CichlidFish.com - Fish That Think.

Ok so most of you know I have been around for quite some time, well my latest project has gone arye, and I don't mean the fish. They are all fat and happy and putting on the size like crazy.
Its my water, I have always kept all my fish in the same water(for about 4-5 years now). Well all of a sudden my beautiful 180g oscar tank went green, I don't mean the rocks and sand are green. I mean the WATER, its neon green, now nothing has changed, I contacted my water company and nothing has changed, neither are any of my other tanks having any problems. I have not had the lights on for almost 3 weeks now, and its still running strong. I do a 75% water change and it clears up for a day and then comes back strong, this is driving me crazy, I can never see any of the 17 fish unless they are right at the glass(o they are juvis still will be thinned down).

I have never run into a more aggresive algea than this, I about to go out and get another mag 350 to clear it up but would rather not spend that much money on something I will only use now and again.

thanks
JR

sure its not just tanins leaching from something in the tank itself and apears to be algea like in colour?

nope its algea, onlything in the tank, is rock and sand. I don't keep any bog wood in there at the moment.

Stating the obvious here and you probabably already done it, but have you covered the entire tank for 3,4 days from "all" light with a blanket or simular? just a thought,, sounds fustrating,, got a phostate test kit? I gather your nitrates are ok?

Yep done that too, it was without main lights for 3 weeks then sealed for 1.
phosphates are low, I know this from my saltwater tanks, tap is VERY low and this tank is also. Nitrates are almost nothing because I do such larger water changes.

You sure its not blue green algea. I am over my head on it, (in regards to BGA) something more for the planted tank ppl, but I vaguely remember reading something about it on one of the plant threads. Other than that, no algea I am familar with acts like yours seems to.

hmm that maybe it, this stuff is amazing, I am having a heck of a time just fighting it back so I can see into the tank.

Try looking for Tom Barr's website, he used to post in the newsgroups, but I think he got overwhelmed, and started his own site. BGA from what I recall is not a true algea, but actually a bacteria, and it feeds on phosphate's in the water, (again I may be wrong, deffinatly not my specialty). Thats why I think its what you may have, since lack of light doesn't kill BGA, only way I recall was to remove its food source, or use an antibiotic on the water.Anyhow, I'll try and see if I can find a link for you.
Merry Christmas, and happy holidays

Fuzzy

Try a UV sterilizer.
That should kill it off whatever it is - BGA or bacterial growth.

I'll just make a phosban reactor, it one of those slick saltwater items. They are really cheap and remove all phosphate, you use them when you have a very aggressive algea.

thanks for all the help, and have a merry christmas.
JR

There is something cheap about salt water tanks.....man you learn something new everyday!!!!

It's all if you have the ability to DIY, I build everything from my skimmers to small tanks myself, only way to keep the price down.