# green tint to the water / green algae



## kai (Jul 1, 2012)

My friends Interpet Fish Pod Glass Aquarium - Fish Pod 48 Litre tank has a recurring problem with looking green but the water is for the better part clear if u take it out in a clear glass .. its been running for 3-4 months now with a 10-15% water change roughly every 2week's , there is not a larger smell than any other aquarium from the water and we have tryed to run it with out the ornaments but it still greates this green tint looking in .. As i run my tanks planted from the go im not sure on how to combat this green look which im presuming is green agile she has a commen plec in that happily eats the brown algie as it appears otherwise he spends most of his time on the bogwood and mulling round the stones but very little on the glass .

My first thought was to change the filter more often but this is not making an efect .. is it worth adding a sponge tho i no little about how they work . 

Her fish are 2 angle fish near 4"
2 neon's and 2 Red serpa tetra's 
1 common plec 

the tank is gravel with a pf 1 (wich im deturmind to make her change for under gravel or a larger filter )


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

A 48 liter equates to a 12 gallon tank, for those of us that think better in Imperial measure.:lol: This is small for some of the fish, even though they may themselves bel small. A common pleco can attain over a foot, and along the way it produces a lot of waste. Angelfish will also outgrow this tank very soon, and depending upon their size the tank size may already be affecting them. And tetra are shoaling fish meaning they need a group to be healthy.

If the water appears green, it is likely an algae bloom caused by excess organics and light. How often are they fed, and what foods? What light is over the tank, and how long is it on daily?

Assume there are no live plants in this tank?

Water changes must be no less than once a week, especially in so small a tank with these fish. And change at least half the tank. This will help but is only a temporary measure.

On the gravel, what does "pf" refer to? And i assume this tank has an undergravel filter? Is the gravel vacujumed regularly?

Byron.


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## kai (Jul 1, 2012)

Byron said:


> A 48 liter equates to a 12 gallon tank, for those of us that think better in Imperial measure.:lol: This is small for some of the fish, even though they may themselves bel small. A common pleco can attain over a foot, and along the way it produces a lot of waste. Angelfish will also outgrow this tank very soon, and depending upon their size the tank size may already be affecting them. And tetra are shoaling fish meaning they need a group to be healthy.
> 
> If the water appears green, it is likely an algae bloom caused by excess organics and light. How often are they fed, and what foods? What light is over the tank, and how long is it on daily?
> 
> ...


The LFS sold her 2 baby angle fish and failed to inform her they would out grow the tank they also sold her a beta male at the same time as 6 neons and 4 guppy's pleased to say it closed recently but not b4 the beta wiped out the entire tank they refunded her with 2 more angle fish 4 neons and 2 red's . Ive informed her shes goin to need a bigger tank soon . 

PF1 is (Interpet internal power filters have triple action filtration for healthier aquariums, better aeration, fully adjustable, easy fitting, easy clean filter cartridge and patented aqua valve. The filter has two foams for mechanical and biological filtration, and a seperate carbon foam. It also includes a foam carrier, flow contol, head rotation, venturi and aqua valve.2 Year Guarantee. For aquariums 45-68 Litres (8-15 Gallons) .. which comes with a heater as a kit .. when u buy the tank from [email protected] (Fish Box 40cm Tank by Interpet (Available In Store Only) | Pets at Home)

The room has lots of sunlight there is 2 large 8ft Windows at each end of the room catching sunrise and sunset (the tank has been relocated 3time's to avoid over exposure) 

She feeds them every 2 days as recommended by the LFS and use's tera flakes.
the gravel is vacuumed with each water change, up to yesterday there was no live plants just fake tho for the last 2weeks its been empty of those aswell to see if it helped , on monday i added a tempered peace of bog-wood and 2 elodea densa 4-6 strands on each planting i was also able to take out of my tank along with some amazon fern shoots .

Id love to talk her into a 40-55gallon tank but shes not willing to relocate the tv which is in my opinion in the idea area for a tank been in the alcove and sheltered from both morning sunrise and sunset ,as for tank light its a twin bulb day-glow and moon glow she turns the day glow on around 3-4pm and switches to the moon glow around 8-9pm sometimes on her days of the day glow might be on earlier .


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Well, I'm seeing why there is green water.;-)

The fish will have problems if something isn't done relatively soon, I only mention that in passing. You mentioning the Betta killing the other fish made me smile; how often i write that Betta are not community fish, and i get told i don't know what I'm saying, they get along fine, blah, blah...well, they don't as you have seen.

Feeding once a day is sufficient; the more food in, the more waste organics, so cutting that in half will help the green water clear. Then there is light, it is too intense and too long duration. If the sun is on the tank that is doubly bad both for this and the temperature. But even bright ambient light in the room can impact algae. I discovered last summer that the reason i had been experiencing algae increases every summer was due to the increased daylight in summer, brighter and longer, even with venetian blinds fully closed. I added heavy drapes over them, end of algae.

The tank light has to be regulated according to the needs of the plants. If the plants can utilize the light, fine; but once nutrients are no longer available, the light remaining on is only going to feed algae, be it green water, brush algae, etc.

Hope this is of some help. To summarize, reduce the light and the feeding. Partial water changes more often will help to clean things up if the light and food are curtailed. When back to normal, once weekly water changes of half the tank, and then resolve the fish issues.

Byron.


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## kai (Jul 1, 2012)

1s the thank was set up and had cycled a fine bloom of white and cleared the tank was still empty the last time i saw it i was called in 2days later to find her holding dead fish in a bag and 1 male enjoying the tank to his self .. slight raised eye brow from me as i said why do u have a beta with these / did .. Not sure the burst of laughter went to well as she looked puzzled to what had happened .

Yes this info has been grate im surprisingly clueless to tank's unplanted and how they react different ...Also ill keep pestering for her to increase the size of her tank i may soften the blow buy offering to buy a larger 1 in return for her's as shes realy wonting to hold onto the Angle fish and build up the number's of the shoaling fish


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