Help! My fish tank is green!

[skybie]

yeh they're pretty nasty!!
BN are fairly good at comoflaging themselves though. you can only try and see how they go, they're no expensive

[Rooey5]

Brilliant, I'll get the aquarium guys to help me pick big ones!

[mitzy81]

As long as your fish are not dying, a green tank means a healthy tank but it is not attractive to look at! Too much direct light could be causing this, as someone mentioned get some bristlenose cat fish or even sucking catfish. 25% change of water each week. Try to steer clear of the 'algae eating' potions the pet shops will try to sell you, the less you need to add in the way of medications, the better. If you have a heavily planted tank and not enough filtration this could also be causing your green tank. Cellophane filters the sun, so you could get some of that and wrap it around your tank for a week or 2 and see if that makes a difference. My tank is not in any direct sunlight but still gets a green tinge to it. Good luck

[farmgirl77]

Have you tested your water for phosphorus? Phosphorus is added to aquariums through fish food, some plant fertilizers and some pH buffers. Phosphorus encourages algea growth and if the levels get too high, can be toxic to fish. I struggle with phosphorus levels and have now switched fish food brands to a low phosphorus brand. This is having a slow effect at getting things under control.
Good luck
FG

PS - good aquarium stores should be able to test the phosphorus levels for you so you dont have to get a test kit!

[Rooey5]

I'll give that a go Farmgirl, cheers! We do just have a cheap food so it could be the issue...

[nic]

I know this might not apply to your tank, but when we had our salt water tank, doing too many water changes too often, can sometimes be just as harmful as not doing a water change, as you remove all the good stuff along with the bad stuff.

If you are testing the water, maybe testing the water you are filling the tank with also? And make sure you are adding the correct amount of water conditioner to the water and not overdosing it as well.

But, like the others have said, may be a little too much light, and if you can knock back the food a little, see if that helps maybe?

[Rooey5]

OK! I think I may have located the source of the problem! I did a full tank clean today, took out all the water, cleaned all the ornaments, the pebbles, everything. And I found...the catfish that went missing a few weeks ago Poor little fella! He was under one of the bigger ornaments, so I didn't see him when I was vacuuming the pebbles in the water changes.

Anyway, hopefully the water won't green up so much now!