question on algae and UGF filtration

[Eric Gutierrez]

I've got two 3month old 100 gallon freshwater aquariums. (72" x 18" x
18")
No gravel, just bare bottom with a few (less than 10) handsize rocks.
Cleaning (all water drained) takes me 6 hours total...a pain...

My first problem is green water, the tanks cannot be placed in another
location, and direct sunlight hits them for 3 hours per day (6am-9am).
Question: What can I do to eliminate this? The water turns cloudy
after 3-4 days of a complete water change, then green in about 4-5
days. In two weeks, you can't even see the fish, the water is totally
green, but you know they're still there, coz the food disappears. :)
I am now covering the aquarium with a car-sunscreen hoping this would
work.

Second is on filtration. My earlier installation was just a powerhead
(up to 1200GPH) connected to a 4-stage box filter on top of the
aquarium. Somehow, I thought this was inadequate. I decided to use
the same powerhead to drive a UGF, plus another airpump connected to
an airlift tube on the other side. The powerhead sits very close to
the plate using only a short 2" updraft tube. I am still not using
gravel, just some kind of 1" thick white cotton like substance
normally used as filter media covering the entire UGF plate. Question:
Is this alright? I'd like to avoid gravel, coz it will be a nightmare
trying to clean this aquarium with it.

Thanks for any advice, guidance, tips.

eric
ericag_ph @ yahoo.com

[Justin Boucher]

It would seem to me that it's more of a nightmare doing the 100% water
changes and dealing with your green water than it is for me and my 100gal
UGF with 3" of gravel.

My first question is why are you doing 100% water changes? Because of the
green water or was this a practice before then?

As for the green water, the sunlight isn't helping but as you mentioned,
moving the tanks is not an option. Green water is a result of too much
nutrients in the water. Usually this comes from overfeeding. I have also
heard that some water sources are high in phosphates and nitrates so your
100% water changes may only be adding to the problem without testing your
water source.

My answer to green water (the time I did have it) was feeding every other
day and live plants. The water is now crystal clear (even more clear than
my marine tank...) and everyone is happy and healthy.

Justin

"Eric Gutierrez" > wrote in message
m...
> I've got two 3month old 100 gallon freshwater aquariums. (72" x 18" x
> 18")
> No gravel, just bare bottom with a few (less than 10) handsize rocks.
> Cleaning (all water drained) takes me 6 hours total...a pain...
>
> My first problem is green water, the tanks cannot be placed in another
> location, and direct sunlight hits them for 3 hours per day (6am-9am).
> Question: What can I do to eliminate this? The water turns cloudy
> after 3-4 days of a complete water change, then green in about 4-5
> days. In two weeks, you can't even see the fish, the water is totally
> green, but you know they're still there, coz the food disappears. :)
> I am now covering the aquarium with a car-sunscreen hoping this would
> work.
>
> Second is on filtration. My earlier installation was just a powerhead
> (up to 1200GPH) connected to a 4-stage box filter on top of the
> aquarium. Somehow, I thought this was inadequate. I decided to use
> the same powerhead to drive a UGF, plus another airpump connected to
> an airlift tube on the other side. The powerhead sits very close to
> the plate using only a short 2" updraft tube. I am still not using
> gravel, just some kind of 1" thick white cotton like substance
> normally used as filter media covering the entire UGF plate. Question:
> Is this alright? I'd like to avoid gravel, coz it will be a nightmare
> trying to clean this aquarium with it.
>
> Thanks for any advice, guidance, tips.
>
> eric
> ericag_ph @ yahoo.com

[Racf]

"Eric Gutierrez" > wrote in message
m...
> I've got two 3month old 100 gallon freshwater aquariums. (72" x 18" x
> 18")
> No gravel, just bare bottom with a few (less than 10) handsize rocks.
> Cleaning (all water drained) takes me 6 hours total...a pain...
>
> My first problem is green water, the tanks cannot be placed in another
> location, and direct sunlight hits them for 3 hours per day (6am-9am).
> Question: What can I do to eliminate this? The water turns cloudy
> after 3-4 days of a complete water change, then green in about 4-5
> days. In two weeks, you can't even see the fish, the water is totally
> green, but you know they're still there, coz the food disappears. :)
> I am now covering the aquarium with a car-sunscreen hoping this would
> work.
>
> Second is on filtration. My earlier installation was just a powerhead
> (up to 1200GPH) connected to a 4-stage box filter on top of the
> aquarium. Somehow, I thought this was inadequate. I decided to use
> the same powerhead to drive a UGF, plus another airpump connected to
> an airlift tube on the other side. The powerhead sits very close to
> the plate using only a short 2" updraft tube. I am still not using
> gravel, just some kind of 1" thick white cotton like substance
> normally used as filter media covering the entire UGF plate. Question:
> Is this alright? I'd like to avoid gravel, coz it will be a nightmare
> trying to clean this aquarium with it.
>
> Thanks for any advice, guidance, tips.
>
> eric
> ericag_ph @ yahoo.com

Use a UV unit. Clear in a day.

