Water looks greenish/yellow???

[nine28girl]

Hi all, I noticed a while back my skimmer water started to be greenish, now my tank water has a weird color to it. The skimmer is full every two days with green water. Anyone know what is causing this? I changed all my ro filters about a month ago.
Thanks for any advise!!
Sam

 

[ophiura]

Can you start with a full run down of your tank parameters, age, inhabitants, filtration, lighting?

 

[reefreak29]

sounds like an algea bloom , what are your water perameters , nitrates , nitrites , ammonia, and phosphate, lighting , filtration etc.

 

[nine28girl]

Originally Posted by ophiura
Can you start with a full run down of your tank parameters, age, inhabitants, filtration, lighting?

Ammonia .25
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Ph 7.9
95 gallon wave tank is about 1 year 7 months
with sump/skimmer combo no bio balls- removed them about a month ago.
Lights- 3 250 MH and 2 96 w CF
1 niger trigger
1 clown
1 solar wrasse
1 velvet wrasse
1 yellow tang
1 purple tang
1 copper banded butterfly
2 cleaner wrasses
1 blue damsel
I know the load is high and I am currently upgrading just waiting for new tank to cycle now.
THANKS!!!
Sam

 

[ophiura]

Do you use a red sea test kit?
How long do you keep the lights on? How old are the bulbs

 

[nine28girl]

Sorry for delay, my internet keeps going down.

 

[nine28girl]

Originally Posted by ophiura
Do you use a red sea test kit?
How long do you keep the lights on? How old are the bulbs

I use sea something but I don't think it is red sea- I bought as a kit at LSF. I also have the salifert but I can never figure the salifert out. I just did the salifert and it indicates Nitrates are high.
Bulbs are about 1 year 5months old.
Sam

 

[reefreak29]

u need to change your bulbs as they age u will get different light output that can cause this problem oph was asking about the test kit because red sea is notoriuse for giving false readings on ammonia

 

[ophiura]

YOur bulbs probably need to be replaced. THose are quite old, IMO. As the spectrum changes with use and age, it can cause algae problems.
We really need to know if you have nitrates. Are your test kits also over a year old? I would recommend you get a nitrate and phosphate test done at the LFS. It is critical to know where you stand with that.

 

[nine28girl]

Originally Posted by ophiura
YOur bulbs probably need to be replaced. THose are quite old, IMO. As the spectrum changes with use and age, it can cause algae problems.
We really need to know if you have nitrates. Are your test kits also over a year old? I would recommend you get a nitrate and phosphate test done at the LFS. It is critical to know where you stand with that.
The sea something is way old but I just picked up the Salifert test kits- I just have a hard time interpreting the results (my bad) The Nitrate per Salifert is high- like a pink/purple. I have been fighting phosphates for the last month too- they are through the roof and off the scale. I don't know why. I put a phosphate reactor on and it just eats up the media in like a day....

 

[ophiura]

How often do you water changes?
What and how often do you feed?
Phosphate and nitrates are fertilizers. The green tinge is an algae bloom. The old bulbs may also be an issue.
Frequent large water changes are in your future I suspect....

 

[nine28girl]

Originally Posted by reefreak29
u need to change your bulbs as they age u will get different light output that can cause this problem oph was asking about the test kit because red sea is notoriuse for giving false readings on ammonia
Hi Reefreak, thanks for your help- ok so bulbs don't just get weaker the spectrum actually changes and causes these problems? I had no idea- I just figured they'd get weak and since I am getting all new lights soon I didn't want to change them.
Sam

 

[reefreak29]

Originally Posted by Nine28girl
Hi Reefreak, thanks for your help- ok so bulbs don't just get weaker the spectrum actually changes and causes these problems? I had no idea- I just figured they'd get weak and since I am getting all new lights soon I didn't want to change them.
Sam
yes the spectrum changes as they get older, i wouldnt keep lights going over 1 year. everything opiura is saying is dead on,

 

[nine28girl]

Originally Posted by ophiura
How often do you water changes?
What and how often do you feed?
Phosphate and nitrates are fertilizers. The green tinge is an algae bloom. The old bulbs may also be an issue.
Frequent large water changes are in your future I suspect....
Well actually when I FIRST noticed the water color was looking weird I figured it was my ro system so I bought all new filters etc. Then started doing 30% water changes every week. That was up until about two maybe three weeks ago maybe.
I feed all kinds of stuff- flake, frozen foods, almost everything available I feed them in rotation. I feed daily too...

 

[ophiura]

There are A LOT of fish in that tank as you know, and they do need food. It would be problematic, IMO, to not feed every day. We can address how much you are feeding, but you really need to get back into the water changes.

 

[reefreak29]

this tends to happen when u have a large bioload and feed every day , phosphates skyrocket nitrates skyrocket . at least u have a larger tank to move the fish to i would recommend for thenew tank u get a phosphate reactor . what size tank are u upgrading to?

 

[nine28girl]

Originally Posted by reefreak29
yes the spectrum changes as they get older, i wouldnt keep lights going over 1 year. everything opiura is saying is dead on,
Crap Lately I feel like I am fighting everything- First it was ph way high then way low (currently too low for my comfort), then water clarity, then phosphates and then back to this water clarity. The old lights cause the phosphates?

 

[reefreak29]

yep feeding daily is fine its how much your feeding and do u have a good cleanup crew .i also think large water changes are in order

 

[reefreak29]

Originally Posted by Nine28girl
Crap Lately I feel like I am fighting everything- First it was ph way high then way low (currently too low for my comfort), then water clarity, then phosphates and then back to this water clarity. The old lights cause the phosphates?
no over feeding causes phosphates, and useing tap water, also u should never really have to adjust ph .ph changes thruoghout the day being low in the morning and higher in the evening my ph is 7.8 in the morning and 8.1 at night . its perfectly normal

 

[nine28girl]

Originally Posted by reefreak29
this tends to happen when u have a large bioload and feed every day , phosphates skyrocket nitrates skyrocket . at least u have a larger tank to move the fish to i would recommend for thenew tank u get a phosphate reactor . what size tank are u upgrading to?

Well after going back and forth I figured a way to have my 240 cake and eat it too. (lol) I had a 240 then sold it because it took up our living room. I figured I was going to have to settle on 180, but after dragging my feet forever about it my husband (knowing I was frustrated) found a way to do an inwall 240 so after re-routing a load bearing wall and a few other things ... I get my tank and still get to keep my living room...