# greenwater smothering concerns



## Flear (Oct 5, 2012)

does anyone know if greenwater can smother critters that eat it ?

in particular i'm concerned about clams & freshwater sponges.

clams are simple enough concerns as the gills are in the same area as the stomach.
i'm concerned if the greenwater is thick enough will this smother the gills as it eats ?

i'm looking up sponges currently
but i'm aware sponges can have similar dietary requirements (greenwater)
so my concerns with sponges are similar as well


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## henningc (May 20, 2013)

Not that I'm aware of. I have had outside vats get so green the gambusia could not see well enough to eat their fry-they are the worst fry eaters for sure. The Jacks could not see the gambusia, thus they started breeding. I ended up having to move the jacksas they were not eating properly due to zero visability. Nobody smoothered.


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## sandybottom (Nov 29, 2012)

clams can bury themselves deep in the mud.do not think a little green water will smother them.


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## equatics (Apr 26, 2012)

Just thought I'd add that green water algae is made up of single-celled algae - microscopic. Green water is an algae bloom, brought on by an excess of nutrients, maybe a dead fish or organic carbon/mulm - whatever gets into the water that the algae can use to bloom. Good luck with it.


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## Flear (Oct 5, 2012)

i'm aware 

the hard part is what is eating the greenwater i keep adding to my main tank ?
no one has any info on that.

another site i came across mentioned that a simple cure for greenwater is to ignore it, the bloom will grow, multiply, get darker then one day be all gone, ... and after that the aquarium is expected to be immune to another greenwater infection.

great for those who don't want it, ... i'm one of the odd-balls that do (opens up options for other critters i want in the tank.

i can add high nutrient mixes to the tank with the greenwater i am adding, ... doesn't matter, a few days later the water is clear again  ignoring greenwater seems more effective than blackouts or water changes to get rid of it 

best luck i've got is setting up a new tank if i want to get it going again. ... but once it's going i want to know it's not going to smother whatever i put in the tank if it gets too thick


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## equatics (Apr 26, 2012)

Flear said:


> i'm aware
> 
> the hard part is what is eating the greenwater i keep adding to my main tank ?
> no one has any info on that.
> ...


I agree with what you mentioned about just leaving it alone and it will go away. The algae multiplies when there is something to eat and adequate light (I'd say a brighter light) and when the food runs out it dies. If you don't have enough light but too much nutrients, you will get a bacteria bloom (grey water).

You can culture green water in bottles on the windowsill - in a tank, there should be an excess of light.

Green water algae doesn't settle on things, it remains suspended in the water, so try not to worry about that. I realize that you have "critters" in the tank and that that is a concern, but it certainly doesn't bother fish. IMO, although I've never seen messages about it, your critters will be ok.

I don't think anything's eating the green water. A bloom will continue as long as there is food, and then die.


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## Flear (Oct 5, 2012)

currently, no matter what i do, it dies in the tank within a few days, ... enough to get the water cloudy, then a few days later it's crystal clear again. duckweed does well enough so there should be plenty of nutrients in the tank water


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## henningc (May 20, 2013)

If you ever plan to breed egg layers than freeze some of that green water to start an instant culture to feed free swimming egg layer fry. Works like a charm.


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