[Lior T]

UV unit ?
can this be bought on a hardware store ? or must it be from a fish
store ?

also, speaking of plants - how does plants kill the algue ?
i'm very much interested in replacing my rubber-vegetation with real
one,

can anyone post a link to a site that contains a *deep* overview (for
beginers) in inserting vegetation to the aquarium ? my aquarium doesnt
have much sunlight, and i wouldnt like to change my light source
(flurecent) but i would like to know benefits/hardships to plant
growing... i realy dislike the "feel" of plastic ones ... and I DO NOT
TRUST SELLERS HERE TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SELLING (from past expirience
in early stages of the hobby).

thanks
LT



Racf wrote:

> "Eric Gutierrez" > wrote in message
> m...
> > I've got two 3month old 100 gallon freshwater aquariums. (72" x
> > 18" x 18")
> > No gravel, just bare bottom with a few (less than 10) handsize
> > rocks. Cleaning (all water drained) takes me 6 hours total...a
> > pain...
> >
> > My first problem is green water, the tanks cannot be placed in
> > another location, and direct sunlight hits them for 3 hours per day
> > (6am-9am). Question: What can I do to eliminate this? The water
> > turns cloudy after 3-4 days of a complete water change, then green
> > in about 4-5 days. In two weeks, you can't even see the fish, the
> > water is totally green, but you know they're still there, coz the
> > food disappears. :) I am now covering the aquarium with a
> > car-sunscreen hoping this would work.
> >
> > Second is on filtration. My earlier installation was just a
> > powerhead (up to 1200GPH) connected to a 4-stage box filter on top
> > of the aquarium. Somehow, I thought this was inadequate. I
> > decided to use the same powerhead to drive a UGF, plus another
> > airpump connected to an airlift tube on the other side. The
> > powerhead sits very close to the plate using only a short 2"
> > updraft tube. I am still not using gravel, just some kind of 1"
> > thick white cotton like substance normally used as filter media
> > covering the entire UGF plate. Question: Is this alright? I'd
> > like to avoid gravel, coz it will be a nightmare trying to clean
> > this aquarium with it.
> >
> > Thanks for any advice, guidance, tips.
> >
> > eric
> > ericag_ph @ yahoo.com
>
> Use a UV unit. Clear in a day.

[Eric Gutierrez]

Thanks for the reply Justin

I'm doing 100% water changes due to the green water...it really is
that green.
If I don't remove it, the water is already cloudy, and turns green
even faster.

I'm not too sure if I am overfeeding... I feed only twice a day (7am,
7pm), and each time the food is gone in a few minutes (less than 10
minutes). I have tried adding live floating plants...seems to have
slowed the algae growth...
I may have to add more.

eric

"Justin Boucher" > wrote in message >...
> It would seem to me that it's more of a nightmare doing the 100% water
> changes and dealing with your green water than it is for me and my 100gal
> UGF with 3" of gravel.
>
> My first question is why are you doing 100% water changes? Because of the
> green water or was this a practice before then?
>
> As for the green water, the sunlight isn't helping but as you mentioned,
> moving the tanks is not an option. Green water is a result of too much
> nutrients in the water. Usually this comes from overfeeding. I have also
> heard that some water sources are high in phosphates and nitrates so your
> 100% water changes may only be adding to the problem without testing your
> water source.
>
> My answer to green water (the time I did have it) was feeding every other
> day and live plants. The water is now crystal clear (even more clear than
> my marine tank...) and everyone is happy and healthy.
>
> Justin
>
> "Eric Gutierrez" > wrote in message
> m...
> > I've got two 3month old 100 gallon freshwater aquariums. (72" x 18" x
> > 18")
> > No gravel, just bare bottom with a few (less than 10) handsize rocks.
> > Cleaning (all water drained) takes me 6 hours total...a pain...
> >
> > My first problem is green water, the tanks cannot be placed in another
> > location, and direct sunlight hits them for 3 hours per day (6am-9am).
> > Question: What can I do to eliminate this? The water turns cloudy
> > after 3-4 days of a complete water change, then green in about 4-5
> > days. In two weeks, you can't even see the fish, the water is totally
> > green, but you know they're still there, coz the food disappears. :)
> > I am now covering the aquarium with a car-sunscreen hoping this would
> > work.
> >
> > Second is on filtration. My earlier installation was just a powerhead
> > (up to 1200GPH) connected to a 4-stage box filter on top of the
> > aquarium. Somehow, I thought this was inadequate. I decided to use
> > the same powerhead to drive a UGF, plus another airpump connected to
> > an airlift tube on the other side. The powerhead sits very close to
> > the plate using only a short 2" updraft tube. I am still not using
> > gravel, just some kind of 1" thick white cotton like substance
> > normally used as filter media covering the entire UGF plate. Question:
> > Is this alright? I'd like to avoid gravel, coz it will be a nightmare
> > trying to clean this aquarium with it.
> >
> > Thanks for any advice, guidance, tips.
> >
> > eric
> > ericag_ph @ yahoo.com

