to grow.
There are people who leave the lights on WAY too long...but don't have problems like that Cut back on the food immediately.