bendeng November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Ok. This is getting really annoying. For the past two weeks the water in my 10g Freshwater tank has gotten so cloudy that you can't see thru it. Avg temperature is 78ºF. PH is 7.2, Ammonia is 0ppm, Nitrite is 0ppm, and Nitrate is 20ppm. I change the water about 30% everyweek but because the water has been so mucky I've been doing it twice a week. It runs a Fluval Aquaclear 30 and I change the media once a month. I purchased some Deep Blue Carbon Media Pad and added it above my foam media. Then I added a filter bag full of Acurel carbon. Lights stay on about 8-10hrs a day. Its a clone of the D120s hanging about a foot above the tank. I actually left the lights off the last two days. Gravel vac the substrate... The fish eat all the food... The only things different in the past two weeks is, 1) Added one mystery snail. 2) Started feeding Omega One Super Color Cichlid pellets (small sinking) when I normally feed Fluval medium sinking Cichlid Pellets Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duke November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Remove the piece of log you have in there. Almost curtain that's what's causing the water to algae up like that. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy G November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Get a UV filter. Will help a ton with that, and I actually have a small one I would sell for $20 if you want. Used it for only about 3 months. Let me know Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendeng November 24, 2013 Author Share November 24, 2013 Get a UV filter. Will help a ton with that, and I actually have a small one I would sell for $20 if you want. Used it for only about 3 months. Let me know Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Ill have to wait til payday. Ill let you know if I still need it Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Looks like a bacteria bloom to me.....I have that UV you can borrow if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orion November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Stop vacuuming the gravel so often. These things usually happen due to a bacteria bloom, and by vacuuming the gravel so often you might be creating small mini-cycles. Also when you vacuum the gravel, only skim the top of the gravel. Don't push the gravel vacuum all the way down into the gravel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendeng November 24, 2013 Author Share November 24, 2013 Stop vacuuming the gravel so often. These things usually happen due to a bacteria bloom, and by vacuuming the gravel so often you might be creating small mini-cycles. Also when you vacuum the gravel, only skim the top of the gravel. Don't push the gravel vacuum all the way down into the gravel. Holy cow I think that's it. Thanks! I only recently started vacuuming the gravel (normally I just scoop up floating detritus with a net)... Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendeng November 24, 2013 Author Share November 24, 2013 Looks like a bacteria bloom to me.....I have that UV you can borrow if you want. Thanks! I may have to take you up on that offer. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 It could be algae or the bacteria as has been mentioned. I would add an algaecide product like API Algaefix or Tetra No More Algae to rule out algae being an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 A lot of sun light is coming through that window. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Throw some plants in there no do it the natural way. If it is a planted freshwater, the plants should outcompete the algae and bacteria. You should not be able to get far into the substrate if the plants are healthy, anyway, as the roots should block the vac. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 If you do weekly wc's, and stir the substrate every week, you will not have a bloom as long as your consistent about it. If you never vacuum the substrate, then decide to do so, you should start with 1/4 of the substrate a week the first month, then 1/3 of the substrate a week the second, etc. to prevent too much bacteria from entering the water column at one time. You have a beautiful, but messy 3" Oscar in a 10g tank. I wouldn't stop vacuuming the substrate. I also would def stir the substrate up, every week, let it settle, then vacuum what's lying on the top. Do this first, then do your wc. I like to use finer substrates, pool filter sand, 3M color quarts, sometimes even black sand in my cichlid tanks. With every tank, I take a long scraper and stir every bit I can get to, let it settle, then vacuum what ever settles on the sand with my weekly wc's. The only time I get a bacteria bloom is when I do major replants on pfs tanks, since you can't stir the substrate near growing plants due to root structure. Hence the reason I have the UV's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmerek2 November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 How old is the tank? how long has light been on this tank? Is it possible it didnt cycle enough? Is there a wooden log in the tank? I would think a log would add nutrients to a tank as it decomposes. My guess would be the light is new, caused tons of available nutrients to feed an algae bloom. Everyone gave good nutrient reduction advice to help fix problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutz123 November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Oscars are just plain messy. I don't know how you have it set up, but I wouldn't attempt anything natural (plants, logs) in an Oscar tank. It takes heavy cleaning and consistent water changes, especially in a 10 gallon. The smallest I've ever had a baby oscar in was a 29 gallon. They grow very fast and the bioload is very high. What's your long term plan for tanks? 200 gallons of 3 different types of tanks is going to take a lot of commitment (and a supportive family! ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyCallMeMr.703 November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 I've just been sitting back on this one watching and reading... From someone that has ran Freshwater for over 15 years, and at one point, had 8 tanks running in my house. lol. There is allot of Great information given' here. Just about everything has been hit. GoodJob Guys, and Great Info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendeng November 24, 2013 Author Share November 24, 2013 A lot of sun light is coming through that window. That's an Led no window. Its sitting in a bookshelf Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 You could try lowering the light intensity or photo-period until you get the nutrients under control to limit the algae explosion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendeng November 24, 2013 Author Share November 24, 2013 Oscars are just plain messy. I don't know how you have it set up, but I wouldn't attempt anything natural (plants, logs) in an Oscar tank. It takes heavy cleaning and consistent water changes, especially in a 10 gallon. The smallest I've ever had a baby oscar in was a 29 gallon. They grow very fast and the bioload is very high. What's your long term plan for tanks? 200 gallons of 3 different types of tanks is going to take a lot of commitment (and a supportive family! ) This hobby keeps me out of trouble. .. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davelin315 November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Is the water green or milky white? You've got people looking at it from 2 different perspectives - one bacterial blooms the other algal blooms. Each, although they may share a common solution in some circumstances, has different causes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendeng November 24, 2013 Author Share November 24, 2013 Is the water green or milky white? You've got people looking at it from 2 different perspectives - one bacterial blooms the other algal blooms. Each, although they may share a common solution in some circumstances, has different causes. Its more of a green ish tint Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracy G November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 It's algae in the water column. UV will help a ton Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rrbigdog November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Or a diatom filter will clear that up too. Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ridetheducati November 24, 2013 Share November 24, 2013 Classic green water syndrome. 100% water change and lower light intensity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
londonloco November 25, 2013 Share November 25, 2013 UV will clear it up in less than a week no matter if it's algae or bacteria...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bendeng November 25, 2013 Author Share November 25, 2013 Classic green water syndrome. 100% water change and lower light intensity. UV will clear it up in less than a week no matter if it's algae or bacteria...... It's algae in the water column. UV will help a ton Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Or a diatom filter will clear that up too. Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk Thanks everyone! I may have to invest in a UV sterilizer soon. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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