Hello 👋

[Ruth1976]

Hello

Thanks for adding me! I have a problem with phosphate in my tap water. The only other source is the outside tap, which I just tested, and levels seem lower (why?!). Is it okay to use this water? I also bought some Clearmec resin. All other readings okay, apart from nitrate, which is slightly high.

Thanks!

 

[Colin_T]

Hi and welcome to the forum

What are the phosphate and nitrate levels?

Are you getting scheme water from a water company or using well water?

 

[Essjay]

Another question - do you have a water softener? Water from an outside tap wouldn't go through one.

 

[Ruth1976]

Hi and welcome to the forum

What are the phosphate and nitrate levels?

Are you getting scheme water from a water company or using well water?

Thanks!

Phosphate was 2, nitrate 2.5. Makes sense to me I have a phosphate issue as despite weekly cleaning I get algae after 4-5 days.

I was getting the water from my kitchen tap (which the softener doesn’t connect to), but I just tried the garden hose now …

 

[Colin_T]

Run the tap for 5 minutes and test the water after that.

2.5ppm of nitrate is nothing to worry about but phosphate can be an issue.

If you have some floating plants in the tank, they will use the phosphates. You can also buy phosphate removing substances from pet shops or online and these sit in the aquarium filter and help remove phosphates from the water. They are normally designed for marine aquariums but can usually be used on fresh water tanks too.

Another option is to put the tap water into a large pond, aquarium or storage container and grow floating plants in the container. When the nitrates and phosphates are 0ppm, use that water in the fish tank.

 

[Ruth1976]

So the resin I bought seems to have done nothing! A few days later and I can see the algae starting up again. Just over a week and my tank is green. I also have had a “Lean Green Killing Machine” in there for a while. Just tested the water and phosphate is at 5.

I don’t have the time/energy for the plant-growing idea! I think it may only partially solve the problem anyway, since I need to do 50% water changes weekly due to the huge amounts of debris I find in the gravel.

I have been thinking about a bigger tank for a while but I don’t want to shell out a fortune and have an algae problem with that. Currently have a 125 litre, with two fish, but one of them (samsara comet) is pretty huge.

Help!

 

[Colin_T]

I also have had a “Lean Green Killing Machine” in there for a while.

What is a lean green killing machine?

How long are the lights on for?
How many live plants do you have in the tank?
Can you post a picture of the tank?

 

[Oblio]

I think Ruth is speaking of this UV device

GKM by AA Aquarium

Our mission for the GKM is to provide a simple & easy to use solution in treating green water problems.

www.gkm.aa-aquarium.com

 

[Ruth1976]

What is a lean green killing machine?

How long are the lights on for?
How many live plants do you have in the tank?
Can you post a picture of the tank?

It is indeed a UV steriliser.

Lights around 8 hours but I’ve cut down to 5 in the past with no effect.

No plants - tried them a few times. End up covered in algae, blocking filters etc.

Tank picture attached! I just cleaned it yesterday. Taken fake plants out as big fish has fin rot I think and been trying salt and resin, and easier to see him without anything else in tank.

 

[Colin_T]

Big daily water changes and salt should fix the fin rot.

Goldfish need plant matter in their diet so try to add some to keep them healthy.

 

[Ruth1976]

What sort of plant matter - you mean fruit and veg?

My other one died today from swim bladder

 

[Colin_T]

You can feed them soft leaf aquarium plants like Ambulia, Duckweed, Hygrophila polysperma.

You can feed them marine algae sold at Asian supermarkets and some health food stores.

You can feed them boiled (but cooled) pumpkin, zucchini, peas (remove the skin), spinach, etc.

Do not feed them potatoe or onions (or onion relatives like spring onion, shallots, leeks)