Troubleshooting for Green & Cloudy Water

Have you been struggling with green or discolored aquarium water? Maybe you’ve tested your parameters and they appear to fall within the correct ranges.

Green cloudy water is not only unsightly, but it could be your aquariums way of telling you there is something wrong with the water quality.

Too much nutrients or fish waste in the water column that overwhelms the bacteria ecosystem (biological filtration) can result with algae using it as a food source. There are times that the bacteria are not established or thriving like it should and can lend themselves to algae taking over their food source. 

What to do?

• Test the water. We want to make sure the aquarium is not going through the Nitrogen cycle. The Nitrogen cycle typically happens when first establishing the tank. However, even an established aquarium can go through the Nitrogen Cycle at any point. High Phosphates could be feeding algae growth within aquarium. Use the API FRESHWATER MASTER TEST KIT or SALTWATER MASTER TEST KIT.
• Perform a partial water of 30% with gravel siphon. It is recommended to use the API ALGAE SCRAPER or API ALGAE PAD to remove any algae from the glass or decorations. A partial water exchange using a gravel siphon will pull out and dilute the nutrients, poor water parameters and excess organic debris and, slow the algae growth.  Proper maintenance will help control algae growth and keep a thriving bacterial ecosystem.
• Add bacteria. The addition of beneficial bacteria like API STRESS ZYME™ and API QUICK START™ will create competition with the algae for the same food source. Adding more bacteria means less food for algae to use to grow. 

Is the water still cloudy and green? - API ACCU-CLEAR™ is a flocculant that will bind to cloudy, green water. The clumps will either drop to the bottom of the aquarium to be siphoned out or be removed through the filter and filter pad. 

API ALGAEFIX™ is an algaecide that quickly gets rid of algae and will clear up the aquarium water.

Another great option for algae reduction is adding live plants to your water. Live plants will consume organic waste and excess nutrients, leaving little to no food for algae to use. 

Even after these steps, if the water is still cloudy? – It is recommended to re-evaluate the size of the fish or quantity of fish per volume of water. Too many fish can cause an overload of nutrients and fish waste into the water the bacteria can handle. 

Patience with the biological processes and consistent maintenance will help the aquarium become clearer over time. Frequent water testing and water exchanges help keep the algae growth low too. 

Still looking for more help? Talk to our Tech Services Team through email or you can call us at 1-800-847-0659. We are here to troubleshoot and help clear up your aquarium.