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Need green water help
Betcha you've heard that question before...but I did read the FAQ.
Unfortunately, I still have green water and I thought I'd done everything natural to cure it. I've finally got 75% of the surface of my 3 barrels shaded with water hyacinth, water lettuce, and duckweed. The WH has almost doubled in 2 weeks. Oxygenators are growing well, with about 4 bunches in each barrel. I've got marginals in each barrel too now - some are just getting started but the Acorus, fiber optic grass, umbrella palm and canna lily are growing well. I also started some watercress and it seems to be taking hold. My newly planted Iris are breaking the surface now, and pickerel is getting close. I can't see the water lily in the green water so no idea whether it's growing or not. I've tested the water and there's no ammonia, nitrite, or even nitrate. pH is 7.4. I don't have a phosphate test. It seems I have enough biofiltration. I have two of these 4" strainers http://www.calpump.com/productsub.as...0T&category=10 on my pump intake covered with their thick foam prefilters and filled with bioballs. Actually one is half Chemi Pure and half bioballs at the moment. I have about 65 gallons of water housing 3 2" shubunkins, 3 white clouds, 2 gambusia, and some ramshorn snails. The smaller fish have been in the pond for a total of 10 weeks with the first shubie added a little over a month ago. The plants have apparantly finally sucked all the nitrates out of the water, according to plan. The nitrate has dropped from about 5-7 ppm to zero since I added the WH and duckweed. I've also been fertilizing regularly with iron, trace elements, and potash the way I do fishtanks to help the plants out. Even the green fuzz has slowed down to the point that the fish and snails are keeping it lawnmowed. Bu the green water keeps right on going. So, I have shaded water, no nitrates, a TON of now nitrogen-starved plantlife, hopefully adequte filtration and the water is still so green and murky I can't see deeper than about 6". Fish? What fish? I'm at a loss. Chemicals are not an option as I intend to eat my watercress, and the cost of a UV unit is currently prohibitive. Do I need more filtration, even though there's no ammonia or nitrite? Do I leave things alone and wait now that nitrates are zero? Do I add nitrate in case the plants are starved for it and can't outcompete the algae? Should I try a flocculating agent? Help! -- Elaine T __ http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__ rec.aquaria.* FAQ http://faq.thekrib.com |
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