# Green Water like Algae growing on the waters surface?



## Krish's Aquariums (22 Nov 2020)

Hello Everyone,

Recently I have been getting an odd algae growth happening on the surface of the water only, it can be cleaned by skimming the surface. I am unsure of what is causing it. The lighting is on for 6 hours a day. This tank is a non planted tank and I change 1/4 of the quarter every week.

If anyone has had similar experiences please share and if anyone knows how to fix the problem please let me know!


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## dw1305 (22 Nov 2020)

Hi all,


Krish's Aquariums said:


> This tank is a non planted tank


You are always likey to have algal problems when you have a light bright enough to support plant growth. It is back to the <"plants you want" argument">.


dw1305 said:


> But there isn't really a difference for the "green algae" (<"Chlorophyta">), they share the same photosystems (chlorophylls a & b etc.) as all the vascular plants (mosses, ferns & flowering plants), because they have a common ancestor (they all belong to the clade <"Chlorobionta"> or <"Viridiplantae">).


Could you add a <"floating plant, or a subsurface floater">?

If you really:

Couldn't have a plant, and 
don't want to turn the light down, 
you can remove <"one of the mineral nutrients"> neccessary for plant growth.  
Phosphorus (orthophosphate PO4---) is the easiest nutrient to remove via <"ferric chloride addition">. You can buy Ultiphos, Rowaphos or Phosban etc. They all <"work in the same way">.

cheers Darrel


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## Krish's Aquariums (22 Nov 2020)

dw1305 said:


> Hi all,
> 
> You are always likey to have algal problems when you have a light bright enough to support plant growth. It is back to the <"plants you want" argument">.
> 
> ...


Hi Darrel,

Thank you for your reply, I think you might be right about the lighting, I am running a twinstar 450ea on this set. My tank is a river biotope aquascape, so I don't really want to add floating plants. I think I will try the phosphorus removes and lower the light intensity!


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## jaypeecee (22 Nov 2020)

Krish's Aquariums said:


> I think I will try the phosphorus removes and lower the light intensity!


Hi @Krish's Aquariums 

Please be aware that fish food often contains a high proportion of phosphate. Try to reduce the phosphate level in the water column and you may not need to resort to RowaPhos and the like. I use the JBL PO4 Test Kit to keep an eye on phosphate:

https://www.jbl.de/en/products/detail/8676/jbl-proaquatest-po4-phosphate-sensitive?country=ro

JPC


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## Mr.Shenanagins (22 Nov 2020)

Not sure if you have any surface skimming, but that should help disturb that growth and avoid any filming at the surface too.


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## Krish's Aquariums (23 Nov 2020)

jaypeecee said:


> Hi @Krish's Aquariums
> 
> Please be aware that fish food often contains a high proportion of phosphate. Try to reduce the phosphate level in the water column and you may not need to resort to RowaPhos and the like. I use the JBL PO4 Test Kit to keep an eye on phosphate:
> 
> ...


The thing is I only feed the fish once a week due to them being algae eater, I will invest in a test kit to check the PO4 levels.


Mr.Shenanagins said:


> Not sure if you have any surface skimming, but that should help disturb that growth and avoid any filming at the surface too.


I am very tempted to get once, but I am a little bit worried. I got some gobies that can cling to glass and I was wondering if they would end up climbing into the skimmer?


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## Mr.Shenanagins (23 Nov 2020)

Krish's Aquariums said:


> I got some gobies that can cling to glass and I was wondering if they would end up climbing into the skimmer?


I don’t think that would be an issue


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## jaypeecee (25 Nov 2020)

Krish's Aquariums said:


> I got some gobies that can cling to glass and I was wondering if they would end up climbing into the skimmer?


Hi @Krish's Aquariums

I can only speak about the Eheim skim350. Unless Eheim has changed the design of this surface skimmer, you will either need to make an inlet guard or look at the alternatives. If you search here on UKAPS for the skim350, you should find several threads/posts dealing with this product. I have one but I would never buy another.

JPC


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