Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I thought I would pass along an experience, in case anyone out there is also dealing with the same problem.

Because we must leave the lights on our turtle tanks on for 10-12 hours a day, the water can become susceptible to green water, which is a single-cell algae that makes the water look like a thick, dark green, pool of nastiness. No amount of filtering, water changes, carbon, etc. will relieve your tank of green water.

Well, I have been battling this for about three months. Never had a problem with it for more than a year. By the way, it does not harm anything, it just looks terrible and makes guests ask, "why don't you clean your turtle tank?" or, "are your turtles alive?"

So the only two things I know will get rid of green water, Green Water Tabs, which are no longer produced, and a UV sterilizer, I did not have access to. But finally, a friend and I moved a 350 gallon aquarium for someone who gave me his UV sterilizer because he bought a new one. And lo, I have been without green water for two weeks now. My spotted and painted are swimming in crystal clear water as we speak, and I love it.

you know,that has been bothering me for quite awhile now.the other tanks turn green if i leave them unchanged for too long,but i can totally change the spotteds tank,and not even a week later,the green comes creeping back,no matter how much filtration i have.what is the deal with that?is spotted turtle poop like miracle-gro for algae?
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.2 wc baby stinkpots (dinky)
1.1 wc eastern mud turtles(george & jane)
1.1 cb eastern painted turtles (fred & ethel)
0.0.1 mississippi map(lil' dummy)
0.0.1 cb ally snapper(gamera)
1.0 cb albino corn(rusty)
0.0.1 wc halloween crab
0.1 irritating cat (sassy )
2.0 cb children (sidney,13 & kaelan,4)
0.1 wc wife (danae,age withheld due to fears for personal safety)

Sometimes, adding live plants to the enclosure helps. A vigorous grower like anacharis(elodea) or duckweed can sometimes actually "eat up" all of the nutrients in the water, leaving nothing for the algae. Also, duckweed blocks the light, which the algae needs to thrive.

The best fix, though, is a UV sterilizer. Nice job!

im not 100% sure but a cheap solution would be to buy/try just the bacteria replacement filter for a aquaclear filter. its like $5. It removes the nitrates in the water. The reason why plants work with reducing alge is because they compete with the alge for the free nitrats in the water. I have a few fish takes with fish and these bacteria filter seem to keep my water crystle clear and i have 0 alge. good luck.

the only downside is that the bacteria filter/bag needs to sit in the water.but u can hide it with rocks.

its somthing to try for 5$