[Charles]

On Wed, 28 Jul 2004 21:08:00 GMT, "Lior T" > wrote:

>UV unit ?
>can this be bought on a hardware store ? or must it be from a fish
>store ?
>
>also, speaking of plants - how does plants kill the algue ?
>i'm very much interested in replacing my rubber-vegetation with real
>one,
>
>can anyone post a link to a site that contains a *deep* overview (for
>beginers) in inserting vegetation to the aquarium ? my aquarium doesnt
>have much sunlight, and i wouldnt like to change my light source
>(flurecent) but i would like to know benefits/hardships to plant
>growing... i realy dislike the "feel" of plastic ones ... and I DO NOT
>TRUST SELLERS HERE TO KNOW WHAT THEY ARE SELLING (from past expirience
>in early stages of the hobby).
>
>thanks
>LT
>
Probably the best plant link to start with:

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/

then, in no particular order:
http://www.aquabotanic.com/aquamenu.htm

http://faq.thekrib.com/plant.html

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/

http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1

http://www.naturalaquariums.com/

There is no limit on how complicated you can get with planted
aquariums, but you can start very simply. Throw a piece of anacharis
into the tank. You're on your way.

The UV units mentioned must be for aquariums or ponds. You can get
them from aquarium stores or online vendors.

Two vendors I like are:

www.thatfishplace.com

and

www.petsolutions.com.

there are others, these are just two that I have used and will use
again.
--

- Charles
-
-does not play well with others

[Lior T]

Thanks

LT


Charles wrote:

> Probably the best plant link to start with:
>
> http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/
>
> then, in no particular order:
> http://www.aquabotanic.com/aquamenu.htm
>
> http://faq.thekrib.com/plant.html
>
> http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/
>
> http://aquabotanicwetthumb.infopop.cc/#1
>
> http://www.naturalaquariums.com/
>
> There is no limit on how complicated you can get with planted
> aquariums, but you can start very simply. Throw a piece of anacharis
> into the tank. You're on your way.
>
> The UV units mentioned must be for aquariums or ponds. You can get
> them from aquarium stores or online vendors.
>
> Two vendors I like are:
>
> www.thatfishplace.com
>
> and
>
> www.petsolutions.com.
>
> there are others, these are just two that I have used and will use
> again.

[Eric Gutierrez]

I just realized, I don't have a 1200GPH powerhead, but a 1200liter per
hour powerhead.

That translates to about 300GPH... is this sufficient for a 100Gal
aquarium?

eric

(Eric Gutierrez) wrote in message >...
> I've got two 3month old 100 gallon freshwater aquariums. (72" x 18" x
> 18")
> No gravel, just bare bottom with a few (less than 10) handsize rocks.
> Cleaning (all water drained) takes me 6 hours total...a pain...
>
> My first problem is green water, the tanks cannot be placed in another
> location, and direct sunlight hits them for 3 hours per day (6am-9am).
> Question: What can I do to eliminate this? The water turns cloudy
> after 3-4 days of a complete water change, then green in about 4-5
> days. In two weeks, you can't even see the fish, the water is totally
> green, but you know they're still there, coz the food disappears. :)
> I am now covering the aquarium with a car-sunscreen hoping this would
> work.
>
> Second is on filtration. My earlier installation was just a powerhead
> (up to 1200GPH) connected to a 4-stage box filter on top of the
> aquarium. Somehow, I thought this was inadequate. I decided to use
> the same powerhead to drive a UGF, plus another airpump connected to
> an airlift tube on the other side. The powerhead sits very close to
> the plate using only a short 2" updraft tube. I am still not using
> gravel, just some kind of 1" thick white cotton like substance
> normally used as filter media covering the entire UGF plate. Question:
> Is this alright? I'd like to avoid gravel, coz it will be a nightmare
> trying to clean this aquarium with it.
>
> Thanks for any advice, guidance, tips.
>
> eric
> ericag_ph @ yahoo.com

[RedForeman ©®]

|| I just realized, I don't have a 1200GPH powerhead, but a 1200liter
|| per
|| hour powerhead.
||
|| That translates to about 300GPH... is this sufficient for a 100Gal
|| aquarium?
||
|| eric

Should be more than enough...

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