Water turning green radioactive green

[MountainM]

Hi lately I have been having problems with my 24 gallon nano cube. My water is turning green just out of nowhere. I have done everything to get rid of it. I have tried carbon, cleaning the sponges, totally cleared out the tank of everything and put new water in and it just keeps turning green. Does anyone have any ideas or has any one experienced this problem?

[dymaxiun]

Yikes..... Sorry i don't have an answer.. but 24 gallons can be easy to manage. Not sure what you are doing wrong...

When you took everything out of the tank when you fillld it did you put nathing back intot he tank?

[CitCat21]

are you sure it's the water and not the glass?

[MountainM]

Well when I took everything out I didn't want to exactly clean the rocks as to not kill any bacteria but they were cleaned somewhat. I didn't clean the sand too much for the same reason. I know it's not the glass as the water I was pouring down the drain looked like green koolaide. Would any of the water clear solustions work like something from seachem?

[CitCat21]

SOrry if it was a stupid question (asking if it was on the glass) Just haven't really heard of the water turning that green.

What are your Water Params

Did the new water turn green instantly or did it turn over time if so how long?

Just probing to see if this can help someone else find an answer

[MountainM]

The water parameters were all normal salinity was 1.022, 0 ammonia, 0 nitrates, 0 nitrites and it's not in any way in direct sun light. I have no idea what is going on or how to fix it.

[CitCat21]

what about phosphates

[MountainM]

Phospates I didn't test but I have some seachem phosban that I could try see if it helps out at all.

[CitCat21]

It might a water born algae of some kind. Being as it's green it's more than likely photsynthetic. and if that's the case You might also try shortening your photo period.
Most of the bacterial blooms i read about are milky or hazy no where near green in color that why i think it's algal

[MountainM]

How short do you think I should leave the lights on ? I don't have much coral in there right now just a sun coral.

[tigerarmy40]

did you get your rock or sand from someones tank or from lfs?

[CitCat21]

I would cut back depending on howlong you have your lights on now. Just make sure to watch and see how it affects the coral.

Make the adjustment slowly probably around an hour every day or two. Say if your at 12 hours adjust down to 8 if your at eight maybe as low as 4.
Just my $.02

[MountainM]

What if I threw a blanket over it for a couple days possibly work for killing algae?

[CitCat21]

it might but i don't think the poor coral would react well to the sudden darkness

[Chrisgriffith25]

Sun corals are non-photosynthetic. The lack of light shouldn't have any affect on it. Are you using RO water?

[MountainM]

RO water has been used both times. I am baffled but hopefully I figure out something to cure this.

[Rileymichelle28]

I too have the same problem with my 24g nano. Its not the glass or sand collecting any algae. All tank params are fine and I use RO/DI water as well. A water change clears it up for 1-2 days, but it comes right back.

[Jabarten]

Well,

If your tank looks similar to this setup I had...

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/Jabarten/farmpond.jpg


Then you will need some water clarifier, a skimmer, and keep the lights off for a few days, I took 5 days no lights...

It is probably a phytoplankton bloom that is persistent.....

Just my views...Jason

[benray4fun]

whassup guys,
It's called a green diatom bloom...read more about it here.....

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeconMar.htm

[StrictlySalt]

Jabertin .... Water clarifier ? what stuff are you thinknig about?

[MountainM]

Since it is a nano cube there isn't really any way to run a skimmer on it I guess my best bet is just to go light less for a couple days. I havn't found too many water clarifier products out there for salt water application if you know of any that work let me know.

[skewch]

Well, from what it looks like it's algae bloom. We had that in our 66g freshwater tank. Took a year and a half, all new equipment etc. and it didn't go away. The fish that we transferred into a 29g tank took it with them, within 24 hrs new tank was getting green also.

What we did was put in aquaclear (it binds the bloom together) and made sure to use the white fluff in our fluval filter, something which we'd never done before....within a day it was clear as a bell....


Use the fluff....even if just for a few days then remove it...this should collect the algae. When we change our fluff in our FW tank, it's totally green...so we know it's working.

Also helps if you limit the lighting times. JME :)

[astronaut]

Originally posted by CitCat21
it might but i don't think the poor coral would react well to the sudden darkness

like chris griffith said, sun corals (tubastrea spp.) are non-photosynthetic.

i agree with the green diatoms, and you said its a nanocube, theres no way to run a skimmer. im not completely familiar with the hood style on the nanocubes, but it seems like there would be somewhere for a HOB skimmer to fit.

[CaliforniaDreamer]

If you can run a loop outside of your tank a UV unit would get rid of the green, but if you can run an outside loop, a skimmer would be a better investment and would clear it also. You could just put a small power head in the back partition of the nano (if it is the JBJ brand) and pipe the output through the UV or skimmer back to the rear tank baffle.

[Jabarten]

FYI, I used Kent water clarifier.....

It is avaiable in most pet stores. Skimming, clarifier, and keeping the lights out for several days (including room lights and windows!!) will clear it up.....

Jason (off to Thurs. night pool league...)

[benray4fun]

whassup buddy,
check for ammonia and keep the airation high if it tests for it, also a large water change.