Light Question

[TwtyBrd]

Is it possible that the light from the MH's in the reef tank could turn the water in a nearby (a few feet away) FW tank green? its as bright as the sunin here! We ave never had a probem with any the FW tanks in the past.

[Deborah]

Are you talking about "green water" i.e. suspended algae? If that's the problem and if you have not changed anything else in the tank I'd say it was the light. Too many nutrients from over feeding could be another cause.


A suggested cure from
The Krib

"I've just come out of a green water problem quite successfully by
following Karen Randall's advice. Two steps: 1. Eliminate excess
nutrients in the water column (through water changes). 2. Darken the
tank for 4 or 5 days (I used a dark blanket and duct tape and kept the
lights off the entire time feeding the rainbows once a day in the dark
- -- poor things!). I opened the tank up on the evening of the 4th day
(no biblical pun intended ) and had pristine crystal clear water
which has remained clear ever since (about 2 weeks now)."

[TwtyBrd]

Yep its not on anything, pretty clean other than the water. Guess we will have to move it. Thanks for the link!

[Geoff]

i do not know how much usefull light actually get throught the glass on the tanks. i am trying to grow some potted plants on either side of my reef. it has 400w mh and i am barely able to keep them happy. to tell the truth i can not tell whether it is the light from the house or the tank that they are living off of. these plants are resting up against the glass sides.

it could just be that the light is in the wrong spectrum for these plants. i do not know if the spectrum needed for FW plants is more like land plants than for like reef critters.

just my observations.

G~

[TwtyBrd]

Actually, the only plants that are in it are fake(shhh), snails like to climb them and they are just a pain. The guy at a fish store says its from tap water, not sure if parameters should be the same as a reef tank. Another place says not to use RO in FW. Idont know. Thanks for input you guys

[Deborah]

I don't think I've ever seen an RO debate concerning the pros and cons in freshwater for a non-planted tank. Plants need nutrients in water but I don't think the fish do, do they?

If you are using tap water it might contain nitrates or phospates that could cause algae blooms (since you don't have any live plants to use them up. Hint, Hint ). If it were me I'd try the RO and see if it helps.

And you could throw some fast growing plant in the tank to absorb nutrients such as anachris.